Book Review: Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver/YA-Psychological Thriller-Mystery/Published in 2015

Hello dear Readers,

Below, my thoughts on Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver.

Title: Vanishing Girls

Genre: YA/Psychological Thriller/Mystery

Author: Lauren Oliver

Publisher: Harper Collins

Language: English

Paperback: 368 pages

Book Description

Dara and Nick used to be inseparable, but that was before- before Dara kissed Parker, before Nick lost him as her best friend, before the accident that left Dara's beautiful face scarred. Now the two sisters, who used to be so close, aren't speaking. In an instant, Nick lost everything and is determined to used the summer to get it all back.

But Dara has other plans. When she vanishes on her Birthday, Nick thinks Dara is just playing around. But another girl has vanished, too- nine-year-old Madeline Snow- and as Nick pursues her sister, she becomes increasingly convinced that the two disappearances may be linked.

In this edgy and compelling novel, New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver creates a world of intrigue, loss, and suspicion as two sisters search to find themselves, and each other. 

My thoughts

*I gave 5/5 stars on Goodreads

This was my first Lauren Oliver book I read and I really enjoyed it. I think her writing style holds this story together in a great way.  Also, it has all the ingredients you always hope to find in a thriller or in any other book: great characters, great story, a beautiful writing style, full of suspense and a unexpected plot twist that blows away the reader's mind. That was my experience with this book. Again, another story that despite all my assumptions, the plot twist and the ending were nothing like I was expecting them to be. And I loved that.

Vanishing girls is about sisters, family, loss, tragedy, and finding the way to deal with it. It is about how to find peace and move forward after tragedy touches people's lives.

Dara and Nick are sisters that were inseparable. They used to be really close to each other but one day, they have a car accident and everything changes. And also how the disappearance of a little girl, Madeline Snow, is connected to Dara and all that is happening in the book.

Dara and Nick family was already fractured the moment their parents divorced. Dara is the younger sister and the trouble maker one. She likes going to parties, drinking, going out with guys, and being noticed by people. Nick, in the other hand, is the older sister, the good girl of the family and the one that is always covering Dara so their parents don't know about her life style.

Not only because of the accident but before it happens, Dara and Nick's relationship starts changing when Dara and Parker, Nick's best friend, kiss and the dynamics, the relationship the three of them have had since they were little kids changes because of that kiss and also, because of all the feelings and situations they go through everyday. 

Vanishing Girls is told from the POV of both sisters. Chapters with different dates, "before and after" the accident, describing how Dara and Nick's relationship is, not only with each other but with their parents, Parker and all the other characters in the book. 

In general, I love this book and like I mentioned before, that plot twist is very interesting and well done by the Author. 

If you love psychological thriller, mystery, if you are looking for an interesting story, with interesting characters, great writing style, and a really good twist of events, I totally recommend to read this book.

My Favorite Quote

"This is it: somehow, in these pictures, the mystery of the accident is contained, and the explanation for Dara's subsequent behavior, for the silences and disappearances. Don't ask me how I know, I just do. If you don't understand that, I guess, you've never had a sister".

Wen

CampNaNoWriMo April 2015-Week#1 Where did my desire for writing go?

Hello dear Readers,

Today, I would like to talk about my first week of CampNaNoWrimo 2015.

It was a slow start for me. As much as I hate to admit it, I have been struggling with my writing. Not that I am on a writing block but my desire for writing has been gone for a long time now.

I have manage to stay on track with my daily word count. I set my goal on 20000 words for this camp, which comparing to the 50000 words of NaNoWriMo, is not that hard. However, like I said, its being really hard to write. I feel I have not accomplished much. I am using this CampNaNo to keep working on my Memoir, which I still have some chapters to get done and my first draft will be finished. 

I usually do not have this issue, but for some reason I still cannot understand, is happening. I have been reading a lot, which I do not use as a way to go back to writing. I just love reading and its something I need to do. However, this time I was hoping that would help but is not the case.

2014 was my second year doing NaNoWriMo and this year is my second CampNaNo, which I love. I think having the chance to set up your own word count gives you the chance to take away some of the pressure that comes with writing sometimes and also I love the fact you can be part of a cabin when you get the chance to interact with other people writing the same genre as you are and also socializing, get advice and have fun, because at the end, no matter how stressful it gets, how hard it may be, writing block, zero desire to write, writing should be fun.

In summary, week #1 was ok, I managed to stay on track with my word count but not feeling completely good about it yet. Hopefully, the next weeks my desire for writing comes back.

For more information on NaNoWriMo and CampNaNoWriMo, you can visit the following links:

CampNaNoWriMo: twice a year: April and July

NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month): once a year, in November

http://nanowrimo.org/

https://campnanowrimo.org/sign_in

Wen

Book Review: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee/Novel-Coming of Age

Hello dear Readers,

Below, my thoughts on To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

Title: To Kill a Mockingbird

Genre: Novel/Coming of Age

Author: Harper Lee

Publisher: Harper Perennial-Modern Classic

Language: English

Paperback: 323 pages

Book Description

The unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy Southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it, To Kill A Mockingbird became both an instant bestseller and a critical success when it was first published in 1960. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was later made into an Academy Award-winning film, also a classic.

Compassionate, dramatic, and deeply moving, To Kill A Mockingbird takes readers to the roots of human behavior - to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, humor and pathos. Now with over 18 million copies in print and translated into forty languages, this regional story by a young Alabama woman claims universal appeal. Harper Lee always considered her book to be a simple love story. Today it is regarded as a masterpiece of American literature.

My thoughts

*I gave 5/5 stars on Goodreads

Set in the 1930's in Alabama, the Author, Harper Lee, with such a great writing style does an amazing job bringing the childhood of that period of time to life. To Kill a Mockingbird tells the story of Jem and Scout, a brother and a sister and their childhood in the Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama. 

Considered an American Classic, To Kill a Mockingbird shows us such unique characters and how they deal with the differences between black and white people. Especially all the events that occurred when one fall, Jem and Scout's father, Atticus, is defending in court a black man, Tom Robinson, accused of raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell.

The first thing I like about the book is having, an almost nine year old Scout, as the narrator of this story. I think she is funny, and she likes to find answers in everything she sees and everything happening around her. It was such a refreshing and interesting experience to have a narrator that despite her young age brings deep thinking and an urge of understanding on why things happen. How her attitude and way of thinking change after her father, Atticus tells her:  "You never understand a person until you consider things from his point of view-" 'Sir?" "-until you climb into his skin and walk around it.

I also like the author's writing style and the structure of the book. How the story flows, easy to understand and keep up with the events. The length of every chapter was another thing I liked, not too long. 

Things I found very interesting: 

• The fact that Scout's teacher gets angry at Scout because she knows how to read and asks her to stop because her father does not know how to teach. Instead of encouraging her to keep making progress on her reading, she asks her to stop. 
• How Scout's Aunt, Alexandra, keeps trying to teach Scout how to be a lady. I think Alexandra is such a complex character. Racists in her beliefs in regards to black people but at the same time always caring for Jem, Scout and her brother, Atticus. 
• Even we are living in a different period of time now but how we still see those differences between black and white people and how some people still cannot accept people different from themselves.
• Judgement and how opinions play a part in society: Jem and Scout, especially Jem keeps wanting to figure out what happened or what is going on with Boo Radley. They come out with all kinds of things but at the end, judging before knowing the truth and having our  opinions.

I do not have anything negative to say about this book. Overall, an excellent book. I think Harper Lee's writing is beautiful and this story in particular, has it all, great characters, great plot, structure and a story that engages you in a way you just want to keep reading page after page.

My Favorite Quotes

"You never understand a person until you consider things from his point of view-" 'Sir?" "-until you climb into his skin and walk around it.

"I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand."

Wen

Wendy Recommends- #1

Hello dear Readers,

Today, I would like to recommend a book I read two years ago and is among my favorite books of all time. I love the story. Very interesting events, great and unforgettable characters and an amazing writing style.

The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez.

Title: The Book of Unknown Americans
Author: Cristina Henríquez
Genre: Novel/Fiction
Publisher: Knopf, First Edition June 3, 2014)
Language: English
Hardcover: 304 Pages

Book Description

When fifteen-year-old Maribel Rivera sustains a terrible injury, the Riveras leave behind a comfortable life in Mexico and risk everything to come to the United States so that Maribel can have the care she needs. Once they arrive, it’s not long before Maribel attracts the attention of Mayor Toro, the son of one of their new neighbors, who sees a kindred spirit in this beautiful, damaged outsider. Their love story sets in motion events that will have profound repercussions for everyone involved. Here Henríquez seamlessly interweaves the story of these star-crossed lovers, and of the Rivera and Toro families, with the testimonials of men and women who have come to the United States from all over Latin America. The Book of Unknown Americans is a stunning novel of hopes and dreams, guilt and love—a book that offers a resonant new definition of what it means to be Americans.

My thoughts
*I gave 5/5 stars on Goodreads

I enjoyed and liked this book a lot. I related to the characters in a way that I know how does it feel to come to America and have a life here. The reasons and the circumstances why people come to this country can be different but one thing I think is the same for everybody is the fact that you are coming to the greatest country in the world. You want to see everything.

For some people, like it happened to a few characters in the book, coming to America was a way to escape from their lives in their countries. They wanted a better life, they wanted to see their dreams in life coming true and they knew if they stayed in their countries that was not going to happen. For some of them, their dreams came true, for others, their lives turned out to be completely different of what they expected, however, just the fact of trying to come to America, in the conditions they did, for me, it makes them human. Pursue what you love, what you want in life. This may be a fiction book but the situations described on it are not. They are things that happen everyday, everyday millions of people try to come to the United States, like I said before, for different reasons. This book reminded me of how lucky I am to be here. My country will always be my home, like the book says, I will always love it but I am lucky that people do not ignore me or do not pretend that I do not exist here. This book reminded me of we need to remember to treat others good everyday. To be nice. To love each other, no matter where are you from. To help other people whenever you can. Like this book says, the characters were not unknown because they were illegal or didn't have the documents but because people didn't want to know them.

Wen

April 2015 TBR

Hello dear Readers,

This is my April 2015 TBR. 

From my E-Books TBR Jar, I will be reading:

• Paper Towns by John Green

From my Regular TBR Pile, I will be reading:

• Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver

• The last time we say goodbye by Cynthia Hand

• Farmer Boy (the second novel on the The Little House first five novels collection) by Laura Ingalls Wilder

ARC Copy sent by Netgalley in exchange for a honest review:

• The good, the bad, and the grace of God by Jep and Jessica Robertson

Wen

March 2015 Book Haul

Hello dear Readers,

This is my March 2015 Book Haul. 

I bought five physical books and two e-books.

Physical Books

• Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver

• The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand

• The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz

• One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

E-Books (Kindle Books)

• Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

• Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Wen

March 2015 Wrap-Up

Hello dear Readers,

This is my March 2015 Wrap Up.

I read a total of five physical books, one ARC copy sent by NetGalley and four e-books.

I enjoyed reading all these books, but I have to say, the best book I read during March was To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I do not know why I never heard and read this book before but I am glad I found it and read it. It was such an amazing read. No wonder why is considered a classic and won the Pulitzer Prize. 

The Divergent Series keeps surprising me, in a good way. I liked Divergent, the first book on the series, but I loved Insurgent, the second book on the series. One of these books that I could not put down. I wanted to keep reading and know what was going to happen at the end and that ending was amazing. Cannot wait to read the third book on the series, Allegiant.

A big surprise this month was The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. I read the first five chapters of the first three books, Cinder-Scarlet-Cress (they were free in Amazon for Kindle) and I really liked them. I am thinking to read the complete first book to complete one task of the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge, which is to read a book retelling a classic story, and eventually read the other four books. Very interesting book. I loved the author's writing style very much.

Little House on the Prairie, one of my all time favorites, the first novel, Little House in the big woods, I loved the illustrations on the book and the way the author describes events and characters.

Another classic, The Great Gatsby. I tried to read this book two years ago but I could not finish it. At that moment, it was not that appealing to me. I am glad that I reread it because I absolutely loved the story.

Pieces of My Mother is an ARC copy I received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I will be rating and posting my review here on the blog once the book is released on May 5th, 2015.

Finally, a big disappointment this month, Just one day by Gayle Forman. A few months ago I read If I Stay and Where She Went. I loved these books and maybe my expectations were too high but with Just One Day, I felt that "wow" factor was missing. That something to make me fall in love with the story. I liked it but it was just ok. I also felt some of the characters were left out at some point which maybe in the next book there is more but I am still debating if I want to read the other books.

Title: To Kill a Mockingbird 5/5 Stars
Author: Harper Lee

Publisher: Harper Perennial

Language: English

Paperback: 323 pages

Title: Insurgent 5/5 Stars

Author: Veronica Roth

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Language: English

Paperback: 592 pages

Title: Pieces of my Mother (Digital Copy-ARC sent by Netgalley) Not Published Yet

Author: Melissa Cistaro

Publisher: Sourcebooks
Language: English

Paperback: 320 pages

Title: Little House in the Big Woods (LHOTP 1 Novel) 5/5 Stars
Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder

Publisher: Barnes and Noble

Language: English

Paperback: 83 pages

Title: Just One Day 3/5 Stars

Author: Gayle Forman

Publisher: Ediciones B
Language: Spanish

Paperback: 84 pages

Title: An Unnecessary Woman 3/5 stars

Author: Rabih Alameddine

Publisher: Grove Press

Language: English

Paperback: 304 pages

Title: The Great Gatsby (E-Book) 5/5 Stars

Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald

Publisher: Scribner

Language: English

Paperback: 217 pages

Title: The Lunar Chronicles (E-Books) 5/5 Stars

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwell and Friends

Language: English

Paperback: 132 pages

Wen

Mini Book Haul #1

Hello dear Readers,

It's the first day of spring. Still little cold for me here in Boise-Idaho but I'm glad it will get warmer and warmer here in the next few days. I love to see the snow but I do not like how cold it gets in here in the winter.

Today, I want to show you a mini book haul. I usually do this at the end of the month. Show you all the books I got in that specific month, but this time, I'm so excited to share the books I got in the last few days, I couldn't wait and I cannot wait to read them.

As I mentioned in a previous post, the last months, I have subscribed to different book tube channels. Amazing people talking about books all the time, giving their opinions on what they read, sharing what books they love, what they buy. Basically, that is how I found out about the three books I'm showing you today. Also, I checked them out on Goodreads and reviews and comments from people are very positive, most of them. I'm pretty confident I'm going to love them. I hope you have the time to check them out and if you read some of them, please let me know in the comments below or in social media what you think.

Once I read them, I'll be doing a review and sharing my thoughts here on the blog.

These books were published in 2015, except Station Eleven, which was published on 2014.

Title: Vanishing Girls

Genre: Psychological Thriller
Author: Lauren Oliver

Publisher: Harper Collins
Language: English

Hardcover: 368 pages

Book Description (extracted from the book)

Dara and Nick used to be inseparable, but that was before- before Dara kissed Parker, before Nick lost him as her best friend, before the accident that left Dara's beautiful face scarred. Now the two sisters, who used to be so close, aren't speaking. In an instant, Nick lost everything and is determined to used the summer to get it all back.

But Dara has other plans. When she vanishes on her Birthday, Nick thinks Dara is just playing around. But another girl has vanished, too- nine-year-old Madeline Snow- and as Nick pursues her sister, she becomes increasingly convinced that the two disappearances may be linked.

In this edgy and compelling novel, New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver creates a world of intrigue, loss, and suspicion as two sisters search to find themselves, and each other. 

Title: The Last Time We Say Goodbye

Genre: YA 
Author: Cynthia Hand

Publisher: Harper Teen
Language: English

Hardcover: 400 pages

Book Description (extracted from the book)

The last time Alex was happy, it was before. When she had a family that was whole. A boyfriend she loved. Friends who didn't look at her like she might break down at any moment.

Now, she's just the girl whose brother killed himself. And it feels like that's all she'll ever be. 

As Alex starts to put her life back together, she tries to block out what happened the night Tyler died. But there's a secret she hasn't told anyone- a text Tyler sent that could have changed everything.

Lex's brother is gone. But Lex is about to discover that a ghost doesn't have to be real to keep you from moving on.

From New York Time bestselling Author Cynthia Hand, The Last Time We Say Goodbye is a gorgeous and heart-wrenching story of love, loss, and letting go.

Title: Station Eleven

Genre: Sci-Fi-Post Apocalyptic
Author: Emily St. John Mandel

Publisher: Knopf
Language: English

Hardcover: 352 pages

Book Description (extracted from Amazon.com)

An audacious, darkly glittering novel set in the eerie days of civilization’s collapse, Station Eleven tells the spellbinding story of a Hollywood star, his would-be savior, and a nomadic group of actors roaming the scattered outposts of the Great Lakes region, risking everything for art and humanity. 

One snowy night Arthur Leander, a famous actor, has a heart attack onstage during a production ofKing Lear. Jeevan Chaudhary, a paparazzo-turned-EMT, is in the audience and leaps to his aid. A child actress named Kirsten Raymonde watches in horror as Jeevan performs CPR, pumping Arthur’s chest as the curtain drops, but Arthur is dead. That same night, as Jeevan walks home from the theater, a terrible flu begins to spread. Hospitals are flooded and Jeevan and his brother barricade themselves inside an apartment, watching out the window as cars clog the highways, gunshots ring out, and life disintegrates around them. 

Fifteen years later, Kirsten is an actress with the Traveling Symphony. Together, this small troupe moves between the settlements of an altered world, performing Shakespeare and music for scattered communities of survivors. Written on their caravan, and tattooed on Kirsten’s arm is a line from Star Trek: “Because survival is insufficient.” But when they arrive in St. Deborah by the Water, they encounter a violent prophet who digs graves for anyone who dares to leave. 

Spanning decades, moving back and forth in time, and vividly depicting life before and after the pandemic, this suspenseful, elegiac novel is rife with beauty. As Arthur falls in and out of love, as Jeevan watches the newscasters say their final good-byes, and as Kirsten finds herself caught in the crosshairs of the prophet, we see the strange twists of fate that connect them all. A novel of art, memory, and ambition, Station Eleven tells a story about the relationships that sustain us, the ephemeral nature of fame, and the beauty of the world as we know it.

Wen

Insurgent: The Divergent Series

Hello dear Readers,

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

Today, I would like to share my thoughts on reading Insurgent, the second book on the Divergent Series.

A few months ago, I decided to read the first book in the series, Divergent. However, I did something that I usually do not do. I watched the movie first before reading the book. I have to say, I did not like the movie as much as I did the book. Divergent was one of these books that I could not put down. The moment I started it, I felt involved in the story, the characters and I love Veronica Roth's writing style. The structure of the book, Beatrice Prior (the main character) point of view, the story. All these elements, made this read an enjoyable experience. I read it in less than one week, which is good, considering it is over 500 pages long. Another interesting thing, I did not have a hard time forgetting about the movie and focusing on the book. I do not want to be disrespectful to people who love the movies but in my case, so far, I prefer the books.

This week, the second movie will be released: Insurgent, the second book in the series. I finished this book yesterday, and I loved it. I absolutely love it. I knew the book was going to end at some point but I was not expecting that ending and it was not a disappointing one. The events, the action, the evolution of the characters, how more human Beatrice feels, and definitely, was not expecting the death of one the characters, at least, not on this book. Insurgent kept surprising me, chapter after chapter. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series: Allegiant. 

Insurgent includes the first four chapters of Allegiant but I could not bring myself to read them. I am liking the series so much, I do not want spoilers of any kind. 

I am still deciding if I want to watch the movie. Probably what is going to happen, I will wait for the movie to come out on DVD and rent it, like I did with Divergent.

Divergent, a series that has surprised me in a good way, I did not think I was going to like it as much as I do.

Wen

On Paulo Coelho

Hello dear Readers,

Good evening/night. I am here sitting at Starbucks having a drink, and while my thoughts for this post come to my mind, it brings good memories back.

Remembering the first book I bought with my own money, reading an Author for the first time. Then, this Author becomes your favorite one. That very first interaction, will be always on my mind.

Paulo Coelho, a Brazilian writer, and his book, The Alchemist, opened my eyes to a new level on my reading life. It was introduced to me by my sister, who had it on her house. I borrowed it from her and the moment I finished, I was sure I wanted my own copy. And that is what I did. I went to buy it and has been my favorite author and one of my favorite books ever since, 15 years ago.

The Alchemist, his most relevant book, has been translated into 80 languages and has sold millions of copies around the world. Celebrities, important figures in the world of Arts, Sports, Fashion, Politics, have expressed how reading this book has influenced their lives.

Personally, I love the story presented in the Alchemist and what I love the most is, no matter how many times I read it, every time I discover something new, it's like reading it in different periods of my life, brings different feelings, but at the same time, the heart of the story, the moral on the story remains the same, it is all about our Personal Legend.

His other books, around 30, represent an important part of the Latin american Literature. Paulo Coelho, the person, the writer, has influenced millions of people around the world. His writing is an important part of people's lives. It's amazing how one person can help other people through his words.

Controversy has been a constant part on his writing style. For some people, the topics shown on his books may seem inappropriate to talk about or delicate, like suicide, wizardry, adultery, magic, religion, God, but one thing has always prevailed on his writing, his mystical or semi-autobiographical fiction, as many call it, is the spiritual aspect of this world, how people can overcome difficult situations, obstacles, to follow our Personal Legend, to understand our purpose in life.

Paulo Coelho, the person, who not many people seem to know, thanks to Brazilian journalist and writer Fernando Morais, who in 2009 published the Paulo Coelho's Authorized Biography, we know more about Coelho's life, the time he was born, his relationship with his family, the time his parents thought he was crazy because he could not decide what to do with this life, they decided to put him on an asylum, as well as his life as a musician, his spiritual journey and his struggles and journey to be the successful writer he is now.

Link for his Authorized Biography by Fernando Morais

http://www.amazon.com/Paulo-Coelho-Warriors-Authorized-Biography-ebook/dp/B002URBQDQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426109252&sr=1-2&keywords=paulo+coelho%2C+autobiography

Link for The Alchemist

http://www.amazon.com/Alchemist-Paulo-Coelho/dp/0062315005/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426110432&sr=8-1&keywords=the+alchemist+25th+anniversary+edition

Bibliography (Some of his books)

The Pilgrimage-1987

The Alchemist-1988

Brida-1990

The Supreme Gift-1991

The Valkyries-1992

By the River Piedra I sat down and wept/Maktub-1994

The Fifth Mountain-1996

Manual of the Warrior of Light-1997

Veronika decides to die-1998

The Devil and Miss Prym-2000

Eleven Minutes-2003

The Zahir-2005

Like the flowing river/The Witch of Portobello-2006

The Winner Stands Alone-2008

Aleph-2010

Manuscript found in Accra-2012

Adultery-2014

Wen

Costa Rican Literature

Hello dear Readers,

Hope you all are having a great week.

Today's post is to talk a little bit about Costa Rican Literature.

As you may have seen on my bio, I am from Costa Rica. Even though, I did not like reading when I was growing up as much as I do now, during my years in school, high school, and college, reading was part of my daily life. Costa Rican literature was a key part of our reading. From children books to poetry books, novels, short stories. Books which represent our culture, our customs and traditions, the way we live, the places we are surrounded by, all this described through the eyes and words of our most memorable and influential authors, writers, people who was/is involved in every aspect of our country: politics, education, economy, agriculture, music, film industry, television, newspapers, sports, arts, religion, food, fashion, crime, violence, how people interact in their neighborhoods, what being a "tico" means.

Costa Rican literature has its roots in colonization and has been characterized by European influences. Not an old literary tradition, however, the amount of writers, authors, and works is significantly. This history dates to the end of the 19th century.

As many other countries, the Costa Rican literature went through different periods, phases, each of them with their own outstanding books, stories, writers.

Five main periods or "generations", as we usually call them.

1890-1920: The Olympus Generation

Liberal oligarchic state model. Writing influenced by what the authors thought and saw in their daily lives. Costa Rica on its process of formation, government transformation, consolidating our national identity, consciousness as a nation in progress.

Some of the writers representing this generation:

• Manuel de Jesús Jiménez
• Roberto Brenes Mesén
• Aquileo Echeverría
• Pío Víquez

1920-1940: The Repertory Generation

During this period of time, the liberal oligarchic state suffered a crisis which brings to our literature new forms of language such as humor, parody, satire and grotesque style. Writers on this period used words as a way to critic and judge the crisis the country was going through.

Some of the writers representing this generation:

• Carmen Lyra (Book: En Una Silla de Ruedas/In a Wheelchair)
• Joaquín García Monge

1940-1960: The 40s Generation

During this period of our history as an independent country, social democracy was implemented. Big social reforms and a new meaning of Costa Rica as a country. A period of change, and literature was not the exception. New topics were shown using words such as social problems, land distribution, social welfare, the arrival of companies from another countries, the so called "transnationals", differences between the rich and the poor.

Some of the writers representing this generation:

• Isaac Felipe Azofeifa
• Carlos Luis Fallas (Book: Mamita Yunai)
• Fabián Dobles
• Joaquín Gutiérrez (Book: Puerto Limón)
• Yolanda Oreamuno
• Julián Marchena
• Carlos Salazar Herrera

1960-1980: The Urban Generation

A different Costa Rica, where modernization and industrialization took place. The main topic in literature, the city, living in the city. This was the theme presented in most pieces of work

Some of the writers representing this generation:

• Julieta Dobles
• Jorge Debravo
• Alberto Cañas

1980-present: The Generation of disenchantment

Realism has been abandoned. New forms and writing styles began however, politics still present, still read.

History

Speaking of history, some of the basic aspects of Costa Rican Literature include the necessity of our writers to show through their work our identity as a nation. How all this process from a nation of farmers and people working on the coffee and banana plantations to what the city, the railroad, companies from another countries being established and all the social and welfare reform took place in Costa Rica. Another aspect is the fact politics always have influenced literature and education,, basically because of the model of state provided by our politicians.

Modernism was not present in the very beginning of our literary history, however, in early 1920s, this changed and we could see a major presence of modernism, specially with poetry. Writers laid aside the European influences and started to deal or face the reality of our country.

Other movements are the Circle of Poets founded in the early 1960s by Jorge Debravo. The 1970s movement, where we have authors criticizing politics after the civil war of 1948 and finally, the Avant-garde movement, a group of poets in the 1930s-1940s, in which we have the avant-gardism in the visual arts.

Some of the Major Costa Rican Writers and their work

• Carmen Lyra: considered the first prominent female costarican writer. Some of her books include Los Cuentos de mi Tía Panchita and En una Silla de Ruedas (In a Wheelchair)
• Carlos Luis Fallas (CALUFA): Costa Rican author and political activist. Some of his books include Mamita Yunai and Marcos Ramírez.
• Joaquín Gutiérrez: Costa Rican writer , journalist, story-teller, professor, translator and communist activist. His most representative book, Cocorí, a children's book which has been translated into ten languages.
• Carlos Salazar Herrera: Costa Rican writer. His most representative book "Cuentos de Angustias y Paisajes".
• Isaac Felipe Azofeifa: Costa Rican poet, politician and educator. Some of his writing includes "Canción" and "Estaciones".
• Yolanda Oreamuno: Costa Rican writer, her most representative work "La Ruta de su Evasión"
• Ana Istarú
• Julieta Dobles
• Jorge Debravo

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