Monthly Archives: February 2012
Book review: Leila Cobo’s “The Second Time We Met”
In Leila Cobo’s The Second Time We Met (Grand Central Publishing), teenager Rita Ortiz lives in a small town called Edén, but her life is hell. Her parents are overly strict, and her small town in Colombia is run by … Continue reading
Filed under 2012 Books, Book Reviews, Fiction
Book review: César Aira’s “Varamo”
In just 88 pages, César Aira’s Varamo (New Directions) contains more quirkiness than a Wes Anderson movie. The book is named for the book’s protagonist, Varamo, a bureaucrat in Colon, Panama, who lives an ordinary life. But one afternoon, he … Continue reading
Filed under 2012 Books, Book Reviews, Fiction
Classic book review: Julia Alvarez’s “How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents”
Julia Alvarez’s 1991 novel How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents follows four sisters from their adulthood in the United States to their childhood in the Dominican Republic. The book is funny, sad and always readable. There’s Carla, “the responsible … Continue reading
Filed under Book Reviews, Classic Books, Fiction
Love, Latino-style: Books and movies for Valentine’s Day
Depending on your point of view, Valentine’s Day is either one of the best or worst holidays of the year. But no matter what your point of view, this is a good time to look at some of the greatest … Continue reading
A look at Afro-Latino writers
February marks Black History Month. Here is a look at some prominent Afro-Latino authors: • Veronica Chambers, who is of Panamanian and Costa Rican-Jamaican descent, has written the Marisol and Magdalena series about two Latina tweenagers. She also wrote about … Continue reading
Filed under Features
Book review: Francisco X. Stork’s “Irises”
In Francisco X. Stork’s young adult novel Irises (Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic), the Romero sisters lived a life so strict that one of them had never been to the mall. Their father, a pastor, “literally thought the devil was going … Continue reading
Filed under 2012 Books, Book Reviews, Fiction, Young Adult Books
