The House on Mango Street

Rating:
Summary: Don't waste your time with The House ...
Review: This book was not worth my time or money. Avoid it like the plague!

Rating:
Summary: House on Mango Street is a wonderful book!
Review: For my school summer reading list, I had to read a House on Mango Street. Right away the teacher told not to read the book like you would with any other book, (because to does not have a plot) but to read it more or less like you would a poem. I believe that helped many kids understand it better,

Rating:
Summary: This is not a novel
Review: This may be a memoir, but it is much more a collection of stories than a novel. Each story can be enjoyed on its own or in the company of others. Look at each sotry like a very fine man (or woman). They look goos by themselves, but a roomful is even better. I like to think Cisneros would like my comparison. And if you haven't read her poetry, buy "My wicked wicked ways" right now.

Rating:
Summary: good idea
Review: I liked the idea of the stories, but the characters weren't real to me. A more powerful presentation of the same idea was shown in a recent book I read, the Best Young Adult Book SIGHTS by Susanna Vance. The mixed race town vigilante, Selda, says it all.

Rating:
Summary: It didn't make much sense to me
Review: I borrowed this book from the library expecting it to be a good read, considering the fact that so many people found it unique and everything. But I found it a little bit too unique; I didn't really understand anything. Each chapter was really short and was about something completely different from the others, and it was just confusing to me. If you want a good, real story about a young girl's coming of age, read "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith instead. "The House on Mango Street" was boring.

Rating:
Summary: stylishly stunning
Review: I agree with some of the other reviewers that as far as plot, this book does not have much of one. But it is written so beautifully; that it is difficult not to deem it a fine peice of fiction.The vignettes, connected only through Esperanza's experiences are touching, sad, and sweet. It is a quick, easy read, and I recommend it as a nice, anytime, anywhere read.

Rating:
Summary: a fave
Review: this book is absolutely beautiful. while it is a young adult book, i believe anyone can enjoy it. there is a plot and story, but it is so entrenched in poetic language that each chapter could be read by itself as a poem. if you like latin poetry, read this book.

Rating:
Summary: HORRIBLE
Review: I hated this book. I had to read this for English class, and since it is about a Spanish girl (and I am part Spanish myself), I thought it would be fascinating.

It wasn't.

This book is composed of totally unrelated vignettes that have no sense. It is like the author starts out a chapter, then just goes off on a tangent. One chapter is about her name. Another is about hips. This book has no plot whatsoever and is very depressing. Esperanza pays people to be her friends and hates the house she lives in. This book is said to be wonderful, original, and "inspiring." In reality, this was the worst, most boring book I have ever read. All of my friends hated it. I seriously recommend reading ANYTHING but this.

Rating:
Summary: Inspiring
Review: I flirted with the idea of writing a children's book for awhile, just for kicks, but as I'm studying to be a teacher, I didn't want to write something that had limited appeal and wouldn't leave a lasting impression. While I was studying some children's literature for a class, I decided to use this book as one of my choice books for two reasons A - I had heard such great things about it and using it in teaching. B - I'm in San Antonio, so I'm a little absorbed by the local talent.

I was immediately enthralled by the unique method of storytelling Cisneros uses to tell the story of Esperanza and her life on Mango Street. Each short chapter is generally another character or event you might find on or around Mango street. Each chapter is a "story" in Esperanza's life. I thought to myself that this was a neat idea. This is not traditional storytelling found commonly in books. Cisneros is careful not to spoil a book with too much, long drawn out information, but at the same time doesn't just give you the needed information. It's a very fun read in that sense. The reader, in a sense becomes a passerby or tourist, walking Mango Street and observing, and seeing within each character lies a deeper story.

What I really like about this book is the scope of the book. As our society is being moved to be more culturally affluent, this and many other books are commonly cited as cultural books and tend to receive that is a label. What's really neat, is that it goes far beyond that and it really speaks to any number of people, if not everyone. Every writer sets out to be a writer, not a cultural or ethnic writer, and this book is an excellent example of that, as it is easily drawn from the authors ethnic heritage, but it's a book that has very universal themes about growing up, dealing with peers, and in many respects, self actualization. There are two passages that are really moving that relate to this, the first of which is where Aunt Lupe tells Esperanza "You must keep writing. It will keep you free." And the other where Esperanza simply says "One day I will have my own house, but I won't forget who I am or where I came from." They really have to do with finding oneself and keeping true to that. The part about the writing really touched me, as I'm sure it touches many young writers just because it is very simple truth, and Cisneros states it so well.

This book also reaches every age, which is difficult to achieve in writing. This book has difficult subject matter in some of the books that parents would traditionally find objectionable. In young adult books, subject matter, such as delinquency (dealt with briefly by a character who steals a car) or abuse are usually too preachy and very uninteresting. Some other books may seem to glorify it, but here, it's told as it is: life, which is why this book may have such wide appeal. It's told almost like a journal, describing the world around you, who you know, and what happens to them. When you're growing up, on the verge of adolescence, life is exciting. One really captures much of the essence of living at that point by taking in everything around them. Cisneros has done that here, and in doing so, has created a marvel of a book that can appeal to everyone.

Rating:
Summary: Surprising
Review: This book gave me security and dreams in the beginning. It allowed me to know that children with big thoughts do dream big, even if they don't have the best in life at that certain moment. What scared me the most was when she couldn't trust and was scared the most. The unforgettable part.