There’s no doubt that all three books were very interesting and that all three books were worth reading and educational. “Leyendas de Guatemala” was interesting because at times I felt like a fly on the wall, sitting amongst the natives, listening to them tell there tails. It’s always a bonus when you get to see things from someone elses point of view. So many books and stories seem to be written from the “white man’s” point of view and I found this collection of stories to be a breath of fresh air.
What I like most about Las Leyendas is learning about the philosophy and belief systems of the maya. I find their view of time as cyclical fascinating and such a contrast to my own life and my day to day routines.
“El Reine de este mundo” was a very powerful novel and quite timely considering what happened to the people of Haiti shortly after the semester began. I like the fact that through fiction I was able to learn a lot about Haiti and how it came to be. I learnt about Haitian mentality and its roots. However, the fact that Haiti has not been able to escaped many of the problems brought forward in this book I find very depressing. The novel takes place so long ago, yet Haiti is still in such turmoil. It was kind of a reality check of the consequences of slavery and colonialism.
Lastly is “Cien años de soledad”…Great book, but it felt rushed. The book is so long, dragged out and complicated that I don’t think I was able to really enjoy it for what it is. I would have preferred to have read it someone relaxing on beach or in a hammock…I just don’t know if such a book can be properly analyzed and reviewed in such a short time, especially for those who aren’t native Spanish speakers. Not to mention it was extremely depressing as well.
So all in all, I liked all the books. Don’t really know if I was ready for “Cien años de soledad” but I can recognize the benefits of a good challenge. Although they were for the most part all depressing I still thought they were unique and unlike one another. I hope in the future to re-read them all with more time and less on my mind.
I wish everyone good luck on their exams and a great summer vacation! :o)
