Paola
we are all bornso beautifulthe greatest tragedy isbeing convinced we are not
As my first time reading a book of poetry, I enjoyed it quite a bit. It was interesting diving into this genre by reading free verse/prose poetry (which was my understanding from my limited research).
Rupi Kaur paints vivid and crude images with her words, and her pen, truly transmiting her struggles and feelings, showing there is no shame to our scars: they make us strong, they make us grow and heal; they make us our very unique beautiful self.
you were so afraidof my voicei decided to beafraid of it too
Like I said, I'm no poetry expert, but I think this is a great book that relentlessly touches on themes such as love, abuse, feminitity and trauma in a way that there's always something for one as reader to connect with, no matter your life experiencies. Also, the illustrations were the perfect addition; I really think they're my favorite part of the book.
The only reason I'm not rating this higher is because of my personal likes on reading content. Perhaps after reading more poetry I'll come back to it and up the rating.
how cruel i was to myself. giving you credit for my warmth simply because you had felt it. thinking it was you who gave me strength. wit. beauty. simply because you recognized it. as if i was already not these things before i met you. as if i did not remain all these once you left.
we are all bornso beautifulthe greatest tragedy isbeing convinced we are not
As my first time reading a book of poetry, I enjoyed it quite a bit. It was interesting diving into this genre by reading free verse/prose poetry (which was my understanding from my limited research).
Rupi Kaur paints vivid and crude images with her words, and her pen, truly transmiting her struggles and feelings, showing there is no shame to our scars: they make us strong, they make us grow and heal; they make us our very unique beautiful self.
you were so afraidof my voicei decided to beafraid of it too
Like I said, I'm no poetry expert, but I think this is a great book that relentlessly touches on themes such as love, abuse, feminitity and trauma in a way that there's always something for one as reader to connect with, no matter your life experiencies. Also, the illustrations were the perfect addition; I really think they're my favorite part of the book.
The only reason I'm not rating this higher is because of my personal likes on reading content. Perhaps after reading more poetry I'll come back to it and up the rating.
how cruel i was to myself. giving you credit for my warmth simply because you had felt it. thinking it was you who gave me strength. wit. beauty. simply because you recognized it. as if i was already not these things before i met you. as if i did not remain all these once you left.
2.5 stars rounded down.
Full review to come.
2.5 stars rounded down.
Full review to come.
4.5 stars rounded down
"What's his power?"
"Self-righteousness"
"¿Cuál es su poder?""Santurronería"
How is something qualified as good or evil? If someone opposes a hero, are they automatically a villain? What makes someone a bad person?
¿Cómo algo se califica como bueno o malo? Si alguien se opone a un héroe, ¿automáticamente lo vuelve un villano? ¿Qué hace a alguien una mala persona?
Leave it to V. E. Schwab to make you wonder about these questions while reading through a compelling, dark, thrilling story of two outstanding and accomplished pre-med students that have their unusual friendship morph into a classic hero vs. villain struggle, making you question the entire time who you “should” be rooting for.
Deja a V. E. Schwab hacer que te cuestiones sobre estas preguntas mientras lees una irresistible, oscura y emocionante historia de dos sobresalientes y exitosos alumnos de pre-medicina que llevan a convertir su inusual amistad en una clásica batalla entre héroe y villano, haciendo que te preguntes todo el tiempo a quién”deberías” estar apoyando.
Victor Vale, only son of neglectful and famous psychologist parents, always has had a tendency to push things -more often than not, people- to the edge.
Victor Vale, hijo único de padres negligentes y psicólogos famosos, siempre ha tenido la tendencia de empujar las cosas -más frecuentemente, personas- al límite.
Eli Cardale, prodigy student, a man of faith, liked and admired by everyone he meets, is the unlikely best friend of Victor. He presents a constant challenge to him and Victor relishes in seeing the most dangerous, sharpest parts of him come to the surface when he presses the right buttons.
Eli Cardale, estudiante prodigio, un hombre de fe, apreciado y admirado por todos los que conoce, es el mejor amigo improbable de Victor. Él le presenta un reto constante y Victor disfruta viendo salir a la superficie sus partes más peligrosas y agudas cuando presiona los botones correctos.
“Hours passed in blinks as the two let it sink in, what that meant, what they had done. It was extraordinary.”
“Pasaron las horas en pestañeos mientras los dos dejaban que se asentara, lo que significaba, lo que habían hecho. Era extraordinario.”
A través de una narrativa que se extiende a lo largo de 10 años, el lector aprende cómo nuestros personajes principales se volvieron amigos, los altos y bajos de su relación, los eventos rodeando su ExtraOrdinaria transformación y el descenso no tan lento hacia una intensa rivalidad entre “héroe” y “villano”.
La increíble narración de V. E. Schwab te mantiene enganchado con la cuidadosa revelación de hechos y eventos, contados por cinco narradores alternates, usando geniales saltos en el tiempo que mantiene la sensación acelerada y hechizante de suspenso durante toda la novela. Sumando a esto, también podemos deleitarnos con la mirada cercana a las mentes de Victor e Eli, descubriendo sus motivaciones y deseos, que finalmente chocan entre sí en un final increíblemente satisfactorio.
“Plenty of humans were monstrous, and plenty of monsters knew how to play at being human.”
“Muchos humanos eran monstruos, y muchos monstruos sabían cómo jugar a ser humanos.”
Me gustó muchísimo que la creación y enredo unas con otras de las vidas de los personajes se sintiera tan correcto y natural. Conforme fui conociendo más de Sydney, Mitch y Serena -y claro, Victor e Eli-, no me sorprendieron sus reacciones o los cursos de acción que decidían tomar, aunque eso no significa que la historia se volviera predecible o tediosa. Al contrario, se volvió más emocionante y atrapante mientras avanzaba.
Este libro fácilmente podría ser un maravilloso libro autónomo, pero la probada de Vengeful (la segunda parte de esta duología) te atrapa firmemente con la promesa de una historia atrayente a través de un clavado profundo en el mundo ExtraOrdinario.
Definitivamente disfruté mucho esta lectura y rápidamente se ganó un lugar en mi estante de favoritos.
“...and wondered if he would live forever, and how much of forever someone could reasonably remember, especially when nothing left a mark.”
“...y se preguntaba si viviría para siempre, y cuánto de para siempre alguien podría razonablemente recordar, especialmente cuando nada dejaba una marca.”
"What's his power?"
"Self-righteousness"
"¿Cuál es su poder?""Santurronería"
How is something qualified as good or evil? If someone opposes a hero, are they automatically a villain? What makes someone a bad person?
¿Cómo algo se califica como bueno o malo? Si alguien se opone a un héroe, ¿automáticamente lo vuelve un villano? ¿Qué hace a alguien una mala persona?
Leave it to V. E. Schwab to make you wonder about these questions while reading through a compelling, dark, thrilling story of two outstanding and accomplished pre-med students that have their unusual friendship morph into a classic hero vs. villain struggle, making you question the entire time who you “should” be rooting for.
Deja a V. E. Schwab hacer que te cuestiones sobre estas preguntas mientras lees una irresistible, oscura y emocionante historia de dos sobresalientes y exitosos alumnos de pre-medicina que llevan a convertir su inusual amistad en una clásica batalla entre héroe y villano, haciendo que te preguntes todo el tiempo a quién”deberías” estar apoyando.
Victor Vale, only son of neglectful and famous psychologist parents, always has had a tendency to push things -more often than not, people- to the edge.
Victor Vale, hijo único de padres negligentes y psicólogos famosos, siempre ha tenido la tendencia de empujar las cosas -más frecuentemente, personas- al límite.
Eli Cardale, prodigy student, a man of faith, liked and admired by everyone he meets, is the unlikely best friend of Victor. He presents a constant challenge to him and Victor relishes in seeing the most dangerous, sharpest parts of him come to the surface when he presses the right buttons.
Eli Cardale, estudiante prodigio, un hombre de fe, apreciado y admirado por todos los que conoce, es el mejor amigo improbable de Victor. Él le presenta un reto constante y Victor disfruta viendo salir a la superficie sus partes más peligrosas y agudas cuando presiona los botones correctos.
“Hours passed in blinks as the two let it sink in, what that meant, what they had done. It was extraordinary.”
“Pasaron las horas en pestañeos mientras los dos dejaban que se asentara, lo que significaba, lo que habían hecho. Era extraordinario.”
A través de una narrativa que se extiende a lo largo de 10 años, el lector aprende cómo nuestros personajes principales se volvieron amigos, los altos y bajos de su relación, los eventos rodeando su ExtraOrdinaria transformación y el descenso no tan lento hacia una intensa rivalidad entre “héroe” y “villano”.
La increíble narración de V. E. Schwab te mantiene enganchado con la cuidadosa revelación de hechos y eventos, contados por cinco narradores alternates, usando geniales saltos en el tiempo que mantiene la sensación acelerada y hechizante de suspenso durante toda la novela. Sumando a esto, también podemos deleitarnos con la mirada cercana a las mentes de Victor e Eli, descubriendo sus motivaciones y deseos, que finalmente chocan entre sí en un final increíblemente satisfactorio.
“Plenty of humans were monstrous, and plenty of monsters knew how to play at being human.”
“Muchos humanos eran monstruos, y muchos monstruos sabían cómo jugar a ser humanos.”
Me gustó muchísimo que la creación y enredo unas con otras de las vidas de los personajes se sintiera tan correcto y natural. Conforme fui conociendo más de Sydney, Mitch y Serena -y claro, Victor e Eli-, no me sorprendieron sus reacciones o los cursos de acción que decidían tomar, aunque eso no significa que la historia se volviera predecible o tediosa. Al contrario, se volvió más emocionante y atrapante mientras avanzaba.
Este libro fácilmente podría ser un maravilloso libro autónomo, pero la probada de Vengeful (la segunda parte de esta duología) te atrapa firmemente con la promesa de una historia atrayente a través de un clavado profundo en el mundo ExtraOrdinario.
Definitivamente disfruté mucho esta lectura y rápidamente se ganó un lugar en mi estante de favoritos.
“...and wondered if he would live forever, and how much of forever someone could reasonably remember, especially when nothing left a mark.”
“...y se preguntaba si viviría para siempre, y cuánto de para siempre alguien podría razonablemente recordar, especialmente cuando nada dejaba una marca.”
Leer a Banana Yoshimoto es como darte un baño relajante o tomar un buen descanso, o darte cuenta de que todo este tiempo haz estado respirando con dificultad y su obra viene a quitarte ese peso de encima.
Esta es mi segunda vez leyendo Kitchen y puedo decir que ahora lo disfruté muchísimo más que anteriormente; y no es que en mi primera lectura no me haya gustado mucho.
Siento que pude entender y empatizar mejor con las situaciones en las que se veían envueltos los personajes ahora que me he vuelto consumidora recurrente de la cultura japonesa. Simplemente por el hecho de conocer pequeños detalles sobre sus formas de expresarse, comunicarse o la manera en la que se desenvuelven -a pesar de que el libro contiene notas al pie al respecto-, cambia mucho la perspectiva desde la cual recibí las historias. Tanto Kitchen como Moonlight Shadow.
En ambas, Yoshimoto nos lleva de la mano de un personaje principal que está lidiando con el duelo y que se ve forzado a seguir con su vida “normal”, como usualmente sucede en esas situaciones. Nos presenta cómo cada uno lidia con su dolor de manera distinta pero cómo, a pesar de sus diferencias, pueden encontrar consuelo en un amigo o, incluso, en un desconocido. Me pareció impresionante cómo un tema tan universal puede sentirse tan único y personal bajo la pluma indicada.
No puedo pensar en mucho más que agregar más que es un libro muy lindo y creo que por siempre tendrá un lugar entre mis favoritos.
Leer a Banana Yoshimoto es como darte un baño relajante o tomar un buen descanso, o darte cuenta de que todo este tiempo haz estado respirando con dificultad y su obra viene a quitarte ese peso de encima.
Esta es mi segunda vez leyendo Kitchen y puedo decir que ahora lo disfruté muchísimo más que anteriormente; y no es que en mi primera lectura no me haya gustado mucho.
Siento que pude entender y empatizar mejor con las situaciones en las que se veían envueltos los personajes ahora que me he vuelto consumidora recurrente de la cultura japonesa. Simplemente por el hecho de conocer pequeños detalles sobre sus formas de expresarse, comunicarse o la manera en la que se desenvuelven -a pesar de que el libro contiene notas al pie al respecto-, cambia mucho la perspectiva desde la cual recibí las historias. Tanto Kitchen como Moonlight Shadow.
En ambas, Yoshimoto nos lleva de la mano de un personaje principal que está lidiando con el duelo y que se ve forzado a seguir con su vida “normal”, como usualmente sucede en esas situaciones. Nos presenta cómo cada uno lidia con su dolor de manera distinta pero cómo, a pesar de sus diferencias, pueden encontrar consuelo en un amigo o, incluso, en un desconocido. Me pareció impresionante cómo un tema tan universal puede sentirse tan único y personal bajo la pluma indicada.
No puedo pensar en mucho más que agregar más que es un libro muy lindo y creo que por siempre tendrá un lugar entre mis favoritos.
Esta fue una de esas veces en que no obtienes lo que esperabas.
Siendo que la película me gusta mucho, mis expectativas del libro eran altas. Sobre todo considerando la fama de Nicholas Sparks como el emblema del romance. Sin embargo,Diario de una pasión dejó mucho que desear. Al estar escribiendo esta reseña, cambié mi calificación inicial de 3 estrellas a 2.
Afortunadamente el libro fue corto. Me tomó varios días leerlo, solamente porque no lograba atraparme, y al final me dediqué a terminarlo para poder leer un libro nuevo sin distracciones.
Diario de una pasión presenta la premisa de un anciano rememorando su apasionada historia romántica con su ahora esposa mientras lucha contra el Alzheimer que la acecha a ella desde hace unos años. Cuando eran jóvenes, Allie y Noah se enamoran intensamente un verano pero eventualmente se ven obligados a separarse dados los estratos sociales a los que pertenecen: ella siendo hija de una familia rica y un padre poderoso, y él, hijo de un granjero pobre en el sur de Estados Unidos.
Esta historia de un amor prohibido luchando contra todos los obstáculos que se le interponen, tanto, que después de más de diez años separados logran reencontrarse y reconectar, tiene muchísimo potencial para ser una increíble odisea romántica. Lamentablemente sólo se queda en potencial.
Son escasas las veces que critico la simpleza de la escritura: si la historia es buena, realmente no me molesta que el libro esté escrito de manera simple. Sin embargo, en este caso, este factor sumó a que nada lograra cautivarme. Noah nos repite una y otra vez cuánto ama a Allie, cuánto la amaba y cuánto siempre la amará; el autor nos cuenta una y otra vez que nunca ninguno de los dos pudo haber amado a nadie más como se amaban el uno al otro, nos cuenta que ese verano que compartieron de jóvenes les cambió la vida y nos cuenta cómo Noah recordaba a Allie todo el tiempo durante todos esos años que estuvieron lejos uno del otro. Lo triste es que nunca lo vemos.
Esta novela podría haberme gustado tanto como su película si tan solo el autor nos hubiera mostrado la base de ese amor tan intenso. A cambio, sólo nos ofrecen cuatro párrafos (exactamente cuatro, los conté) apenas 18 páginas adentro en el libro, que relatan cómo se conocen, se gustan, se vuelven inseparables, se enamoran y se separan. Toda la remembranza de Noah en su vejez se centra más de diez años después de esa separación: cómo logran reencontrarse y avivar lo que parecían cenizas de su joven amor. Sin embargo, en ningún momento logré conectar con los personajes ni con sus sentimientos, además de que quedé muy decepcionada de que ciertos elementos se revelaran prematuramente, quitando la emoción e intensidad de lo que podría considerar el momento climático de la novela (sí, hablo de la escena en la lluvia).
Me llevo una experiencia que me desanimó a explorar más obras del autor y que me hizo pensar que, en este caso, la película fue mejor que el libro.
Esta fue una de esas veces en que no obtienes lo que esperabas.
Siendo que la película me gusta mucho, mis expectativas del libro eran altas. Sobre todo considerando la fama de Nicholas Sparks como el emblema del romance. Sin embargo,Diario de una pasión dejó mucho que desear. Al estar escribiendo esta reseña, cambié mi calificación inicial de 3 estrellas a 2.
Afortunadamente el libro fue corto. Me tomó varios días leerlo, solamente porque no lograba atraparme, y al final me dediqué a terminarlo para poder leer un libro nuevo sin distracciones.
Diario de una pasión presenta la premisa de un anciano rememorando su apasionada historia romántica con su ahora esposa mientras lucha contra el Alzheimer que la acecha a ella desde hace unos años. Cuando eran jóvenes, Allie y Noah se enamoran intensamente un verano pero eventualmente se ven obligados a separarse dados los estratos sociales a los que pertenecen: ella siendo hija de una familia rica y un padre poderoso, y él, hijo de un granjero pobre en el sur de Estados Unidos.
Esta historia de un amor prohibido luchando contra todos los obstáculos que se le interponen, tanto, que después de más de diez años separados logran reencontrarse y reconectar, tiene muchísimo potencial para ser una increíble odisea romántica. Lamentablemente sólo se queda en potencial.
Son escasas las veces que critico la simpleza de la escritura: si la historia es buena, realmente no me molesta que el libro esté escrito de manera simple. Sin embargo, en este caso, este factor sumó a que nada lograra cautivarme. Noah nos repite una y otra vez cuánto ama a Allie, cuánto la amaba y cuánto siempre la amará; el autor nos cuenta una y otra vez que nunca ninguno de los dos pudo haber amado a nadie más como se amaban el uno al otro, nos cuenta que ese verano que compartieron de jóvenes les cambió la vida y nos cuenta cómo Noah recordaba a Allie todo el tiempo durante todos esos años que estuvieron lejos uno del otro. Lo triste es que nunca lo vemos.
Esta novela podría haberme gustado tanto como su película si tan solo el autor nos hubiera mostrado la base de ese amor tan intenso. A cambio, sólo nos ofrecen cuatro párrafos (exactamente cuatro, los conté) apenas 18 páginas adentro en el libro, que relatan cómo se conocen, se gustan, se vuelven inseparables, se enamoran y se separan. Toda la remembranza de Noah en su vejez se centra más de diez años después de esa separación: cómo logran reencontrarse y avivar lo que parecían cenizas de su joven amor. Sin embargo, en ningún momento logré conectar con los personajes ni con sus sentimientos, además de que quedé muy decepcionada de que ciertos elementos se revelaran prematuramente, quitando la emoción e intensidad de lo que podría considerar el momento climático de la novela (sí, hablo de la escena en la lluvia).
Me llevo una experiencia que me desanimó a explorar más obras del autor y que me hizo pensar que, en este caso, la película fue mejor que el libro.
"You can never have too much sky. [...] Here there is too much sadness and not enough sky."
Reading Sandra Cisneros work was a real treat. It was the “light” reading I was looking for though, at the same time, so rich and full of cultural meaning. I didn't know The House on Mango Street was poetry in prose until I started the book, and it was an entirely different experience than what I had with my last (and first) book of this style.
This is the story of Esperanza and her dream house: all the experiences she lives, the people she meets and the lessons she learns on the journey to finding it.
“In English my name means hope. In Spanish it means too many letters. It means sadness, it means waiting.”
“Shame is a bad thing, you know. It keeps you down. You want to know why I quit school? Because I didn't have nice clothes. No clothes, but I had brains.”
“The father wants his daughter to be a weather girl on TV, or to marry and have babies. She doesn't want to be a TV weather girl. Nor does she want to marry and have babies.”
"You can never have too much sky. [...] Here there is too much sadness and not enough sky."
Reading Sandra Cisneros work was a real treat. It was the “light” reading I was looking for though, at the same time, so rich and full of cultural meaning. I didn't know The House on Mango Street was poetry in prose until I started the book, and it was an entirely different experience than what I had with my last (and first) book of this style.
This is the story of Esperanza and her dream house: all the experiences she lives, the people she meets and the lessons she learns on the journey to finding it.
“In English my name means hope. In Spanish it means too many letters. It means sadness, it means waiting.”
“Shame is a bad thing, you know. It keeps you down. You want to know why I quit school? Because I didn't have nice clothes. No clothes, but I had brains.”
“The father wants his daughter to be a weather girl on TV, or to marry and have babies. She doesn't want to be a TV weather girl. Nor does she want to marry and have babies.”
I'm still unsure about marking this as “Read” since I only skimmed through the entire second half of this book. I did get to the end, though, so I think I'll leave it like that.
I don't like speaking badly of books since I don't share the talent of writing and storytelling and, when I don't enjoy one, I usually try to find what I could see other people enjoying. Sadly, I couldn't find anything to be enjoyed in this book.
It started off interesting, setting the premise of a jealous mother-in-law and a momma's boy blind to the extents his dearest could go to get rid of his new girlfriend. However, all it did was make me mad.
All I could feel was anger towards all characters -not just the scheming mother- and I never got to relate or empathize with any of them, as there was nothing of substance that any could offer. By the time I got to the halfway mark, I couldn't bear it anymore, but keep on reading (and by reading I mean skimming through dialogs) only to prove me right on the “twists” that were yet to be revealed, as I had already guessed all previous ones.
I was also very disappointed by the ending as there was nothing in the 250+ pages before that gave any indication of the final reveal, so it felt very forced and out of character. There was even an attempt to tie everything together by making the main character “remember” certain things and moments that made it all click, but it just didn't work.
So, I've reached the end of my rant. I'm truly sorry, but I would never recommend this to anyone.
I'm still unsure about marking this as “Read” since I only skimmed through the entire second half of this book. I did get to the end, though, so I think I'll leave it like that.
I don't like speaking badly of books since I don't share the talent of writing and storytelling and, when I don't enjoy one, I usually try to find what I could see other people enjoying. Sadly, I couldn't find anything to be enjoyed in this book.
It started off interesting, setting the premise of a jealous mother-in-law and a momma's boy blind to the extents his dearest could go to get rid of his new girlfriend. However, all it did was make me mad.
All I could feel was anger towards all characters -not just the scheming mother- and I never got to relate or empathize with any of them, as there was nothing of substance that any could offer. By the time I got to the halfway mark, I couldn't bear it anymore, but keep on reading (and by reading I mean skimming through dialogs) only to prove me right on the “twists” that were yet to be revealed, as I had already guessed all previous ones.
I was also very disappointed by the ending as there was nothing in the 250+ pages before that gave any indication of the final reveal, so it felt very forced and out of character. There was even an attempt to tie everything together by making the main character “remember” certain things and moments that made it all click, but it just didn't work.
So, I've reached the end of my rant. I'm truly sorry, but I would never recommend this to anyone.
“I'm answering your question. The answer is yes. I'm giving up on trying to be popular and normal.”
One day, like any other, at the Mica High School in hot Arizona, Stargirl arrives as an apparition to defy the calmness and normalness of the student body -and the whole community- with her colorful personality, her ukulele and the rat riding on her shoulder.
Jerry Spinelli tells us in Stargirl a sweet, but crude, coming-of-age story about acceptance, tolerance and being true to yourself.
The imagery the author depicts is beautiful; an authentic sensorial experience and, to be fair, the pace of the narrative is rather tranquil and slow, but it is very enjoyable and does not feel dragged at any point. Even though the pace is calm, there are key moments placed very carefully throughout the story which help in keeping the reader engaged and curious as to what happened or what will happen next. After all, it takes place at high school and there's bound to be drama.
We wanted to define her, to wrap her up as we did each other, but we could not seem to get past “weird” and “strange” and “goofy”.
I liked very much the combination of eccentric and fantastic-like situations with the very realistic consequences and reactions one would expect from these situations taking place: like the awkwardness in the room after someone you don't know, randomly and unexpectedly comes up to you to dedicate yourself a performance of “Happy Birthday”. I feel this kept the story balanced and makes it a tale that can be thoroughly enjoyed by young readers, but also make the older ones reflect on deeper themes.
Spinelli discussed a variety of topics that ranged from creating a sense of community and connecting with nature, to embracing our true selves or the actual impact of being selfless (or selfish). I guess this is what makes it a perfect middle school or high school level read.
[...]I had never realized how much I needed the attention of others to confirm my own presence.
As a personal favorite, I thought the character of old, wise, but childish at heart, Archie, the retired paleontologist, was awesome and a crucial element to the story as he was the anchor that brought to the ground all the chaotic thoughts and feelings of the teenagers, helping them -and the reader- see beyond the surface of what was happening in their lives.
I can't think of something that I didn't like about Stargirl. While I was reading it, I kept picking it up at any spare moment I had as it made my heart full or ache with all the emotions I stumbled upon. It was a wonderful story that I would recommend to anyone.
The earth is speaking to us, but we can't hear because of all the racket our senses are making. Sometimes we need to erase them, erase our senses. Then -maybe- the earth will touch us. The universe will speak. The stars will whisper.
“I'm answering your question. The answer is yes. I'm giving up on trying to be popular and normal.”
One day, like any other, at the Mica High School in hot Arizona, Stargirl arrives as an apparition to defy the calmness and normalness of the student body -and the whole community- with her colorful personality, her ukulele and the rat riding on her shoulder.
Jerry Spinelli tells us in Stargirl a sweet, but crude, coming-of-age story about acceptance, tolerance and being true to yourself.
The imagery the author depicts is beautiful; an authentic sensorial experience and, to be fair, the pace of the narrative is rather tranquil and slow, but it is very enjoyable and does not feel dragged at any point. Even though the pace is calm, there are key moments placed very carefully throughout the story which help in keeping the reader engaged and curious as to what happened or what will happen next. After all, it takes place at high school and there's bound to be drama.
We wanted to define her, to wrap her up as we did each other, but we could not seem to get past “weird” and “strange” and “goofy”.
I liked very much the combination of eccentric and fantastic-like situations with the very realistic consequences and reactions one would expect from these situations taking place: like the awkwardness in the room after someone you don't know, randomly and unexpectedly comes up to you to dedicate yourself a performance of “Happy Birthday”. I feel this kept the story balanced and makes it a tale that can be thoroughly enjoyed by young readers, but also make the older ones reflect on deeper themes.
Spinelli discussed a variety of topics that ranged from creating a sense of community and connecting with nature, to embracing our true selves or the actual impact of being selfless (or selfish). I guess this is what makes it a perfect middle school or high school level read.
[...]I had never realized how much I needed the attention of others to confirm my own presence.
As a personal favorite, I thought the character of old, wise, but childish at heart, Archie, the retired paleontologist, was awesome and a crucial element to the story as he was the anchor that brought to the ground all the chaotic thoughts and feelings of the teenagers, helping them -and the reader- see beyond the surface of what was happening in their lives.
I can't think of something that I didn't like about Stargirl. While I was reading it, I kept picking it up at any spare moment I had as it made my heart full or ache with all the emotions I stumbled upon. It was a wonderful story that I would recommend to anyone.
The earth is speaking to us, but we can't hear because of all the racket our senses are making. Sometimes we need to erase them, erase our senses. Then -maybe- the earth will touch us. The universe will speak. The stars will whisper.