What the fuck just happened

This felt like being at a party stuck chatting to a series of mouthy people who want to talk down to you about how clever they are. The first chapter was pretty good. The ending though - completely unearned and somehow still managing to be as boring as most of the rest of the book??

It's very possible I'll change my star rating as my brain catches up to what I've read. "Mona" packs a lot of concepts into less than 200 pages. It is at times entertaining, sad, angering but also over-stuffed and a little too 3D chess about its ideas (i.e. being pretentious about pretentious people or stereotypical about stereotypes can lose focus). I'll say it is interesting as hell and made me think about it between reads.

Mona is a thought-provoking work that takes readers on a journey through the worlds of art, literature, and essentially, inside Mona's head.

The story centres around Mona, a brilliant Latina writer, who attends a literary festival in Sweden for a prestigious literary award. As she goes through the festival, she meets various famous writers from different countries. She is covered in bruises which she does not recall from where they came, and constantly questions "How long do bruises last?". This, along with Mona's odd thoughts, as well as her awareness of her "exotic" nature as a Peruvian female artist studying in California, delves readers into Mona's mind, which is often affected by Valium.

At the heart of the novel is a complex exploration of the intersection between art and power, and how the two are inextricably linked. Mona subtly highlights how her heritage and look make her stand out in the writing industry, and how this gives her power, as well as sexuality. Oloixarac deftly weaves together themes of sexuality, identity, and political corruption, creating a rich and multi-layered narrative that is both intellectually stimulating and emotionally engaging.

One of the most striking aspects of Mona is its prose style. Oloixarac's writing is poetic and highly literary, filled with vivid descriptions of Mona's odd thoughts and her life at the festival. Despite having some disturbing subject matters, there is beauty and elegance to the language that is truly captivating. Mona's ending ties up the whole novel, adding in magical realism to what was written as regular fiction.

Overall, Mona is beautiful a work of fiction that is both intellectually challenging and deeply moving. It is a book that will stay with readers long after they have finished it and is sure to cement Oloixarac's reputation.

A quick and sharp read about a young writer's experiences while attending a literary festival in Sweden, as she wades through past trauma.

This was a good book and translation; it was intelligent and raw, blending significantly female experiences with those of being a writer and immigrant.

A book with not even 200 pages and I still managed to take WEEKS to finish because it was boring. Only the last few pages were interesting. Super unfortunate.
I have not much else to say soooo