The House on Mango Street

As I went on reading this book, I honestly felt like it could have been better. I think the closest comparison I have for this text is Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. Both books tell their story in a series of scenes, both have unconventional ways of delivering dialogue, and they both feature a young girl who is growing up dealing with something she has to overcome. However, that is where the similarities end. Where Speak managed to make a dark situation and topic an enjoyable read due to it's own version of dark humor, this text does not have that strength. Instead, this text is one that I do not remember much about now, and will not remember much about in a month or two.

I think that is because the writing just didn't grab me. A lot of the scenes that have occurred are just small episodes in the main character's life that have seemingly little to do with the overall plot. While this may be true with Speak, at least there, I knew more about the main character and how much time had passed, whereas here, I have no clue how old she is, nor how much time has passed between the beginning and ending of the text. I also did not get a feeling or grasp of any of the characters. This all led to a story that I do not think I will remember in a few weeks, let alone a few months. I give it a two, out of five.