The House on Mango Street

Rating:
Summary: Quick but pleasant read
Review: This is so far the best analysis of "ghetto" life I have read so far. The narrator is an girl growing up in a family juggling on the border of poverty, yet her spirit transcends her socioeconomic environment while remaining a part of it. Inspiring and truthful, this one might make you rethink some of your beliefs and prejudices on how "the other half lives."

Rating:
Summary: 250+ reviewers aren't wrong
Review: This is a book that will be used in schools for years to come - along with Nectar in the Sieve, Things Fall Apart, To Kill a Mockingbird, Lord of the Flies ... It deserves to be in such esteemed company. Thru the use of short vignettes, many depicting neighbor characters who appear only in one vignette, Cisneros has created a whole Latino subculture, placed it with the American culture, and displayed a young girl's (7th grader or so)coming of age.

For Esperanza, coming of age means recognizing the traps of early marriage and low expectations so that she can set off on a path of independence - owning her own "home on the hill". The author has taken the adage "show don't tell" to perfection using details to press the story forward: a group of girls purchasing a used bike, the first attempt to wear high heels, shame at wearing brown and white saddle shoes to a christening dance, her dream of letting bums stay in the attic of her own home ...

In simple language, plain syntax, and concrete language, Cisneros has written a masterpiece - one so well written that it is the novel not the craftsmanship that shines.

Rating:
Summary: It's good
Review: The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros is a very well written book about a young Mexican girl growing up in Chicago. The book tracks Esperanza from when she is a young girl until she is a young adult in high school. Esperanza does not want live on Mango Street and be poor. Her goal is to succeed and then return and help the people that still are living on Mango Street.
I noticed the author, Sandra Cisneros, wrote the book in the book in short stories. I especially like the fact that she was changing her writing style so that it went from a child's point of view to a teenager's point of view. I really enjoyed reading this book and I do recommend it for those readers out there who are committed to finishing a book because this one is good from beginning to end.

Rating:
Summary: Mango Review
Review: The House on Mango Street, written by Sandra Cisneros is the look at the coming of age through a child's eyes. The book is written in the view of Esperanza, a young Hispanic girl growing up in in American world. Though her views of life are a bit naive in the beginning, she goes through many experiences that challenge what she thinks is right. From being hit on by a bum-man in the street, to dealing with a friends abused by her father.
The book is written in short story format. There are a total of 44 short stories in the book, but they all tie together in the end. It's like a long movie shown in short episodes. While they might not all connect together right away, all the stories help the reader to understand the life that Esperanza lives, and why she reacts to things the way she does.
Another thing that plays into the story is the role of Hispanic women in the culture when the book was written. At the time, their main role in life was to stay at home and take care of the husband, kids, etc. This comes up many times in the story, as their husbands luck up characters, or children are beaten for talking to boys.
In all, the story is a great look at the life of a Hispanic girl through the eyes of a child.

Rating:
Summary: The House on Mango Street- A journey to find what you want
Review: The book began with Esperanza (the narrator) telling of what her house was like, and how others beofre them had been. You discover that she is not bery excited to be moving to her new house, it was not what she had expected at all. She goes on to tell you all about the people and things that go on in and around her life. The point of view is good, it is a child talking and there is a certain aspect that a child has, they are not afraid to come right out and say anything. This makes the story very interesting. She gives her viewpoints and you get a glimpse of what life is like in a Hispanic neighborhood. The book touches on issues such as race, abuse, and discrimination, yet it all boils down to a young girl who is trying to figure out what she really wants from life, and how she wants to make a difference in hers.

Rating:
Summary: The House on Mango Street
Review: The House on Mango Street is a well written book. It is about a hispanic girl named Esperanza and what she went through living in a barrio. The book has a little girl writting about adult subjects. She is very perseptive and observent about her neighbors and the world around her. I would recommend this book to anyone of all ages because in every chapter there is something different for everyone to relate to. I really liked it.

Rating:
Summary: Not a Book I Would Read if I Didn't Have To Read It
Review: This book that I read was never interesting for me. If I want to read a book, I want it to have a plot, conflict, hook, and climax. This was not my kind of book. I was never able to keep characters straight and the short stories were confusing.
There were so many characters in this book that I was lost halfway through. Most of the time Sandra Cisneros introduces a character in one chapter and then forgets about them for the rest of the book. However, more characters keep coming and coming.
Most of the short stories that were made into chapters weren't very interesting at all. It almost seems like they were put in to make the book longer so it could be classified as a book. There was just nothing to connect each chapter together for me. I want a plot so I can write a plot summary about it.
The writing style also bothered me as well. I am older than the narrator Esperanza, and I want to read a book that is on my reading level. The way the book was written, it was made to sound like a girl in seventh grade was talking. Any younger reading levels than me, and I lose all interest in the book. This is one of the many reasons why it was so dull for me.
Overall, I think this book was not very good, so I gave it two stars out of five. I can't wait till I read a book with a plot now. Like I said, I wouldn't have read this book if I didn't have to for class. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone else if they showed any interest in it at all.

Rating:
Summary: The House On Mango Street
Review: The book, The house on Mango Street, by Sandra Cisneros is a book about a young girl growing up in an ethnic Chicago neighborhood in the 80's. With 44 short chapters, or vignettes, there is always something happening to the main character and narrator, Esperanza Cordero. Although I never got bored reading the book, I often felt confused over all the characters and was wondering the significance of a chapter.
This coming of age story started by Esperanza talking about her house and the other places they had lived. Throughout the whole book she was ashamed of her house and where she came from. She said she didn't belong there, but the street and the house that she lived in shaped every part of her life, as depicted in the chapters of the book. In the chapter "Alicia who sees mice" she is talking about a girl who had to grow up and do a mothers work. In "What Sally Said" she talks about the girl getting abused by her father only because she talked to a boy. She also talks in the book about kids her age getting married and having children. All of these experiences helped her grow up and know what she wanted to become. She knew that she wanted to be better and not end up like the typical woman in her community.
When I first finished the book I didn't really understand and I had to think about the novel as a whole before I got it. But I finally did get it. She realized she had everything it took to be a good and successful person and she wanted to use that to help others like her who couldn't help themselves, the people of Mango Street. I think the book has a great message and should be read by everyone.

Rating:
Summary: It's worth reading...
Review: Sandra Cisneros' novel, The House on Mango Street is a series of short stories revolving around a girl living in the Chicago barios. Her name is Esperanza, It means hope in English, it means too many letters in Spanish. Esperanza and her family had just moved into a house that she doesn't like. She wanted a house like the ones on TV, with a real staircase and a big backyard. Each chapter is a new story about different characters and happenings around mango street. Esperanza tells her thoughts on friends, family, life, and her dreams. The book can be funny in parts, sad in others, and make you feel good in the end. Being such a short novel it is easy to read and can be enjoyed by all ages. The House On Mango Street gives hope to those who feel different than everyone and gives an importnat message: You should be proud of who you are.

Rating:
Summary: The House on Mango Street- a journey to finding yourself
Review: The book began with Esperanza (the narrator)telling of what her house was like, and how others before them had been. You discover that she is not very excited to be moving to her new house, it was not what she had expected at all. She goes on to tell you all about the people and things that go on in and around her life. The point of view is good, it is a child talking and there is a certain aspect that a child has, they are not afraid to come right out and say antything. This makes the story very interesting. She gives her viewpoints and you get a glimpse of what life is like in a Hispanic neighborhood. The book touches on issues such as race, abuse, and discrimination, yet it all boils down to a girl who is trying to figure out what she really wants from life, and how she wants to make a difference in hers.