Goodreads Monday is a weekly meme that was started by @Lauren’s Page Turners. This meme is quite easy to follow – just randomly pick a book from your to-be-read list and give the reasons why you want to read it. It is that simple.

This week’s book:

A House in the Country by José Donoso

Blurb from Goodreads

Games turn to nightmares during the summer holidays at the magnificent Chilean country estate of the Ventura family when the children – 33 cousins ranging in age from 6 to 16 – are left to themselves while their parents pursue their own pastimes. (Nancy Pearl)

Why I Want To Read It

It has been, so far, a stifling day here in Manila. Nevertheless, I am thankful for a new day, a new week for it is an opportunity to start over again. A new day is a chance to live life to the fullest. I am hoping that you all had a great start to the week. Otherwise, I hope things will look up for you in the coming days. I realize that many are struggling these uncertain times but I hope you are all doing well every aspect, physically and mentally. The pandemic and the lockdown restrictions have hit everyone hard. My thoughts and prayers are with whole world as we all come into grips with this dreaded contagion. Praying and hoping for the end to this pandemic.

As it is Monday, it is also time for a Goodreads Monday update. I am currently in the midst of a Latin Latin American and Caribbean literature reading journey. This is the first time I am dedicating a reading month to this particular part of world literature. Yes, I have occasionally works from popular Latin American authors such as Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Mario Vargas Llosa and Isabel Allende. However, I found it still lacking. The more I immerse into world literature, I am uncovering new names who I have never encountered before. One of these new names is Chilean novelist, José Donoso and as such, I am featuring one of his works for this Goodreads Monday update.

When I purchased Donoso’s A House in the Country late last year, it was out of sheer curiosity. I barely any iota on what the book was about or who Donoso was. Something about the book spoke to me (and because I was randomly purchasing books before, haha). Earlier this year, the book was listed by an article as one of the Top 10 Books about South America. This has further consolidated my interest in the book. Further research on the book yielded a dark narrative about the history of Chile. I am guessing it is in the same vein as Isabel Allende who, in her two novels I have read, incorporated elements of Chilean history in her works. A House in the Country, however, seem darker and more complex. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to what this novel has in store.

How about you fellow reader? What work by a Latin American or a Caribbean writer do you have in your reading list? What made you add it to your list? I hope you could share your answers in the comment box.

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