Seeing Red - Lina Meruane

Lucina, a young Chilean writer, has moved to New York to pursue an academic career. While at a party one night, something that her doctors had long warned might happen finally occurs: her eyes haemorrhage. Within minutes, blood floods her vision, reducing her sight to sketched outlines and tones of grey, rendering her all but blind. As she begins to adjust to a very different life, those who love her begin to adjust to a very different woman - one who is angry, raw, funny, sinister, sexual and dizzyingly alive. 

Paperback, 176 pages
Expected publication: May 3rd 2018 by Atlantic Books (first published January 1st 2012)
Original Title: Sangre en el Ojo
Fiction / Autobiographical
For review

MY thoughts:

This book is autobiographical, but at the same time she does use fictional events. The author herself had a stroke and then she wrote this book. In first person, and with a character with the same name, except that person goes blind when her eyes start to bleed. But the author herself experienced blindness too and led that lead the way.

But this does seem to be the sort of book that is better read for example in a book club so that you can discuss it with others. Because it is just so personal. We are always in her head.

Or the sort of book that is discussed in a lit class, and then you write a paper about the writing and yada yada. Those things I have forgotten now when I am no longer in uni....yup, it is all forgotten.

Because she is a good writer and she gets under the skin. I can not say a lot about the translation, I mean it is a good translation...I guess. But since I have not read the original I can not know ;)

But it is rather short, and not a lot happens. She goes blind, she has an operation at the end and, yes what was up with that end? Weird and good. And before that she complains about her mother, so yes, it is a personal one.

Carole's Saturday Review: A Minger's tale

Author:  R.B.N. Bookmark 

Title: A Minger's Tale: Beginnings

Genre: Autobiography, Nonfiction, & humor

Pages: ebook

Expected publication: March 2016

Where I Got It: My Shelf (Given to me by the author/publisher for my honest and unbiased opinion)

If only he knew where God lived, he would urinate in his letterbox! Growing up is a difficult time in the life of Ribban Bookmark, this book traces his journey down a Minger Highway, signposted with humour and littered with roadkill oneliners.

I really had no idea what I was getting into when I picked this book up. I wasn’t even sure what the title meant, so this was bound to be interesting. And interesting it was. 

The story follows Ribban and his journey to adulthood. Each chapter centered on certain themes such as “Childhood” and etc. I liked the setup, it was okay and easy to follow. I think it would’ve flowed better if it was in chronical order. There was a lot of time jumping between stories. BUT the format still worked and it was easy to follow. 

Ribban was a little snot! Which was funny! He had me laughing at his antics and rude ways. There were some times that he really wasn’t being a jerk, but it still came back and made him look bad. Like the scene with the priest in the confessional. Poor Ribban! LOL He said he “hid” from his mom, but the priest heard “hit”. Sounds like something that would happen to me. But scenes like those were the funniest. 

There were some unrealistic scenes, but hey…weird things happen to people. They were fun to read. 

I do wish some of the scenes were more played out because I wanted to read on and see what happened next. There were some strands of stories I feel were left unfinished. Maybe it was done intentionally? 

Now, this is a funny book. However, if you are easily offended, then this is not the book for you. I point this out because I read one review where they were all a fluster about the offensive jokes and scenes and blah blah blah. A lot of this is British humor and they are not as sensitive over there. There are British terms not used here in the States (just Fyi). With humor like this, you need to not be sensitive or easily offended. I thought it was hilarious myself. Anyways…I digress….

I wish I could say more, but there are a lot of spoilers that I don’t want to give way. 

Overall, this was an interesting and funny book. It certainly was different and the character was fun to follow. I do encourage people like a humorous book to give this a shot. People who are easy to offend should avoid this. Out of five stars, I’ll give this 4.