Almost a Woman by Esmeralda Santiago
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Book Reviews of Almost a Woman
Book Review: Amazing!
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is great. It was a fun,informative and impossible to put down. Esmeralda Santiago never ceases to amaze me. I also highly recommend the first part of her memoir, "When I Was Puerto Rican", and "America's Dream".Book Review: very satisfied
Summary: 5 Stars
Great service. Product arrived as promised and in perfect condition. Will shop from this seller again!
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Book Review: Great Book!!!
Summary: 4 Stars
Its amazing how one book can change your life. You sometimes feel like you can't relate to it but it just takes your breath away. The book "Almost a Woman", really took my breath away. Since I am Hispanic I can relate how a Hispanic mother or father can be with their daughters, especially if they are the oldest. In the story, she discovers herself trying to find what she really wants. Trying to please her mother, she sometimes goes against her mother's wishes. Esmeralda's mother knows what's best for her and doesn't want her to end up like a pregnant girl at age fifteen or dropping out of high school. Her mother wants her to succeed in life and support herself and her family.
I really liked the dialogue because I understood the words in Spanish. What really stood out for me when they would talk were the responses they would have. I sometimes knew what they would say because of the similar responses between a child and a parent. Sometimes you know what a parent might say to a child because most Hispanic parents are the same.
I loved all the character and all the men she met. There were a lot of guys that came in and out of her life. She wasn't being picky; she was just meeting them as they come. I especially loved the grandmother. She reminds me of that lady on "The George Lopez Show." All the children were great, even though they are not mentioned a lot. They are only mention when something big happens to Esmeralda.
This memoir made me realize that family is the only people in your life that you need. They are the key to your life. You don't need a man to tell you what to do, what to wear, who you can or can't see, etc. You should never have to choose between a parent and your lover. I've been through that experience and it was hard but I still say today that I'm glad I chose what was best for me and my family. Sometimes I feel like her wanting to have the freedom to be on my own and live on my own two feet but parents always come in the way of things. When reading it, it made me realize a lot of things when I had my first boyfriend. None less to say, I was dumb and naive back then. Now, I am almost a woman trying to make it in the world.
Book Review: An amazing and true tale
Summary: 4 Stars
Almost a Woman is a beautifully detailed memoir written by Esmeralda Santiago. In this book she writes of events that occur between her fourteenth and twenty second years, just after she, along with her mother and siblings, moves from a rural town in Puerto Rico to her grandmother's tiny apartment in Brooklyn, New York. Santiago describes her struggles and triumphs in adjusting to a new lifestyle in the United States, embracing her culture, and maturing into the woman she wishes to be.
I really enjoyed this book. Santiago writes in honest detail about the adventures she has in attempt to become independent from her restricting, "old-fashioned" mother and performing in theaters of Manhattan. Most entertaining are her accounts of unique relationships with various men. I didn't know whether to laugh or to remain in shock as Santiago recalled such things as, "he was thirty-seven, the same age as Mami, seventeen years older than me," or, "it hit me that I was about to marry a man who stole planes for a living." The events are amazingly unpredictable and quite engaging. Only the clarity and specification of her words reminded me that I was not reading an imaginative, fictional story, but rather the true and eventful life of quite a remarkable woman!
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to understand the challenges of moving from one very different environment and country to another, while embarking on the journey into adulthood. This memoir will not fail to entertain, as well as teach the reader many important life lessons.
Book Review: Almost A Woman
Summary: 4 Stars
Esmeralda Santiago tells a stunning true story of her journey around New York with her ten brothers and sisters. After moving from Puerto Rico, Santiago must learn to deal with her over-protective mother who doesn't want her to be "Americanized." While learning English, fighting over makeup, and dealing with school bullies, Esmeralda goes from being a shy quiet girl to a confident casi mujer, almost a woman.
Although there is an abrupt ending that leaves the reader a little confused, there is a good message. No matter what you become, where you live, or whom you marry, there will always be a safe place for you at home with your family. With many humorous dates, and much needed advice from different types of frieds, Esmeralda learns to accept herself and deal with life as it comes along. This book is a great representation of learning to find youself. It will explain that you have to try almost everything to see what fits your life best.
Girls of all ages will love this book. If you love to act, you'll enjoy Esmeralda's stories of being Cleopatra many times. If you love to dance you will to entertained with her stories of learning the traditional Indian dance. If you are just looking for a book that represents a child from another culture, another country, having to learn to grow up in a compleltely different culture, then this is the perfect book for you.