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A review by lindamortland
Like Happiness by Ursula Villarreal-Moura
3.5
It’s 2015 and Tatum Vega is peacefully enjoying the life she built in Chile with her partner Vera. One day, she is contacted by a US reporter for an interview regarding her relationship with M. Domínguez, a famous author who has been accused of sexual assault. This compels her to recount and re-examine the relationship she once had with the older and established author.
Tatum and M connect after Tatum falls in love with his book and writes him a fan letter. At the time, Tatum was an undergraduate student in Massachusetts and M was a professor in New York. As Tatum continues to recount her 10 year history with M, it is clear that the one-sided relationship caused Tatum to struggle to freely explore her identity and advance in life.
Like Happiness is a powerful novel that explores topics such as cultural identity, sexual orientation, self-discovery, grooming, power dynamics, and power imbalances.
Although the storyline dragged on for a bit, the writing was beautiful. The author did a superb job portraying the ways M subtly manipulates Tatum and the long-lasting impact he had on her. I especially enjoyed the second-person writing because it made Tatum’s experience feel more personal. My heart hurts for Tatum.
“For the longest time, I felt like everything would remind me of you – that I was doomed to relive our story and never regain my footing. What I’ve shared with you is proof that I still remember, but in writing this, I find that my memories are releasing their hold on me.”
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Tatum and M connect after Tatum falls in love with his book and writes him a fan letter. At the time, Tatum was an undergraduate student in Massachusetts and M was a professor in New York. As Tatum continues to recount her 10 year history with M, it is clear that the one-sided relationship caused Tatum to struggle to freely explore her identity and advance in life.
Like Happiness is a powerful novel that explores topics such as cultural identity, sexual orientation, self-discovery, grooming, power dynamics, and power imbalances.
Although the storyline dragged on for a bit, the writing was beautiful. The author did a superb job portraying the ways M subtly manipulates Tatum and the long-lasting impact he had on her. I especially enjoyed the second-person writing because it made Tatum’s experience feel more personal. My heart hurts for Tatum.
“For the longest time, I felt like everything would remind me of you – that I was doomed to relive our story and never regain my footing. What I’ve shared with you is proof that I still remember, but in writing this, I find that my memories are releasing their hold on me.”
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.