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Product Description
Los Angeles Times
‘Cisneros writes from the heart of a child — bluntly and truthfully … Everyone needs this book’
Review
'Cisneros writes from the heart of a child - bluntly and truthfully ... Everyone needs this book' Los Angeles Times 'Memorable ... the voice is unmistakable' Independent 'Cisneros draws on her rich [Latino] heritage ... and seduces with precise spare prose, creating unforgettable characters we want to lift off the page. She is not only a gifted writer but an absolutely essential one' New York Times Book Review 'Marvellous ... spare yet luminous. The subtle power of Cisneros's storytelling is evident. She communicates all the rapture and rage of growing up in a modern world' San Francisco Chronicle
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A series of vignettes, rather than a structured novel, House on Mango Street is Sandra Cisneros's semi-autobiographical account of growing up Chicana in a poor area of Chicago. Esperanza Cordero, at age eleven, has already discovered that being able to communicate in English is a key to worldly success, and she has begun recording stories of her neighborhood, friends, and everyday life, hoping one day to become a writer. Recreating one year of her life, she vividly depicts the children's fierce loyalties to each other, their alienation from mainstream society, and their goals in life, sadly limited by the culture and its low expectations for girls and women.
Maintaining a childish innocence, Esperanza's first person account reveals her growing awareness of alternatives to her Mango Street existence. She is saddened that her friend Sally, an abused child, never escapes, marrying very early ("in a state where children can marry before they have finished eighth grade"). Alicia, an older, highly motivated friend, however, works to achieve an education and spends long hours traveling to and from school so that she can move beyond Mango Street. Her prescient Aunt Lupe tells Esperanza to "Keep writing. It will keep you free," and a psychic tells her that she must work hard and write so that she can "come back for those who cannot make it out on their own."
Dealing with everyday issues of maturity, a growing awareness of her own sexuality, and her resentment of a world which does not value women, Esperanza is an astute observer, telling stories filled with the humor, wonder, and sometimes heartbreak. As she tells about innocently riding in a stolen car; about the death of her friend Marin's boyfriend whose Mexican parents will never hear of his death because no one knows where to find them; about being assaulted while waiting for her friend Sally, who never answers her pleas for help; about Mamacita, who never leaves her apartment because she is cannot communicate in English; and about her own mother's inability to travel on public transportation because she is afraid, she recreates Mango Street with all its limitations--and excitements.
Like a red balloon which wants to escape its anchor, Esperanza dreams of having a better home, a better life, and greater opportunities. "I have decided not to grow up tame," she says, but she is firmly anchored to Mango Street through her experiences, and these, she discovers ironically, will eventually become the source material for her writing. Through Mango Street, Esperanza defines herself, but through her writing, she will set herself free. Mary Whipple
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a cross between poetry and prose, each word just so. I cannot disagree more with the reviewer who said this breathtaking piece of literature is dull. If you are looking for a zippy, pop lit storyline, then this is probably not for you. However, if you are interested in seeing the craft of writing at its best, than this is a must read and must own. Cisneros is a gifted writer who in a Hemingway-esque way buries layer after layer of meaning in straightforward prose while also exploring the inner disappointments and triumphs of a lovely, complex young protagonist. I have read this book many times over, but from my first read I have carried the characters of Mango Street in my heart. Highly recommended.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Cisneros' series of vignettes is an interesting look at how a young girl feels growing up in paternalistic society. Determined not to grow up a victim like the women she sees around her, Esperanza, uses writing as a way of escape. While there is little action, there is many interesting, subtle observations which make this book readable.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Sandra Cisneros knows how to write!
I love Cisneros style. It's poetic, and simple, and true. And this is a simple story, about waiting for your life to begin, and about people living with small things. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Ebony
Dull
This is meant to be a modern classic, but I found it almost unberably dreary. A lot of unconnected scenes - vignettes, if you want to be pretentious - that don't add up to much. Read more
Published on 14 Mar 2010 by The Green Man
A hopeful Lationo girl's poignant display of her life.
People are scarred to go down Mango Street, the run down nieghborhood subject to much shame. Esperanza will captivate you as she displays the truth of the lower class Latino... Read more
Published on 29 Nov 2001
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