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25th out of 59 books
—
16 voters
Before the Rain: A Memoir of Love and Revolution
In a voice haunting and filled with longing, Before the Rain tells the story of love unexpected, its fragile bounds and subtle perils. As a newspaper editor in the ’80s, Luisita Torregrosa lived her career. Enter Elizabeth, a striking, reserved, and elusive writer with whom Torregrosa falls deeply in love. Their story—irresistible romance, overlapping ambitions, and fragil...more
Hardcover, 240 pages
Published
August 7th 2012
by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
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This book was received for free through Goodreads First Reads.
I read this memoir quickly, and was fully absorbed into Torregrosa's universe during the two days I spent reading it. The writing was beautiful, and the love story in many ways touching.
I did feel, however, that Torregrosa was holding back - not wanting to paint the romance as passionate as perhaps it was (whether this was because of the time elapsed or personal decision, I’m not sure), and then trying to present a fair and balanced...more
I read this memoir quickly, and was fully absorbed into Torregrosa's universe during the two days I spent reading it. The writing was beautiful, and the love story in many ways touching.
I did feel, however, that Torregrosa was holding back - not wanting to paint the romance as passionate as perhaps it was (whether this was because of the time elapsed or personal decision, I’m not sure), and then trying to present a fair and balanced...more
Originally reviewed on A Reader of Fictions.
Having completed Before the Rain, I find myself with very little to say, a rather rare occurrence for me. Speechlessness, of course, can be the result of many emotions, too fraught by the impact of the tale or too bored to care. Unfortunately, my reactions more closely resemble the latter.
What drew me to this book was both the lgbt element and the historical aspect. Coming into it, I knew practically nothing about the history of the Philippines, and le...more
Having completed Before the Rain, I find myself with very little to say, a rather rare occurrence for me. Speechlessness, of course, can be the result of many emotions, too fraught by the impact of the tale or too bored to care. Unfortunately, my reactions more closely resemble the latter.
What drew me to this book was both the lgbt element and the historical aspect. Coming into it, I knew practically nothing about the history of the Philippines, and le...more
It’s the 1980s. Luisita and Elizabeth first meet when they work for the same newspaper–Luisita as an editor, and Elizabeth as a reporter. Elizabeth is newly married and Luisita is in a relationship of her own. Months later, after Luisita goes through a bad break-up, she and Elizabeth start talking more and flirting a bit. Then things get more serious. When Elizabeth is assigned to the Philippines to cover the revolution that will run Marcos out of the country and put Aquino in power, Luisita dec...more
This was a conflicted read. It is well written and compelling but doesn't seem to make the most of its material perhaps because it doesn't know its focus. It is all over the place and nowhere. It is a story about being a journalist, the passion for news and the challenges of being a foreign correspondent but it isn't primarily about that. It is about a love affair but for all the eloquence the other person didn't live for me. There are no pictures, no observations but those of writer. It would h...more
Aug 22, 2012
Audra (Unabridged Chick)
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Shelves:
artistic-temperaments,
biography-and-memoir,
creative-non-fiction,
cultural-confusion,
era-1980s,
heroine-writer,
i-wanted-so-much-more,
mood-luxurious,
mood-evocative,
place-as-character,
place-new-york-city,
place-south-asia,
sapphic,
sense-of-place,
travelogues,
truth-is-tawdrier-than-fiction
This is a memoir that reads like a novel, and that's both a good and bad thing. Torregrosa has a sinuous, vague, slippery style of writing that I love in a good novel (I was reminded a bit of early '90s Jeannette Winterson) but feels a bit incomplete in a memoir. This story of 'love and revolution' had plenty of revolution -- on an international and interpersonal scale -- but I felt a real lack of love in Torregrosa's narrative.
Which leads me back to my original complaint. Were this a novel -- w...more
Which leads me back to my original complaint. Were this a novel -- w...more
The kind of book that talks about the truth about falling in love. Everything is emotional and raw, yet poetic and flowing. Torregrosa's prose is graceful, leaving the reader with a vivid portrait of the small, domestic parts of her life that made it so memorable. She doesn't focus much on dialogue or misunderstandings, instead choosing to highlight the way her relationship with Elizabeth was the single greatest thing (and the worst) that she has ever experienced. This book deals with other cult...more
Before the Rain is a formal chronological account of the Author Luisita Lopez Torregrosa's life as a newspaper reporter and editor. In this account she finds love where she wasn't expecting that ends just the same. The book is well written and easy to understand. As the audience you have to take in to account that the relationship is between a reporter named Elizabeth and Miss Torregrosa. I am not fond of the same gender relationship; however, on a non bias note, the book is good and will keep y...more
I won this book from the Goodreads First Reads program. Primarily the book deals with the author's relationship with a foreign news correspondent and their life abroad. While I appreciated how Torregrosa was so honest about her own behavior and feelings, it was difficult for me to like either her or her girlfriend or root for their turbulent relationship. I wish that the book had focused more on the experiences of living abroad and reporting on revolutions than on a couple's quarrels.
Since I was in the Philippines during the period covered in this book I enjoyed experiencing the end of the Marcos regime and Cory Aquino's people power revolution from the perspective of the foreign press core. The love story is also very poignant and well drawn.
I somewhat enjoyed this book, which is about the passionate love affair of two women reporters against the background of the revolution in Manila. However, I did find the day to day chronology somewhat tedious to get through. I was glad when I finished it.
I admit that I'm not really sure why I read the whole book. I like stories of heartbreak and also living in interesting places/having interesting jobs. But I found the memoirist really unlikeable and overly impressed with herself in an imperial, obnoxiously classist and breathless way. Ugh.
I received this book free from Goodreads First Reads. This book had me from page 1. Once I started, I couldnt put it down. Definitely a must read!!
I received this book as a First Reads giveaway from Goodreads.
I did not finish this book, I tried because I thought the writing was beautiful. I loved the descriptions that helped me visualize the scenes and emotions. Yet the story seemed to me like a high school tragedy of love that was doomed yet the actors can't stay apart. The whole book seemed adolescent to me and as a teacher, I see enough of that during the day.
I did not finish this book, I tried because I thought the writing was beautiful. I loved the descriptions that helped me visualize the scenes and emotions. Yet the story seemed to me like a high school tragedy of love that was doomed yet the actors can't stay apart. The whole book seemed adolescent to me and as a teacher, I see enough of that during the day.
May 17, 2013
Chloe
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| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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| AfterEllen.com Bo...: Before the Rain. | 1 | 29 | May 02, 2013 05:39pm |
Aug 03, 2012 09:17am