Rating: 
Summary: A privileged white Puerto Rican view of the island
Review: After reading all of the positive reviews by Anglophone readers excited to read about the Puerto Rico of Rosario Ferré's The House on the Lagoon, I just had to respond. ough she is often praised for her realism and for not succumbing to the "magical realism" of other Latin American authors, this novel is quite full of "magic". The white characters are all "realist" in their world perspectives, but the book is full of absurd stereotypes of Puerto Rican black people. Almost every black character is a "santero" and a servant to a white person. While the story is a tired re-telling of Puerto Rican history through the story of an upper class family, everyone who doesn't fit in that family is therefore relegated to a backseat in this vision of the island's past and present. A clear move away from her previous writings in Spanish, this book is too obviously a stereotyped view of a Caribbean island designed to engross (white) North American readers who wouldn't know better.
Rating: 
Summary: White, rich, and yes... Puerto Rican
Review: Although I feel that Ferre's ability to write in English has improved since she wrote The House in the Lagoon (still not comparable to her elegant and beautiful skill with her native tongue), my review responds to some comments made by Mr.Luis Hernandez in his review: "Close but not even close to Isabel Allende". First things first. Mr. Hernandez, comparing Ferre to Isabel Allende, Julia de Burgos (por Dios!) or the INFAMOUS Esmeralda Santiago (eek!) is neither here nor there. A writer, I believe, should be taken into consideration based on his/her own merits. But I guess that is not my biggest problem with this review. Actually, I think Mr.Hernandez, with all your travels and experiences in the small island of Puerto Rico, you seem to have only a very dim perception of the intricate diversity and complex make-up of the island's ever changing social, economic and racial dynamics.Mr. Hernandez,you are all upset because Ferre's book deals with rich land owners and not the dirt poor barrio/slums communities, therefore, the book does not deal with "The Puerto Rican experience." The Puerto Rican experience??? Are you kidding me? If anything Rosario Ferre brings to life another side of the island. You think it's fun reading about stereotypical dirt poor socially disadvantaged jibaros ALL THE TIME? I mean, that's fun for a while, I'm for that whole "learn from your history and your roots" and all that song and dance, but, COME ON! I'm a young educated white upper class female from Puerto Rico, so according to you, Mr. Hernandez no one would EVER want to read a book I write. I'll have to keep that in mind so I don't even bother. Nevertheless, I do believe every individual's experience is unique, valuable and worth the read if their style and content is pleasing to an audience. Ferre obviously has it. People have responded well to her books, she is a successful writer and, although being an independentista I may not always agree with her political biases, I'm absolutely PSYCHED her books have already been translated in seven languages and she's coming up with new stuff! So, bring it on! It's really disturbing when people like Mr. Hernandez insist on categorizing and confining individuals to ridiculous generalizations: statehooders / rich, independentistas/poor. Apparently this guy knows very little about what is going on in the island and has obviously NEVER touched a history book! Ok, so let's play a game, dear readers,... only those who've had what Mr. Hernandez labels "The Puerto Rican experience" (whatever that is) raise your hand... Ok, only you guys can write successful books that people will read, respect and relate to, the rest of us may shut up now. And by the way,those of you who CAN write, make sure you write like Julia de Burgos and Isabel Allende... So to all of you, open minded souls out there, read about the rich people in the Caribbean, get mesmerized by all the political turmoil and marital struggle amidst the bewitching landscape of a place like no other on earth. It sure is a lot of fun! At the very least, a refreshing change of pace!
Rating: 
Summary: Close but not even close to Isabel Allende
Review: Ferre's novel documents the life of a prominent family in Puerto Rico shortly after the end of the Spanish-American War, and although she tries to write in a style similar to that of the great Isabel Allende, she doesn't even come close to it. There are many reasons this book never did well among the eyes of critics and reaaders. They include (1) The book was written in English. Upon its' release, the book stirred controversy in Puerto Rico, due to that nation's use and respect for Spanish. Ms. Ferre's political connections (her father, Luis, was a former governor of the island who favored statehood) probably had a lot to do with this, and one thing writers know is not to mix a book's imminent success with cultural nationalism. (2) The book's references to Spanish colonialism seems very negative and crtical. Again, Ms. Ferre's leaning towards everything Pro-American can't undo the 400 years of colonialism Spain has left on the island, especially when it comes to its' language. As a Puerto Rican of Spanish descent, I found it both insulting and disturbing that although the Spanish were not perfect, Ms. Ferre decided to put down the country that gave Puerto Ricans many things that we can't erase or deny. Surnames, religion, place names, history, and culture are contributions that can't be undone. (3) Ms. Ferre's characters seem to be out-of-touch with the common Puerto Rican. Although there are social elites who wield money (statehooders) and the ideologically elite who possess great knowledge and love for their nation (independence seekers), she really has never written about the "jibaro" and other traditional rural characters that gave Puerto Rico her identity. Truly this is her greatest mistake. Ms. Ferre is no Julia de Burgos, nor she will never be. She is no Esmeralda Santiago who has written novels that are relevant to the Puerto Rican experience. She is no Julia Alvarez, the Dominican writer who is possibly the greatest Latina writer to come out of the Caribbean in recent years. Ferre is unique, and in my opinion is that unless she gives un-biased, apolitical accounts of Puerto Rican life in her future novels, she might as well pack up her typewriter and put it in the closet. Overall, a disappointing novel.
Rating: 
Summary: This is a great read.
Review: For the most part, this novel is an excellent review of high society in Puerto Rico for the period. It's representation of racism, patriotism, and greed is superb. I felt as if I was part of the cast, although as an observer.
Rating: 
Summary: I was disappointed
Review: I am always on the look-out for hispanic female authors, so when I saw Rosario Ferre's books, I looked forward to enjoying them. But Ms. Ferre's writing is always just a little too convoluted, the stories too complicated, too involved. This book is a book within a book. The title character is trying to be an author, and her husband, also an author, takes apart her book, which she is hiding and he is finding. She knows he reads it and looks for his notes in her margins. He hates the book. She's angry with him. Toward the end of the book, I got so confused regarding just what was happening to whom - was it Ferre's character, or her character's character? I actually went looking for the original Spanish to try and figure it out. Too much work.
Rating:
Summary: History & politics swimming in magic and sensuality
Review: I became a fan of Ferre after reading her collection entitled, The Youngest Doll. Present in all of her tales, is the story of an island immersed in a constant struggle between race, language, religion, ownership, and histories which involve three continents. Intertwined within this struggle for identity, Ferre brings a woman, equally intertwined, and equally struggling. The House On The Lagoon is about one woman's attempt to understand and redeem the history of herself, and all of the women in her family, by writing a historical account of their lives (How accurate becomes an issue in the plot, however, it is her bravery in attemptng the rediscovery that is significant). It is also about a husband who is terrified of his wife laying claim to herself. Through this tale we are told stories of several generations-Spaniards, Africans, Corsicans, and Puerto Ricans. We are also given a sense of how the debate as to the island's independence or dependence on the United States has shaped every generation born in Puerto Rico this century. I love Ferre's innovative stories, and her sense of style. When I finished this novel, I felt haunted.
Rating:
Summary: NOT as GOOD as ALLENDE
Review: I enjoyed this book very much. I love the Latin American style of writing, and this was the first novel I had read by a Puerto Rican. I thought it was a fine novel, but not such a memorable one. "Eva Luna", "House of the Spirits", "The Infinite Plan" and others by Isabel Allende have resurfaced in my mind from time to time ever since I read them. I think every reader experiences some discomfort after reading a truly superior writer and then finding that other writers are bland in comparison. "The House on the Lagoon" is a good book, but it is not on the same level as Allende or Gabriel Garcia Marquez... I think that readers expecting storytelling and magical realism akin to Allende and Marquez will be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: A Novel Experience
Review: I read this book on the recommendation of a friend who is a Puertorriqueno-Americano. He read it in Espanol and loved it. I read it in English and truly enjoyed the beauty of the writing and extremely well crafted characters. Three houses on the lagoon was a stretch of the imagination. I learned at least one woman's perspective of Puerto Rican history and culture presented in a highly palatable form. I have no idea of how well it represents reality (which -- as the book illustrates -- is highly dependent on the eye of the beholder). As a fan of detective novels I ended up thinking that the author killed off more characters than the average thriller. I concluded that Quintin knew the number to the Swiss bank account -- just a strong impression. The book made me want to take my next Caribbean vacation in Puerto Rico. My friend warned me not to expect to find the house on the lagoon which seemed so real to me. Accepted for what it is, this is a fine book.
Rating:
Summary: A Novel Experience
Review: I read this book on the recommendation of a friend who is a Puertorriqueno-Americano. He read it in Espanol and loved it. I read it in English and truly enjoyed the beauty of the writing and extremely well crafted characters. Three houses on the lagoon was a stretch of the imagination. I learned at least one woman's perspective of Puerto Rican history and culture presented in a highly palatable form. I have no idea of how well it represents reality (which -- as the book illustrates -- is highly dependent on the eye of the beholder). As a fan of detective novels I ended up thinking that the author killed off more characters than the average thriller. I concluded that Quintin knew the number to the Swiss bank account -- just a strong impression. The book made me want to take my next Caribbean vacation in Puerto Rico. My friend warned me not to expect to find the house on the lagoon which seemed so real to me. Accepted for what it is, this is a fine book.
Rating:
Summary: This is Puerto Rico
Review: Lately I have been reading a lot of North American women authors who are of Latin American (or Caribbean) decent. When I picked up The House on the Lagoon, I thought that I was going to hear a similar voice but I was quite wrong. Ferre's voice is distinctly Puerto Rican from the construction of her story telling to the mettle of her characters. The magic in the story is subtle (not as loud as the ghosts that haunt both Marquez and Allende), but still ubiquitous. The story came alive for me in a way that few others have. As I read, I KNEW this place (the House on the Lagoon)--so much that I could see it, feel it and smell it. Really, you've got to go see for yourself....
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