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The Ocean
The Ocean follows the lives of three women through the growing modernization and political turmoil of Chile during the latter half of the 20th century, to their exile on the other side of the world in wintery, land-locked Winnipeg.
These three women - Maria Soledad, Consuelo and Pilar - each live in different eras, yet are all confronted with changed personal and public histories that have a profound effect
on their lives. Maria Soledad struggles with the restrictions placed on her because she is a woman; Consuelo fails to understand the dire and dangerous political climate she is immersed within; and Pilar is trapped in a body that she cannot fully control. The only one constant in their lives is the enduring presence of the ocean.
These three women - Maria Soledad, Consuelo and Pilar - each live in different eras, yet are all confronted with changed personal and public histories that have a profound effect
on their lives. Maria Soledad struggles with the restrictions placed on her because she is a woman; Consuelo fails to understand the dire and dangerous political climate she is immersed within; and Pilar is trapped in a body that she cannot fully control. The only one constant in their lives is the enduring presence of the ocean.
248 pages, Paperback
First published December 9, 2012
2 people are currently reading
843 people want to read
About the author
Cecilia Araneda
2 books6 followersCecilia Araneda was born in Chile and came to Canada at a young age as a refugee with her family after they escaped Chile’s coup d’état. She grew up in northern Manitoba and currently lives in Winnipeg.
More information: http://www.ceciliaaraneda.ca/about/
More information: http://www.ceciliaaraneda.ca/about/
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 30, 2013
SPOILERS!
This story is about three generations of women. It starts in Chile, goes to Winnipeg, then back to Chile. Each of the women grow up with more secrets in the family than information.
Maria Soledad is totally disappointed as her father teaches each of her brothers to read. When she is finally going to be next her father skips over her and starts teaching her younger brother. When she clarified to him that she was older, he tells her he knows his children’s ages. When she tells him it is her turn to learn how to read, not her younger brother. Her father is amazed that she thinks she is going to learn to read. He tells her that she needs to learn the things her mother teaches her and leave the reading to the boys. Maria Soledad is very stubborn and refuses to learn to sew or knit from her mother. The rich neighbor’s son teaches her to read in secret. She has many secrets and ends up marrying the man of her father’s choice, due to the fact she is with child from the boy who taught her to read, and he is sent away. Maria Soledad has a love of the ocean she lives close to but when married is moved away from the ocean. Her daughter, Consuelo is the child.
Consuelo and Pilar, Consuelo’s child, are both as stubborn as the generation before them. The secrets just continue to grow as the story continues, with the reader knowing the secrets but the women do not. Consuelo has a love of the ocean, for comfort as her mother did. Consuelo moves to Winnipeg, due to a bloody coup d’etat that had her involved by her cousin. Pilar is born in Canada but draws and draws many pictures of the ocean that she has never seen but has a deep feeling for. After her mother’s death Pilar is moved back to Chile and sees the ocean for the first time she comes to realize that she will meld with the water and become part of it.
While reading this story I was saddened by what happened to these women but they continued on and went on each day. But the ending gives me hope for the next generations born into this family that their will be fewer secrets and more love for them.
I received this book from Goodreads First Reads
This story is about three generations of women. It starts in Chile, goes to Winnipeg, then back to Chile. Each of the women grow up with more secrets in the family than information.
Maria Soledad is totally disappointed as her father teaches each of her brothers to read. When she is finally going to be next her father skips over her and starts teaching her younger brother. When she clarified to him that she was older, he tells her he knows his children’s ages. When she tells him it is her turn to learn how to read, not her younger brother. Her father is amazed that she thinks she is going to learn to read. He tells her that she needs to learn the things her mother teaches her and leave the reading to the boys. Maria Soledad is very stubborn and refuses to learn to sew or knit from her mother. The rich neighbor’s son teaches her to read in secret. She has many secrets and ends up marrying the man of her father’s choice, due to the fact she is with child from the boy who taught her to read, and he is sent away. Maria Soledad has a love of the ocean she lives close to but when married is moved away from the ocean. Her daughter, Consuelo is the child.
Consuelo and Pilar, Consuelo’s child, are both as stubborn as the generation before them. The secrets just continue to grow as the story continues, with the reader knowing the secrets but the women do not. Consuelo has a love of the ocean, for comfort as her mother did. Consuelo moves to Winnipeg, due to a bloody coup d’etat that had her involved by her cousin. Pilar is born in Canada but draws and draws many pictures of the ocean that she has never seen but has a deep feeling for. After her mother’s death Pilar is moved back to Chile and sees the ocean for the first time she comes to realize that she will meld with the water and become part of it.
While reading this story I was saddened by what happened to these women but they continued on and went on each day. But the ending gives me hope for the next generations born into this family that their will be fewer secrets and more love for them.
I received this book from Goodreads First Reads
November 25, 2013
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
This book had so much potential but it was never realized. The characters and stories could have been much more developed and could have been so much richer.
The writing was not strong - there were many run on sentences and a tendency to overuse the comma. Time was also a problem; Maria Soledad was 13 and then a chapter or two later was 25. The other main characters also rapidly aged thus none of their stories were developed, nor were the main themes of the book (gender inequality, political turmoil, disability). Also, I think the narrative would have worked better in first person not third person.
Overall the book was just okay. As I mentioned earlier, there really was a good story but it just wasn't fleshed out.
This book had so much potential but it was never realized. The characters and stories could have been much more developed and could have been so much richer.
The writing was not strong - there were many run on sentences and a tendency to overuse the comma. Time was also a problem; Maria Soledad was 13 and then a chapter or two later was 25. The other main characters also rapidly aged thus none of their stories were developed, nor were the main themes of the book (gender inequality, political turmoil, disability). Also, I think the narrative would have worked better in first person not third person.
Overall the book was just okay. As I mentioned earlier, there really was a good story but it just wasn't fleshed out.
March 10, 2013
I enjoyed the plot of the book a lot. But i also felt like you left a lot out of the book it felt rushed to me. when i read books i like to feel connected to the characters and it felt like you were rushing the first chapter was what got me hooked but as i continued to read i realized that the story was going by way to fast for my liking. but besides that i absolutely loved what you tried to do with the story. i wish that you expanded more on the girls a bit more that would have made it wonderful.
thank you for giving me this book i really enjoyed it this book was given to me by the wonderful author
thank you for giving me this book i really enjoyed it this book was given to me by the wonderful author
February 21, 2013
Cecila Araneda’s literary debut The Ocean is a hypnotic story that masterfully follows the lives of its three main characters. A huge fan of Isabel Allende, I was immediately hooked by the style of magical realism Cecila writes in. Her story telling is thoughtful and it’s able to transform the reader to each of the characters’’ worlds. Whether you are familiar with Chile and its political history or you’ve lived in Canada your whole life, it’s impossible not to be drawn to the characters and their experiences. I very much look forward to reading more!
March 6, 2013
The story is mainly set in Chile, with a portion set in Winnipeg. At the heart of the novel is the story of three women. Two of the woman have carried burdens and had to deal with unexpected circumstances. Maria Soledad lived a necessary life, and her secrets were a burden, not only to her, but the secrets she had to keep. My favorite line in the novel is on page 189 in the paperback. " she then put the lid back on the jar and returned it to her backpack to take back down to the river" . Pilar had so much to learn. I enjoyed the novel. I highly recommend The Ocean.
January 7, 2015
The Ocean by Cecilia Araneda is an excellent read. The depth of these characters is amazing and I love them all. Poor Manuel ended up being my favorite. Yes, there were some blank spots, but my overly active imagination loved filling in the blanks. I thoroughly enjoyed the stories of all three of these women that had to be so strong to survive. A must read.
March 30, 2013
My daughter kept asking, "How's the girl book? Is it good?"
I said "Yes. You'll probably enjoy it when you're older."
The story is good, lots of meaning throughout. The timeline did catch me off guard a few times, but there are a lot of years packed into the pages.
I said "Yes. You'll probably enjoy it when you're older."
The story is good, lots of meaning throughout. The timeline did catch me off guard a few times, but there are a lot of years packed into the pages.
April 8, 2013
Very beautiful and moving story about three generations of Chilean women as they get caught up in their home country's political turmoil. At times heartbreaking and others very moving.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews