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Book Reccs - Blog Posts
The woman you are becoming will cost you people, relationships, spaces, and material things. Choose her over everything.
The House on Mango Street was the first book that put what I wanted when I grew up into words. I hyperfixated on the shoes especially. They symbolize Esperanza's sexuality, and then her inner conflict between that sexuality and her desire for independence. I had similar struggles, particularly when I was 15. Quinces are a huge event in a Cuban girls life. Everyone in the extended family comes to ogle at the garish decorations while talking smack about the girl's dress and body in between bites of ropa vieja and croquetas. At the end, they exchange the little girl shoes she has for a high heel. Symbolizing her "ascension" into womanhood. This terrified me. I was still growing into my body. My feet still clumsy and my hands too small to hold onto to the ridiculous bouffant skirt of the dress which would inevitably lead me to trip even more in front of judging relatives. More than anything, I wasn't ready to be a woman, even symbolically. The questions of when I would get married, have children, would increase in their seriousness as they did for my first cousin. Under this pressure, she then had her baby at 17 with a man who constantly cheats on her to this day. They will tell me to go to university so I can find an educated man. Not to worry about about an education from myself. That I already study/read too much and men don't want overly smart women. This was the picture I had of "becoming a woman" since I transitioned from baby to child shoes. I told everyone the Christmas before my Quince in September that I would not be having one. The adults laughed and my cousins jeered at me at the kids table thinking I was loca and "antisocial". My mother, told me it would be my choice, but that the family would like to join me in this joyous occasion. I was shaking beneath their eyes, but again I said I did not want one. As September drew closer, the questions for when the invites were going out started to grow numerous. I again told them I would not be doing a quince. My aunt cried and called me selfish. That she never had a daughter, only sons, and she wanted to help me plan it. For the first time in my 15 years, I refused to give in. No amount of crocodile tears would get me to budge. I'm glad I did. It was the first step in MY path to becoming a woman. No high heels needed. Now, I keep my heelless "child shoes" near my bed in my own apartment where I live alone with my dog. Comfortable and free.
YOU decide what it means to be woman. Do not let anyone and their outdated traditions tell you what to do.
Does anyone know if there are any books out there that start like a typical ‘I can’t decide who I love!’ love triangle but ends with all three of them dating each other??
Can you give some recs similar to a little life? Tysm ♥
This is a unique type of masochism, of which I personally am guilty.
The Neapolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante
Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart
The Gunners by Rebecca Kauffman
The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
Tin Man by Sarah Winman
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (you saw this one coming, didn't you?)
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne
Book reccc
A few books I’ve haven’t seen recommended online even tho they’re SO good and deserve more recognition:
Starworld by Audrey Coulthurst and Paula Garner (YA)
The Butcher Game by Alaina Urquhart (adult I think bc murder)
A History of Wild Places by Shea Urnshaw (adult)
Death and the Conjurer by Tom Mead (YA)
The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding by Alexandra Bracken (YA)
Has anyone read IWWV ? I've been considering reading it but I've heard it's a bad rip off of TSH... Answers will be appreciated.
☾ ⋆.˚✮ this is one of my very favorite books!! it’s wlw, has lots of mermaid symbolism, a chinese american main character, body horror/teenage girl horror, complicated friends to lovers (sort of). the writing is so beautiful you really get pulled into the story i was still thinking about it for weeks after i finished it :,), seriously such a good read i couldn’t recommend it more! and i had to cut it off in the photo but the authors name is Jade Song and this is her debut novel, but she has more in the works that i can’t wait to read!⋆.˚✮ ☾
TW: sa, self harm