New Year, New Reading Goal | January Wrap-Up
Updated: May 4, 2020
Hello Book Lovers!
I have begun this new year with a challenge, to start this blog and document the books that I read throughout my reading journey- a hefty task. But, alas, I have committed to this venture with optimism and a smile and that's all you can ask for, am I right?
Anywho, I have come here to do my January Wrap-up of the books, well really book, that I have read this month. This month was not especially a proud moment in my reading career because of the one book read, but it was definitely an excellent read! The books was How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez and it was truly a joy to connect to my Latina roots (proudly El Salvadoran) with this book. I first attempted to read this book my sophomore year of high school and did not appreciate it as much, mainly because of the fact that the reading was very forced upon me and the discussion on the book was pretty lackluster for my taste. But, may I tell you, the feelings that this book brought in me at my 23 years of life is a completely different story!
Just for starters, I truly felt that this book explained the true realities of being Latina and having to assimilate to American society- the difficulties of having a language barrier that you must dismantle in order to truly even have a chance in being accepted in a society that is more enamored in a stereotype of your culture, than the embodiment of you.
The Chapter "Floor Show" captures this beautifully with this quote highlighting one of those moments:
"This wild and beautiful dance came from people like her, Spanish people, who danced the strange, disquieting joy that sometimes made Sandi squeeze Fifi's hand hard until she cried or bullfight Yoyo with a towel until both girls fell in a giggling, exhausted heap on the floor that made La Bruja beat her ceiling with a broom handle."
I remember that this particular chapter stuck with me from the first time I read this book, when I was 15 and still continues to make an impact to this day. Knowing that your culture may not be fully accepted by those around you, but still having pride in your roots, regardless of whether people accept it or not. This is power.
With that I leave you until next month's wrap up.
Keep it Authentic!
Amy♥️