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A review by thedogmother
Blue Label / Etiqueta Azul by Eduardo Sánchez Rugeles
3.0
Third stop: Venezuela (Caracas, San Carlos, Barinas, Altamira de Cáceres)
Rating: 3/5
“Toda mi vida ha sido una búsqueda de cosas que no han llegado, una recreación tremendista de lo que vendrá, de lo que queda por vivir. Sé que no soportaré el momento en el que lo que quiero se transforme en lo que quise; cuando lo que aspiro se confunda con lo que aspiré, cuando existir no sea más que un eterno reproche, una denuncia contra los sueños caducados. Tengo la convicción de que al final, cuando llegue el momento de hacer balance, estaré inconforme. Creo que lo más difícil de vivir es mantener el complicado empeño por ser feliz. La felicidad siempre ha sido un mito, algo que le sucede a los demás.”
If I weren’t dedicated to finishing each of the books on my Around the World in 80 Books list, then I would’ve given up on this 50 pages in. However, I am glad I didn’t, as the ending was better than expected. I rate it a 3 out of 5 because I suspect that I would’ve loved this book as a teen, and out of respect for its place in the canon. This has Perks of Being a Wallflower Vibes to me, and music being such a central part of the story makes this especially so. As a teen the quote above would have seriously resonated with me, and overall I do find that this book sheds light on the truly universal sentiments and longings of adolescence. Of course, the protagonist, Eugenia’s, angst is even more intense given her growing up in a conflicted Venezuela.
I feel like the story had so much potential that just didn’t deliver. Mainly because it was all tell and no show! I couldn’t even tell you what the main characters looked like. I read this in English, but also checked it out in Spanish to see if this was just a terrible translation, but the original is likewise boring and flat.
Rating: 3/5
“Toda mi vida ha sido una búsqueda de cosas que no han llegado, una recreación tremendista de lo que vendrá, de lo que queda por vivir. Sé que no soportaré el momento en el que lo que quiero se transforme en lo que quise; cuando lo que aspiro se confunda con lo que aspiré, cuando existir no sea más que un eterno reproche, una denuncia contra los sueños caducados. Tengo la convicción de que al final, cuando llegue el momento de hacer balance, estaré inconforme. Creo que lo más difícil de vivir es mantener el complicado empeño por ser feliz. La felicidad siempre ha sido un mito, algo que le sucede a los demás.”
If I weren’t dedicated to finishing each of the books on my Around the World in 80 Books list, then I would’ve given up on this 50 pages in. However, I am glad I didn’t, as the ending was better than expected. I rate it a 3 out of 5 because I suspect that I would’ve loved this book as a teen, and out of respect for its place in the canon. This has Perks of Being a Wallflower Vibes to me, and music being such a central part of the story makes this especially so. As a teen the quote above would have seriously resonated with me, and overall I do find that this book sheds light on the truly universal sentiments and longings of adolescence. Of course, the protagonist, Eugenia’s, angst is even more intense given her growing up in a conflicted Venezuela.
I feel like the story had so much potential that just didn’t deliver. Mainly because it was all tell and no show! I couldn’t even tell you what the main characters looked like. I read this in English, but also checked it out in Spanish to see if this was just a terrible translation, but the original is likewise boring and flat.