Reviews

Like Happiness by Ursula Villarreal-Moura

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mostardentlyalice's review against another edition

reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Attending college out of state, Tatum doesn’t come across many other students that look like her, often left frozen by the blatant micro aggressions existing in the opinions her peers have on the crusty white syllabus of her English elective. So when she picks up Happiness, a short story collection by Puerto Rican author M Domínguez, she is spellbound by how he writes about the experiences of Latin Americans and seems to pen words that profoundly resonate with her own experiences.

Tatum feels compelled to write him a fan letter. When he responds, a friendship forms between the two that ultimately steers the next decade of her life. Years later, Tatum is approached by a NYT journalist who wants to talk to her about her friendship with Matteo after abuse allegations have come to light against him.

Like Happiness delves into the murkiness of parasocial relationships that are given oxygen to exist outside of their usual parameters, and the indisputably imbalanced power dynamic present. Not quite in juxtaposition, Like Happiness is a testament also to the weight of diversity and representation in art. All the ways seeing one’s self in art can offer reassurances you exist, you are seen, and that your way of moving through the world matters. And how Tatum reclaims that in spite of the thrall Matteo at times has her under.

I really enjoyed Like Happiness. The narration was sharp and curious, the idolisation Tatum possesses over Matteo tangible. At its heart, it’s a book about books and writing and writers and art. A winning ingredient for me, it is all this while also being an enthralling page turner that is brilliantly diverse and truly just so compelling.

aurorasandsadnovels's review against another edition

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dark reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

taylorstakeoff's review

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challenging emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Everything about this book felt immaculately drawn and so much like something I could relate to. Even if every person or woman who reads this book hasn't had this specific relationship dynamic, this was drawn in a way to make the specific universal. A line near the end of the book sums up the thesis of the book saying that toxic relationships are like ticking bombs with the pin pulled out. So many of the lines in this book felt striking and somber. The threading of the 'present' from which the protagonist was writing the letter of the book threaded beautifully with the direct addresses to M. The use of second person in this case was beautiful and condemning. The reader was made to feel complicit int his relationship in a way that was suffocating, but clearly intentional. In some ways it felt as if we only knew the character through the lens of this relationship, but I never felt slighted to only know her that way.

boookswithbrooke's review

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emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book started out pretty slow for me in the beginning, but once the story picked up, I couldn't put it down. I really enjoyed the author's writing style and the way she split the story between Tatum's present life and Tatum's letter to M., allowing for a unique insight into Tatum's past, showing both how she felt when the events took place and the way she's seeing it now through new eyes. I think the author also did a really good job of exploring the complexities of the power dynamic between Tatum and M and the complicated feelings Tatum has in regard to him even after everything transpires. It felt authentic in a way I don't often see in stories.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to see what she writes next!