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A review by claudiaslibrarycard
Like Happiness by Ursula Villarreal-Moura
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-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? Yes
5.0
Like Happiness is a great fit for readers who enjoy stories about young women navigating undefined relationships and their own self discovery and identity. Set in 2015, Tatum Vega is living in Chile with her partner and feeling a sense of peace and ease- finally. When a reporter calls, Tatum is taken down memory lane to ten tenuous years she spent in NYC in a close but complicated relationship with a famous author named M. DomÃnguez.
The novel is told alternating between Tatum's present in Chile answering the reporter's questions and letters she addresses to M. I was instantly fully immersed in this story and the incredible audiobook narration. Tatum and M develop a quick rapport and she is sucked into his orbit. Tatum and M both identify as Latinx, but they differ in age, class, celebrity, gender, and ultimately in power.
I really don't want to dive into the specifics of Tatum and M's relationship because I just want you to dive into this book. I loved their ambiguous time together on Cape Cod, and it's easy to see how M manipulated and twisted Tatum's existence for his own use and enjoyment. The dynamic back and forth of his abuse of power and ultimately grooming is vividly real as Villarreal-Moura writes it. The writing and narrative style make Tatum's current and past feelings towards M both feel equally real.
I could keep waxing on about this book while trying not to spoil anything, but I won't do it justice. This book had me in tears and is lingering in my mind days later. I absolutely loved it. We need these stories. You need to read this.
The novel is told alternating between Tatum's present in Chile answering the reporter's questions and letters she addresses to M. I was instantly fully immersed in this story and the incredible audiobook narration. Tatum and M develop a quick rapport and she is sucked into his orbit. Tatum and M both identify as Latinx, but they differ in age, class, celebrity, gender, and ultimately in power.
I really don't want to dive into the specifics of Tatum and M's relationship because I just want you to dive into this book. I loved their ambiguous time together on Cape Cod, and it's easy to see how M manipulated and twisted Tatum's existence for his own use and enjoyment. The dynamic back and forth of his abuse of power and ultimately grooming is vividly real as Villarreal-Moura writes it. The writing and narrative style make Tatum's current and past feelings towards M both feel equally real.
I could keep waxing on about this book while trying not to spoil anything, but I won't do it justice. This book had me in tears and is lingering in my mind days later. I absolutely loved it. We need these stories. You need to read this.