The House on Mango Street is a novel written by Sandra Cisneros. This wonderful little book it full of life and beautiful pictures painted in the mind of a young girl. If you have a particular interest in poetry, I would suggest giving this book a read. This book is true, painful, but unique.

The book begins with Esperanza Cordero and her family moving to Mango Street. The titular street is a rundown, old neighbourhood in Chicago, Illinois. Instead of following a plot, Cisneros takes us through Mango Street, introducing us to many people, and showing us many harsh situations which are true to life. Esperanza Cordero is our narrator, describing these scenes of others, as well as her own family life. The style of writing is not very straightforward, but much more reminiscent of poetry. With descriptions like, “There was a family. All were little. Their arms were little, and their hand were little, and their height was not tall, and their feet were very small,” you get a vivid description which may not immediately be clear. I greatly enjoyed the style for how unique it was, but I liked the characters it introduced, and I wished I could have seen more of them. But even in never coming back to a character, Cisneros makes her world very true to life; sometimes things happen, and we never get closure.

In all, I feel this book is unique, honest, and bittersweet at the best of times. It tells its story through the poetry of Esperanza’s mind. I would suggest reading this because there are not many other like it. Do, however, be weary; the writing is not always straightforward. I hope you read this book and love it as I do.