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lauren_anderson's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
kstephens22's review against another edition
2.0
“Complicity was what made two people a couple, regardless of how it all panned out.”
viviorchid's review against another edition
2.0
A tale of teenage runaways, it feels like not a lot happens but you follow the journey well. It captures the essence of the area and the time.
underwaterstepmom's review against another edition
4.0
i *personally* loved this although if you are someone who reads novels for plot you'll prob be disappointed. not much narrative momentum but the prose is very hypnotic & compelling. it kinda felt more like a poem in the shape of a novel
emmkayt's review against another edition
4.0
Seventeen year-old Luisa, coming of age in Mexico City in 1988, runs away to the beach on a whim with an older boy she has a crush on (on the premise of looking for some missing Ukrainian dwarfs she read about in the newspaper), in this dreamy, intellectual short novel. Luisa’s imagination is readily captured by others and by her surroundings, but when reality intrudes on her projections, it inevitably disappoints.
I enjoyed Aridjis’ writing very much once I got into the swing of things. Her descriptions of Mexico City, especially Roma, in the 80s were lovely, and she captured self-centred, imaginative female adolescence well. Warning: not for you if you want much to happen though! It’s not that kind of book.
I enjoyed Aridjis’ writing very much once I got into the swing of things. Her descriptions of Mexico City, especially Roma, in the 80s were lovely, and she captured self-centred, imaginative female adolescence well. Warning: not for you if you want much to happen though! It’s not that kind of book.
omnibozo22's review against another edition
3.0
My second Aridjis novel... and not as compelling as the first. After teaching high school for 30 years, I'm not much interested in hearing or reading more about teenage angst. That's about all on display here, as far as I could tell.
Given that, I'm still searching for a copy of Aridjis' dissertation, which is on 19 century French poetry, theater and magic shows. The usual academic sources haven't been helpful yet.
Given that, I'm still searching for a copy of Aridjis' dissertation, which is on 19 century French poetry, theater and magic shows. The usual academic sources haven't been helpful yet.
paper_mache's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
tiannaj's review against another edition
5.0
This was a lose yourself in the prose kind of book. A swirling with the grain of the seashell until you can’t find your way out and you don’t even think you’d want to kind of book.
merixien's review against another edition
3.0
3,5/5
Meksika'da yaşayan 17 yaşındaki Luisa'nın, doğru düzgün tanımadığı Tomas ile Pasifik sahiline kaçışıyla başlıyor kitap. Yalnız bu sıradan bir aileden özgürlüğe kaçış hikayesi değil. Sorunsuz hatta tam tersi oldukça iyi geçindiği bir aileden ve sorunsuz bir hayattan beklenmeyen bir kaçışın hikayesi. Güzel fon müzikleri eşliğinde, ergenliğin getirdiği öz yıkım ve yeniden bir kimlik oluşturma arzusuyla; kafileden kaçan Ukraynalı cücelerin, hippilerin peşinde 1080'lerin sonunda Meksika'ya ve varoluş sancılarının en ilkel haline dönüyorsunuz. Gerçeklik ile fantezi arasında gezinen, metaforlarıyla yormayan, keyifli bir okumaydı.
Meksika'da yaşayan 17 yaşındaki Luisa'nın, doğru düzgün tanımadığı Tomas ile Pasifik sahiline kaçışıyla başlıyor kitap. Yalnız bu sıradan bir aileden özgürlüğe kaçış hikayesi değil. Sorunsuz hatta tam tersi oldukça iyi geçindiği bir aileden ve sorunsuz bir hayattan beklenmeyen bir kaçışın hikayesi. Güzel fon müzikleri eşliğinde, ergenliğin getirdiği öz yıkım ve yeniden bir kimlik oluşturma arzusuyla; kafileden kaçan Ukraynalı cücelerin, hippilerin peşinde 1080'lerin sonunda Meksika'ya ve varoluş sancılarının en ilkel haline dönüyorsunuz. Gerçeklik ile fantezi arasında gezinen, metaforlarıyla yormayan, keyifli bir okumaydı.
bittybren's review against another edition
3.0
I read this book as part of a reading challenge with a criteria of reading a book set in Mexico.
This book was okay. It was melodic, even paced and more or less a generic story line. The story is about a young girl who more or less runs away from home to a beach and then eventually is brought back home.
Her father is a professor and has a love for ship wrecks and the story ties in ship wrecks throughout the story metaphorically.
It was interesting but the book left me feeling very "meh".
This book was okay. It was melodic, even paced and more or less a generic story line. The story is about a young girl who more or less runs away from home to a beach and then eventually is brought back home.
Her father is a professor and has a love for ship wrecks and the story ties in ship wrecks throughout the story metaphorically.
It was interesting but the book left me feeling very "meh".