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What are readers saying about House on Mango Street (Vintage Contemporaries)?
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-05-01 05:43:17.
(Language: English)
 
As beautiful as a little girl in a Summer dress!
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-10-26 04:57:42.
(Language: Spanish)
Es un libro màgico, maravilloso que llega al alma. Muy recomendable.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-05-11 12:14:37.
(Language: English)
One of my all time favorites :)
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-11-17 01:13:33.
(Language: English)
"The House on Mango Street" is a good book I enjoyed reading. It introduces an intimate look into the life of a young girl of Hispanic descent. I think this book presents adolescents, who are of the same ethnicity, an opportunity to identify with elements of their own culture, most likely a rarity for them in traditional literary choices. It would also allow those of other ethnicities a chance to learn about the culture while still giving them elements with which they can identify, such as alientation and trying to assimilate within a peer group.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-07-10 05:29:23.
(Language: English)
I like how the short stories make up the entire book. Unfortunately, the whole thing just didn't grab me as much as I tried to like it. I was ready to stop reading it, but forced myself to finish it because I was so close to the end. I'm glad I did, yet I won't pick it up for a second read through.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-06-08 03:56:23.
(Language: English)
I just saw this book on the display table at Barnes & Noble yesterday. I pick it up, read the first 2 pages and I was hooked. The word "Mango" has now come up two other times in 24 hours regarding totally different subjects (but not the fruit).
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-07-01 11:32:15.
(Language: English)
This book is quite poetic in its prose even if the writing seems at first to present a certain false simplicity. It has a very honest feel with a good dose of both hope and despair. I really enjoyed reading it.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-02-26 09:40:10.
(Language: English)
It is a pleasure to use excerpts of this to teach memoir writing. I loved teaching it to 11th graders too. She has such a crisp, funny, poetic style, and she often makes me laugh. This is the book that started my streak of reading female latino writers, which I appreciated even more after Bread Loaf.
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Erica posted a review at 2010-03-19 08:39:50.
(Language: English)
A quick read that leaves you satisfied!
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-11-05 09:19:03.
(Language: English)
I read it for the poetic language, tone of childhood, and the idea of story-telling.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-01-15 09:56:27.
(Language: English)
i loved this little book. short but sweet. each chapter is a story unto itself; each story adds up to give you the whole picture. about growing up poor and hispanic, in that part of town. i couldnt put it down.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-10-16 09:59:20.
(Language: English)
The vignettes could be used to write novels upon novels about each of the interesting characters who live on Mango Street. The imagery is superb. The characters are honest. The situations are lonely and real. I don't think I've connected to any novel in the ways that I connect with The House on Mango Street because Esperanza struggles with the same types of issues that all girls deal with ON TOP of dealing with issues of being "Hispanic" in America.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-07-10 05:37:40.
(Language: English)
I like the way the short stories make up the whole book. That said, I was not crazy about this story. I understand it, but it did not draw me in. I struggled to finish it and almost quit except for the fact that I was almost at the end of the book. I don't see myself picking this one up again.
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A Reader posted a review at 2011-04-06 09:44:25.
(Language: English)
I love the bit on hips. ;)
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-01-17 05:05:16.
(Language: English)
"The House on Mango Street" is Esperanza’s story, and she tells it with humor, sadness, introspection and joy. It begins when she first arrives at the house, a dilapidated building in a Hispanic ghetto in 1960’s Chicago. She tells us about the many different times she has moved, and that she has always wanted a house--but not a house like this one, which is too small and sad. This wish for a house will follow Esperanza throughout the book. When she arrives there she is lonely and shy, and so is much attuned to the people around her. She gives a touching description of each member of her family’s hair. She describes the way her two younger brothers avoid her and her younger sister Nenny (Magdalena) when they are outside, but are friendly when no one is watching. She reveals her insecurity when she tells us how much she hates her name, which means hope in English, and "too many letters" in Spanish. It is her grandmother’s name, a woman who refused to get married until she was carried away by Esperanza’s grandfather. Though she stayed with him, she was unhappy for the rest of her life, and Esperanza is afraid of ending up like her. This is the first inkling the reader gets of Esperanza’s independent nature. Esperanza meets Cathy, who tells her opinion about everyone in the neighborhood. Cathy promises Esperanza she will be her friend--until she moves away on Tuesday. Cathy is clearly pompous and judgmental, but Esperanza is desperate for companionship. Soon, though, she meets Lucy and Rachel, who remain her friends throughout the book, even though they are, according to Cathy, "raggedy as rats." Boisterous, bold sisters, Lucy and Rachel convince Esperanza to chip in for a bike, which all three of them ride around the neighborhood together. At first terrified that they will not like her and then thrilled when they do, Esperanza demonstrates in this scene the pure happiness she can sometimes feel. However, she still feels close to her family, especially Nenny, in comparison. She and Nenny have a unique understanding of the world (they see a house that they agree looks just like Mexico) that Esperanza values deeply. Sometimes, though, even Nenny falls short of Esperanza’s keen understanding of the world around her. While in a junk shop, the sisters discover a music box that plays a song so beautiful Esperanza begins to cry. Nenny, while appreciating the music, does not understand its value and naively tries to purchase the box, which the owner says is not for sale.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-06-15 09:11:23.
(Language: English)
loved the short chapters and complex characters
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-09-07 10:43:20.
(Language: English)
The style of this novel makes it easy to read, and yet the contents still pack an emotional punch. Plus the way that is written in segments that can essentially stand alone really supports the way that life sometimes feels like little scenes, little events other than long drawn out chapters. And that girl that said this book has "too many uncomfortable topics" is a moron. Life has topics, sometimes they are beautiful, sometimes tragic. And if you can't deal with that, then your life is a shallow one.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-09-16 03:52:53.
(Language: English)
Done with this book. Brought back a lot of memories from 6th grade. I remember many times, growing up, when I felt like Esperanza. And, like her, I also remember finally moving out of the "ghetto" and realizing how different other places were. Even though they were only a few miles away!
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-09-02 12:23:31.
(Language: English)
As an assigned book for my daughter's English Literature class I decided that I'd read it as well. A coming of age story that faces many of the social issues of today. I'd recommend this for all women but especially younger women. Sure to become, if it is not already, a classic!
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-07-03 01:10:05.
(Language: English)
I just finished this book, which I read for a young adult literature class. It's tightly crafted and says a lot about growing up in poverty, growing up a girl, and growing up as the child of Mexican-American immigrants to the U.S. It is written fantastically; Cisneros has immense talent and captures the voice of her young narrator perfectly. The short narrative burgeons with rich metaphors and allegories. I highly recommend it!
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-09-24 12:32:32.
(Language: English)
ugh.I had to read this for school. I never knew that such a tiny book could drag on so long. I think the author uses an excess of similies. She seems to not be able to just say what something is, but rather has to go in a round-a-bout way to get to the point. I usually see very clear pictures in my head, but I cannot imagine the things in this book. The only reason I give this 2 stars is for the chapter "And Some More" because it says Esperanza (the narrator) is stupid.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-12-01 08:19:29.
(Language: English)
This is one of my favorite books to teach. The imagery and symbolism is powerful once you get to a deeper understanding of the childlike vignettes.
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morgan posted a review at 2010-07-20 03:00:13.
(Language: English)
I was wary about reading this book at first, but it turned out to be one of the best books I have ever read. The way Cisneros writes is one of a kind;the detail was wonderful. Although i loved this book, I must say that if you are not a very attentive reader, this book is not for you. You have to pay attention throughout the entire book in order to understand the storyline
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-09-02 11:49:26.
(Language: English)
One of the best books I have ever read. It made me realize that my life while growing up back in San Antonio was completely normal.
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