Book Review

Review: One Hundred Years of Solitude

By Christine Baek

Gabriel García Márquez’s Cien Años de Soledad, or One Hundred Years of Solitude, reads more like a history than a novel. Chronicling seven generations of the Buendía family, the narrative acts as a wandering guide, often retracing its steps to breathe new life into past memories before moving forward. This writing style could almost be mistaken as discursive if not for the vibrant cast of characters– explorers, scientists, soldiers, artists– whose variegated trials and errors, loves and losses distract us from the rapid shifts through time, and revitalize the glories and pains of humanity.

In the very first chapter, we are carried from the present as Colonel Aureliano Buendía faces the firing squad, to the past where the colonel and his father José Arcadio first touch ice, and then even further back to the founding of Macondo, the Colombian village-home of the Buendías. These bursts of “time-travel” permeate nearly every page and can be as confusing as the repetitious Buendía family names: two Amarantas, four José Arcadios, and over twenty Aurelianos. But the mind-bending effects of these elements are purposeful, forwarding the themes of cyclical fate and the inseparability of past, present, and future. Whether by divine will or by virtue of human nature, each and every generation of the Buendías suffers from Solitude. Family members bearing the same name even share identical causes, which can take the forms of spurned love, violent death, or decrepitude. And with this infallible condition of Solitude comes slow decay, as the once invincible Buendía family descends into ignominy, unable to break free from the inheritance and conditionings of its predecessors.

While One Hundred Years of Solitude can be read solely as a compelling family drama, Márquez’s 448-page book serves as a political commentary on the Latin American elite and the cycles of violence and instability plaguing the continent. Intertwining with the Buendía narrative are military campaigns, political executions, and short-lived dictatorships. In doing so, Márquez retells his own experience as a Colombian living in the crossfire of the banana republics. His unflinching narrative of destruction and decay, therefore, is less of a pessimistic criticism and more of a solemn reflection on humankind. The paradise of Macondo, removed from society and technology, cannot last, Márquez seems to say, because human nature and history deem it so.

And yet One Hundred Years of Solitude reads as uplifting, celebrating the brevity of joy and peace in the midst of war and turmoil. This strange and seemingly irreconcilable dichotomy only cements the nuance of Márquez’s voice and of his belief in our capacity for redemption. As he states in his Nobel Prize Lecture, an echo of the story’s ending:

“It is not yet too late to engage in the creation of the opposite utopia. A new and sweeping utopia of life, where no one will be able to decide for others how they die, where love will prove true and happiness be possible, and where the races condemned to one hundred years of solitude will have, at last and forever, a second opportunity on earth.”

A high school student from the Atlanta suburbs, Christine Baek enjoys writing for The Muse and reading up on history, philosophy, and paleontology.

Grotesque- The Naked Picture of Feminism

By Phuong Mai Nguyen

Grotesque, a crime novel written by Japanese author Natsuo Kirino, uncovers the diary behind the death of a prepossessing prostitute, Yuriko. The novel begins with the autobiography of Yuriko’s sister, whose name is deliberately kept anonymous throughout the entire story. Her narrative gradually reveals the apathetic relationship between the sisters, as she admits: “(…) I also do not care about finding out the truth about her death.” Her hostility towards Yuriko stems from her inferiority complex about appearance when constantly being compared with her gorgeous sister during childhood.

Since her birth, Yuriko has appeared as God’s own creation, standing out among any crowd that has the privilege of surrounding her. Yet, that idiosyncratic beauty embraces an unusually distorted soul. Unlike any unconfident Disney princess, Yuriko is fully aware of her superior appearance. Precocious realization of her gifted advantage – beauty – has fashioned a child with the capability to arouse the “Lolita” blind lust in men. Yuriko’s “career” of riding the flagpole initiated when she was only 12 years old, at her complete will and satisfaction. As the story progresses, Yuriko is murdered after appeasing the sexual appetite flowing in her veins. Coincidentally, the man who killed her is also charged with the death of Kazue Sato – an ambitious classmate of both Yuriko sisters at Q. gifted high school. Now Yuriko is dead, her sister becomes the legal guardian for her son. The novel ends with Yuriko’s sister, a 40-year-old virgin, standing under a street lamp at midnight, craving for “the clutch from a man” for the first time in her life.

Behind the tragic fate of female characters and memorable description of humans’ salacious desire, Natsuo Kirino delivers an in-depth message on modern feminist movement.

The protagonists in Grotesque can somehow be seen to represent typical feminist ideals: Yuriko embodies the rise of third-wave feminism, advocating for women’s utmost liberty to pursue their beliefs, even if their values contradict past movements by objectifying women as men’s possession. On the other hand, Yuriko’s sister is a second-wave feminist who strongly believes in the significance of women’s independent status, which leads to her opposing stance against prostitution. She even goes so far as to refuse any intimacy at the position “beneath” men. Although their mutual high school friend, Kazue, does not directly express her personal viewpoints, the character is built around the ideal model of modern feminists: ambitious, well-educated, and hard-working.

Despite their differences, the main characters suffer almost similar endings: they are forced to submit to male dominance in various forms.

Yuriko takes advantage of her mesmerizing charm to seduce men for materialistic purpose, but when old age arrives and her beauty is fading, she becomes nothing more than a depreciated goods.

Kazue leads a double life. Her white-collar job and social status establishes her as a role model for modern women, but her true-self only comes out when Kazue wears a nubile skirts and stands in a wintry street at night. She views satisfying men’s sexual desire as a means to assert her femininity and attractiveness based on social standards. Even her brilliant academic achievements cannot dispel the inferior perception of self-worth, which has penetrated in her mind since high school. From Kazue’s eyes, the value of a woman is determined by her appeal to men. As a matter of fact, excellent student awards can never attract as many boys as a two-second wink from Yuriko.

Yuriko’s older sister, who spend her entire life living under her sister’s shadow, tries to conceal her insecurities by separating herself from men (or even the whole world) and labelling that lifestyle as rational. She looks at life through the most negative lens, she only sees the ugly parts in humans. She avoids nearly every social interaction, not even bothers to tell her name and vice versa, no one recalls her name. But in the front of her unimaginably beautiful nephew, she is willing to work as a prostitute – a job she used to detest – in order to “save money for the future.” After struggling to establish the independent role of women, the anonymous lady gives up her belief, ironically because of a young man, and allows the objectification of women to continue.

The endings of three characters partially depict the dark side of feminist movement, which can hardly be acknowledged in today’s media. The submission of female characters to invisible suppressors implicitly confirms the immaturity and lack of cooperation among feminist movements. Three women suffer under the same regime but instead of uniting for a common cause, they choose to let personal enmity and jealousy prevail. Why does pop culture associate genuinely intimate comradeship with “brotherhood” but fake smiles and back stabs with “sisterhood”? Can frail internal structures, and isolated branches divided by ideology gather enough power to change social prejudices?

Behind the exploration of dark aspects within women, Grotesque left us pondering over the misogyny that takes a deep root, even in modern society…

Phuong Mai Nguyen is a student, movie critic, cartoon artist and part-time drummer from Hanoi, Vietnam

Anne of Green Gables

By Tara Awate

Anne of Green Gables is a classic written and set in the early 1900’s. Although it’s a children’s classic, anyone of any age can enjoy it. It’s set in the idyllic and rural Prince Edward Island of Canada.

It’s about an orphan girl named Anne who comes to live with foster parents in the town of Avonlea. The story is about her adventures in this town. It is heartwarming to see how Anne, who has never had a place to call home, charms the hearts of many and becomes a dynamic resident of this town that is adorned by nature. The book is simply full of breathtakingly beautiful nature descriptions. Anne is a unique character whose fiery temper, and wild imagination get her into all sorts of scrapes all the time. Her love and appreciation of all things beautiful is really endearing. Her vigour and enthusiasm give you a fresh and renewed sense of life. By appreciating all the little joys that life has to offer, she makes you fall in love with being alive all over again. She rekindles your childish curiosity about everything, from attending concerts to performing in concerts, baking a cake, meeting new friends, and chasing your dreams.

But this book is not at all about a person who is always happy and cheerful. That would be preachy. Anne is a flawed and imperfect human being you can’t help but sympathise with and relate too. Being very sensitive and high-strung, she has a strong emotional reaction to everything that life throws at her. The author manages to capture these instances and emotions with verisimilitude. Anne’s wild imagination gets her into many difficult situations, which is very interesting to read about.

Given that the book is set in the early 1900’s, Anne is very ambitious for a girl of that time when girls were only expected to be good housewives. It is a book worth reading and rereading many times.

Tara Awate loves to read and listen to classical music. She loves nature and is an environmentalist at heart. In her spare time, she works on her speculative fiction novel while balancing school and homework.

As Brave as You

By Elena (of Elena Reads)

In As Brave As You, brothers Genie and Ernie don’t expect to have such an exciting summer after their parents tell them they’ll be spending it in the South with grandparents they barely know. But even though there are stricter rules and no Wi-Fi, this vacation is probably the best one of their lives.

This award-winning book is about family, love, and courage. It’s also about accepting differences and adapting to change.

Genie and Ernie have to experience farm life when they pick peas to sell at a market instead of just buying them at the store. But not only do they experience southern life, they make friends and survive the trip with some surprises along the way.

When I was reading the book, I felt like I was in Virginia with the characters. For example, when Ernie’s teeth got knocked out, I could imagine the teeth floating in the jar of milk and him groaning on the couch.

The author conveyed many feelings in the story, like sadness and excitement. There were times when I felt like yelling at the book, or times when I wanted to jump for joy. Also, I really loved the character of Genie. He loves asking questions, like me.

Genie loves questions. In fact, he has hundreds of them in his notebook. So, when he realizes his Grandpop is blind, and learns more about his grandfather’s past, Genie finds an unexpected connection. They have fun together, eating entire apples (including the core!!) and sneaking outside in the dark. But after Grandpop confesses his deepest secrets, he thinks of some questions not even Google can answer, like why his dad won’t speak to Grandpop, and why Grandpop carries a gun in his pocket. Genie digs deeper to find the answer to these questions, but more importantly, finds the true meaning of bravery.

Genie sees Grandpop do everyday things with confidence even though he is blind. Genie also thinks Ernie is brave because he’s older and is the first one to do things.

I would recommend As Brave As You to readers ages 10 and up. Some readers may not like that it slow moving, but I liked it because it had very good messages and a lot of interesting and funny passages. This book has some concepts that younger kids may not understand, like death and self-defense. It’s also good for book clubs!

I like author Jason Reynolds’ other books too. Here’s my review of Patina, another awesome story he wrote.

As Brave as You was really great! I rate it four out of four roses!

Elena is a middle school student who reviews diverse children’s books on her blog, Elena Reads. She would like to be an author one day. She usually has her nose in a book, but she has many other interests. She runs cross country, is currently rehearsing for her role as Peter Pan in the upcoming school musical, and plays piano and violin.

Middlesex in Review

By Anonymous

The book had been sitting on my mother’s bookshelf for as long as I can remember. When I was very young, I recall sliding it from its position and staring at its title with the kind of sly fascination that only “grown-up” words can elicit. Middlesex.

I was probably fourteen the first time my mother suggested I read it, noting, “It might be a little inappropriate for you,” but “the writing is amazing.” At the time, even my growing adolescent preoccupation with things inappropriate could not overcome my desire to ignore my mother, which in my early teens was in full swing. Also, my mother had mentioned the term “hermaphrodite” in relation to the story, and because I had no education on the subject, the word made me vaguely uncomfortable. So the book remained on the shelf, gathering dust.

In sophomore year, I was often too distracted to read because I was spending more and more time in doctors’ offices. At age sixteen, I had not yet menstruated; after several months of prodding, x-rays and beeping MRI machines I was diagnosed with MRKH, a rare condition where a girl’s reproductive system does not develop in utero. I would not be able to engage in intercourse without extensive physical therapy, and I would never give birth to a baby.

My reading habits fell by the wayside. Keeping up with mandatory work was difficult enough. For several months, I could barely stand to go to school. Although it wasn’t logical, I found myself uncomfortable around people who were “normal”, and I couldn’t seem to talk myself out of it. I wouldn’t call it jealousy; I’d never particularly wanted to give birth to my own children and after the initial shock, I realized that this was not as upsetting to me as it might have been to many others. However, I was scared of judgment. I had lost the genetic lottery, and with it my sense of belonging.

It was nearly a year after my diagnosis that I gave in to my mother’s suggestions, which had dialed up a notch in the past months for obvious reasons. I finally slid Middlesex from the bookshelf with the intention to read it.

Middlesex won a Pulitzer Prize, so I was prepared for a good read, something with sparkling writing and a well-developed plot. I was not prepared for this book to hit me as hard as it did. The story follows the life of Cal (formerly Calliope) a Greek-American male-identifying intersex man (intersex is defined as any deviation from standard genitalia). Cal is assumed female at birth, but starts developing as a boy at puberty. The account of his life is astonishingly detailed, stretching from his grandparents’ courtship to his own adult relationships. Even if I had no personal draw to the story, I would have thought the plot compelling. But because I am also intersex I found this book moving, relatable and somehow healing.

I had read one book that revolved around MRKH prior to this; I ordered it off Amazon in the hope of finding an anecdote that would make me feel less alone in my experience. The book was written by someone who did not have MRKH, and it completely missed the mark. Besides being riddled with typos, it was painfully clear that the author was merely using the condition to drive the plot. The character with MRKH had no depth beyond her inability to have children. I came away from the book feeling a little less than human, validated in my fear that people would be unable to see me as anything more than my condition.

Middlesex was the polar opposite of this book. Although my condition is quite different from that of the protagonist, we had many similarities and I could see myself in his actions and internal processes. One thing that resonated with me was when the character discussed his shame regarding his condition, something I immediately recognized in myself. The book reads “My shame. I don’t condone it”, and this simple phrase captured something I’ve been struggling with for the last year. In Cal’s case, he is embarrassed by his atypical genitalia in his dating life. I frequently feel this same shame about my biological uniqueness. I do not want to be ashamed. Intellectually, I know that there is no reason I should be ashamed. But some days, the voice in the back of my head whispers that my inability to reach the milestones that women in our society are expected to reach makes me less worthy than the rest.

Middlesex is written by a non-intersex man who clearly engaged in a huge amount of research to write something that rings so true. The book has been praised by many in the intersex community for being accurate both scientifically and emotionally. Some scenes were so specific that they could have been taken right out of my head. In the sequence of Calliope’s birth, the author describes how the doctor was distracted before he could thoroughly inspect the baby’s genitals. This is something I have often wondered about in my own situation. What could have been so interesting in that room that the doctor overlooked my physical difference? Another thing I have wondered about is what exact genes caused my condition, which strands of DNA did not mutate quite far enough, and what caused this anomaly.

This topic is dealt with extensively in Middlesex, going back several generations, and as the book is told from an intersex perspective, the curiosity and the depth of the delving into family history feels legitimate, something I could imagine myself doing in the future. The passage I found most poignant described Calliope, fourteen years old, noticing that every one of her classmates had gotten their period except her. Since sixth grade, when I was first asked by a classmate if I had a spare tampon, I have had the nagging worry that something was might not be quite right, but I attributed it to being a “late bloomer”. This subconscious reassurance and denial of the thought that something might be wrong was powerfully depicted in Middlesex.

But to me, the most important thing about the book was that it wasn’t only about being intersex. It was about love and family and children and sex and all these things that I had started to think were out of my reach. It was about a character who had every normal human experience without being what most people would call normal. It was about a person’s life, a person who happened to be intersex, but a person no less valid or worthy than anyone else.

I am a logical person, and question things like fate or higher powers. For most of my life, I have preferred to take the evolutionary perspective. Naturally, this did not serve me well in dealing with my diagnosis. In fact, the purely evolutionary perspective told me something along the lines of “There’s no real, biological reason for your existence.” This unfortunate conclusion is something I’ve been attempting to shake off for over a year. Middlesex brought me a long way towards transforming my viewpoint. I took a long look at my own life, as a good book will make you do. And I noticed how healthy my friendships are, how delighted my art makes me, how my boyfriend is happy dating me without any sort of “in spite of.”

Middlesex made me realize that I would still be able to have just about all the experiences I have been looking forward to my whole life. In fact, it made me realize that I am already having them. When you learn something about yourself that changes your expectations of the future, it’s hard to live in the present. But this book took a little bit of the weight off. It gave me back a little bit of confidence in my future. Even more, it made me feel less alone in my present. That’s the highest praise I can give any book. I think it’s for the best that I didn’t read this story when I was fourteen. It wouldn’t have meant nearly as much to me. But ultimately, I’ve never been more glad I listened to my mother.

Anonymous is an American high school student.

The False Prince

By Hossein Libre

Jennifer A Nielsen’s The False Prince is a stunning fantasy novel. Neilsen uses good sensory description to set the scene for Sage’s life and also has strong verbs that will keep your senses awake; such as Mott was tall, dark skinned, and nearly bald. What little hair he did have was black and shaved to the scalp. Also this book has lots of twists and turns. Neilsen keeps the readers at the edge of their seats and wondering what will happen in the upcoming pages. As the lies unfold, the truth is revealed and the truth may very well prove more dangerous than all the lies combined.

The False Prince is the first book in the Ascendance trilogy. The Ascendance trilogy includes The False Prince, The Runaway King, and The Shadow Throne. The False Prince is a finalist for the E.B. White Read Aloud Award and has also spent several weeks on the NYT Bestseller List ranging in position from #4 to #14.

One of the memorable things about this book was its plot. In a faraway land, a civil war is brewing. To unify his kingdom’s divided people, a nobleman named Conner devises a cunning plan to place an imposter of the kingdom’s lost-long son on the throne. Four orphans are forced to compete for the crown, including a clever boy named Sage. Sage knows Conner’s motives are questionable, yet his life balances on a sword’s point: he must be chosen to play the role of the prince or he will be killed.

This is a story about standing up for what you believe in. Sage had to stand up a lot. He was forced to treat a servant meanly, but he treated her with kindness. The second theme is standing up for your rights. When everyone told him to go one direction, Sage went his own way, and he usually made the right decision.

The main character is Sage, a young boy from the kingdom, Carthya. His friends/enemies are Mott, Conner, Roden, Tobias, and Imogen. Some of them crafted him into the person he was by hurting him or by loving him.

Neilsen’s strong visuals help readers see the orphanage, the palace, and the castle. Neilsen will fill reader’s heads with questions that will keep them turning the page. Some of the questions the readers might be asking are: Who will become king? Will Sage survive Conner’s tests? Will the kingdom unite under one rule?

Neilsen’s fantasy novel The False Prince is definitely worth reader’s time and money and is a 10/10. The False Prince is perfect for anyone who loves lots of twists and turns. If you want a story that you can’t put down and that will keep you at the edge of your seat, pick up a copy of Jennifer A. Nielsen’s The False Prince.

Author: Jennifer A Nielsen Genera: Fantasy

Hossein Libre was born in Tehran, Iran but currently lives in the United States in the college town of Rolla, MO. He speaks Persian and English. His dream is to become a soccer player and play for Manchester United FC. He remarkably loves reading and writing, and his favorite books include The Ascendance Trilogy by Jennifer A. Nielsen, The Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan, The Summoner series by Taran Matharu, and Timeline by Michael Crichton.