Hello everyone. For a final time, welcome back to my blog. It baffles me that this is my last blog post for this course. Today I will be reflecting on Romance Studies 202, so let us jump right in.
In a twisted turn of events and for the first time, I am sad a course is ending. I felt myself getting a little emotional writing the title for this blog post to be honest with you. This course has somehow integrated itself a little too well into my life, and to think I am leaving it behind will take some getting used to. If you have not inferred, I really enjoyed this course, even through the less-than-ideal readings. It gave me back the power to read in a way I haven’t in ages while also challenging me to digest narratives in a way I never have. I truly believe I’m walking away from this course a better reader. Anyway, let’s get into lists! Firstly, I think I must rank the books I’ve read this term.
Excellent
Bombal, María Luisa. The Shrouded Woman
Agualusa, José Eduardo. The Book of Chameleons
Rodoreda, Mercè. The Time of the Doves
Calvino, Italo. If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler
Meh
Piglia, Ricardo. Money to Burn
Proust, Marcel. Combray
Arguedas, José María. Deep Rivers
Duras, Marguerite. The Lover
Not for me
Moravia, Alberto. Agostino
Breton, André. Nadja
Luiselli, Valeria. Faces in the Crowd
Lispector, Clarice. The Hour of the Star
(Author’s note: at this point, I had fallen so hard on my face that I drew blood and messed up my vision. If the rest of this blog is out of wack this is the main reason.)
My favourite novels were very much the ones that had a small fantasy element to them and a little whimsy too. There were by no means any high fantasy books in this list, and honestly I do not think I would have enjoyed them that much if there were, but the magic contained in the top four books was enough to keep me intrigued throughout.
As for the novels I did not enjoy, I feel as if they mostly contained the theme of unlikeable narrator. The bottom three in particular is where I quite disliked the individual telling the story, and found them obnoxious. Coincidentally, they were also the shortest books in the list.
Romance studies 202 has come to its conclusion. This was such a wonderful journey, and in a very meta way I feel like this course was a story I was getting to discover alongside the assigned readings. Thank you to everyone who read, commented, and interacted with my blog, and I wish. you only the best in your future endeavours. My last question for you this week is which book did you enjoy the most? Why is that? In the meantime, let me know your thoughts in the comments. For a final time, bye for now.
B.B.
Thank you for your work and your enthusiasm. I liked the list you proposed because I can see how our preferences are different...and that's perfect! The way you organized them has made me think about the readings in a different way. We have learned a lot from you too :)