RMST 202 Blog

  The newest addition to this blog is María Luisa Bombal’s "Shrouded Women," and it has quickly become my favourite read so far (I’ve noticed that is a popular feeling). The narrative on death was original and creative, making Maria's perspective a delightful exploration. The way she revisits her life and relationships with different characters is well done, keeping the story consistently engaging.  The book wasn’t very long and it took me the least amount of time to read from the books we’ve gone through so far (about 4 hours). The book opens with Maria's visit to her first love, Ricardo, unfolding the complexities of their relationship and its bittersweet end as he departs for Europe. As the narrative progresses, we explore Maria's interactions with different characters—her children,  friend, Fernando, and her husband—each relationship leaving a unique imprint on her life.  At some parts of the book, the switching narration was a bit confusing but it was definit...

  Nadja was a book I wouldn't typically pick up outside of a classroom setting, and it definitely made for an interesting read. The story follows André Breton,the author, as he recounts his encounters with a mysterious woman named Nadja. The book is divided into three parts, with the first part being the most challenging to understand due to its lack of structure. Despite this, I appreciate Breton's poetic writing, even if I don't always fully understand it. In the first part, Breton shares his passing thoughts, mentioning other authors like Nietzsche and describing the places he walks by, even describing a play he enjoys (I think it was about a school girl that gets murdered?). Now, onto my favorite part – the second section where the author finally meets Nadja. This part takes on a more diary-like format with specific dates and a structured storyline, which I found much more enjoyable. As the author gets to know Nadja, her mystique captures his attention. As a reader, it ...

  Combray is a nostalgic story filled with detailed descriptions of the narrator's childhood memories. What I found myself enjoying the most was the narrator's ability to describe his memories with such detail that it made envisioning Combray very easy. Proust skillfully brings both himself and his side characters to life through his writing. His amusing portrayal of his great aunt and the detailed descriptions of his family make them feel like any other family with their own drama. I would say however that the book wasn’t the most entertaining read (which I noticed was a feeling shared by many of you) and some parts of the book (specifically the scenes with his mother) made me put down the book and question what I was reading.  A particular scene in the first part of Combray, describing a goodnight kiss with his mother, felt uncomfortably detailed. When I read this part, the detailed exploration of Proust's yearning for his mother left me uncomfortable, especially when he ...

  Hello! I'm Gabriella, a second-year political science student from Calgary, Alberta. I chose this course because I love reading, and a friend recommended it. Plus, it fulfills a literary requirement for my degree, witch i'm sure is why many of us are in this course. I'd like to share a bit more about myself that I think connects well with this course. Firstly, as I mentioned earlier, I'm a big fan of reading. My favourite books are in the fantasy genre, especially those that build immersive worlds. If you have any recommendations, I'm open to suggestions! In addition to fantasy, I also enjoy reading romance books, although I suspect it might not be the same kind of romance we'll be exploring in this course. Recently, I came across a great six-part series called Caraval. It's a fantasy romance that primarily revolves around the relationship between two sisters. The author, Stephanie Garber, is really good at creating a captivating world. If you're inter...