Blog Post #4- Book Review


Aubree Monares

Literature

23 September 2017

Blog Post #4- Choice 1

Reyna Grande’s memoir, The Distance Between Us, is an emotional, honest, and heartbreaking story about a young girl’s journey through a confusing and conflicting time in her life. Reyna and her two siblings, Carlos and Mago, are raised partly by their cruel and abusive grandmother after their parents leave them to move to El Otro Lado. Although their parents may have had good intentions, as young children, Reyna, Carlos, and Mago, are confused and conflicted when their parents leave them. I enjoyed reading this lyrical and captivating story because in the midst of the pain that Reyna and her siblings face, a story of hope, love, and strength emerges.

  I often read this book sporadically. I kept it tucked in my backpack, and most frequently read it while on the bus, in the car, at the park, out for lunch, and often at home on my couch. When I began reading this story, I didn’t want to stop. I was captivated and wanted to know what was in store next for Reyna and her siblings.

While reading this memoir, I felt an emotional connection to Reyna and her siblings, because when I was younger, I also felt the pain of abandonment that occurred after a parent leaving. I can relate with the confusion that filled Reyna’s head, and the self-blaming that happens when you convince yourself that it’s your fault that your parent left. When Reyna describes her father as “The Man Behind the Glass,” my heart aches, because I, too, only knew my father as a two-dimensional face trapped behind a transparent barrier. While Grande describes her childhood and the abuse and conflict that transpired, I wished that I could travel back in time when this story took place and protect those helpless and hurt children. I wanted to console them and tell them how loved and special they are, despite the way they were being treated. On a different note, while I relate to the pain felt by Reyna and her siblings because of the betrayal of their father, this story helps me to realize how privileged I am to have certain things that I see as necessities for everyday life, such as, running water, nice clothes, adequate meals, and easy access to education. This memoir has taught me to not take these things for granted.

I enjoy how raw, transparent, and honest this memoir is. Grande’s writing evokes many emotions such as anger, sadness, hope, and empathy towards the characters in this story. The emotional transparency in this memoir makes it easy to become connected to the characters and relate to their pain, triumph, and longing.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Blog Post #1- Cathedral

Image
            Aubree Monares August 26, 2017 Literature   Blog Post #1: Cathedral             When first introduced to the narrator of this story, we learn that he has a somewhat prejudice worldview. The narrator makes it very clear that he was uncomfortable with the idea of having his wife’s blind friend, Robert, stay in his home. I know this because he says, “A blind man in my house was not something I looked forward to.” This behavior from the narrator makes it evident that he is narrow-minded and uneducated about the blind. The narrator explains that his idea of blindness, “came from the movies,” where blind people were portrayed as moving slowly and never laughing. I also noticed the narrator’s judgmental outlook because of the way he talks about Robert’s wife. The narrator asks his own wife about Robert’s wife who had passed away. The narrator’s...
Read more

Blog Post #6- My Last Duchess

Aubree Monares Literature 22 October 2017 Blog Post #6- My Last Duchess It is revealed in the poem “My Last Duchess,” that the speaker, the Duke of Ferrara, is arrogant and controlling. According to the poem, we can infer that he cares a lot about money, and he is prideful and thinks he is superior. The Duke’s arrogance and jealousy is shown in his attitude towards his social status and family name. It seems as though the Duke of Ferrara is jealous that his Duchess found pleasure and happiness in other people and things. This behavior is controlling and resentful because a woman should be able to find joy and delight in people and nature without worrying about offending her partner. It is obvious that the Duke believes that the Duchess had not respected him to the level that he deserved. The Duke is also prideful, because despite his feelings of resentment towards his wife, he would never “stoop” to express how he felt. Instead, it is implied that the Duke ordered the D...
Read more

Blog Post #2- Characterization

Aubree Monares September 9, 2017 Literature Blog Post #2- Characterization The Distance Between Us is written in first person with the main character, Reyna, as the narrator. Because the story is being told from Reyna’s perspective, the reader gets to experience Reyna’s thoughts, hopes, dreams, disappointments, worries, and recollections, unlike the other characters in the book. The reader has knowledge of what Reyna is thinking and how she is feeling at all times, therefore, Reyna is definitely a major character. Also, because Reyna experiences and shares with the reader many different thoughts and emotions, she is a round character. Another major character in the book, is Reyna’s big sister, Mago. Although the reader does not have as much insight into Mago’s thoughts and emotions, she does have a major role as her siblings' “Little Mother” (Grande 13). Mago is a mother figure to Reyna and her brother, Carlos, when their mother leaves for El Otro Lado. Although Ma...
Read more