What do you think?
Rate this book
La Noia que es va capbussar endins el Cor del Món
Com veuries el món si tinguessis unes capacitats mentals generals d’una noia de 7 anys però alhora tinguessis una memòria privilegiada i una comprensió i organització espacial catalogada de geni.
Com entendries la vida si el teu cervell no et permetés entendre els eufemismes, les metàfores, si les teves connexions neurològiques no et permetessin mentir ni tenir fantasies, en definitiva...
Com entendries la vida vivint en un pragmatisme absolut però amb un alt grau de simplicitat i lucidesa.
Aquesta noia es diu Karen i és la protagonista i alhora narradora d’aquesta fantàstica obra.
Tot comença a Mazatlán, poble costaner del Pacífic mexicà. La tieta de la Karen, arribada d’Estats Units per heretar l’empresa familiar, Atunes Consuelo, es troba la Karen, la seva neboda, una nena totalment desvalguda i deixada a la mà de Déu.
Les limitacions mentals i la incapacitat òbvia de la Karen per comunicar-se o interactuar amb altre gent fa que la seva tieta Isabelle es dediqui d’inici i amb totes les seves forces i mitjans a “civilitzar” la noia. Aquest procés s’inicia a casa seva on la tieta ensenya a parlar a la Karen, a escriure i adquirir conceptes generals.
Desprès d'un període a una escola "especial", la Karen comença una capacitació a l'empresa familiar de tonyina que farà canviar la seva vida. Primer, descobrint com gaudeix el fet de portar un vestit de bus; i segon, veient com són tractats els peixos.
La Karen decideix acompanyar als pescadors a la "caça". En aquestes sortides i dins el seu món autista, descobreix l'amor amb un dels pescadors, Ricardo, un italià que té el doble d'edat, i es crea entre ells una historia "d'amor" entre dues persones solitàries.
Mesos més tard, envien a la Karen a estudiar Zootècnia a una universitat d'Estats Units. Els companys d'habitació s'espanten en veure aquesta noia "especial" penjada d'un arnes amb el seu vestit de bus. Durant l’estança a la Universitat passa el temps estudiant obsessivament les seves assignatures, rellegint textos que memoritza i es maravella de l'estupidesa de l'existència humana, perquè sembla que tinguin por a comunicar les coses de forma literal i tenen (els humans) tendència a utilitzar moltes metàfores i molts eufemismes que ella no entén. Ella es queixa d'aquest us i pensa que el món seria molt millor sense utilitzar-los. Posa com exemple que l’assignatura sobre mitjans per matar a diferents espècies animals es diu ,Industria de la carn.
Posteriorment, la Karen es expulsada de l'universitat per demostrar que un dels seus professors (Huntington) i la seva forma de matar el bestiar no era sense estres, tal i com el professor defensava.
Això fa que l'empresa familiar de tonyina, entri en una nova fase.
Obsessionada en el tractament de la tonyina, la Karen inventa una nova forma de pescar-la tonyina sense "estrès" i de protegir als dofins que habitualment són capturats en el procés. En aquest moment entra en escena una empresari nord-americà anomenat Gould, que convenç a la Karen d'unir-se en una aventura conjunta i que fa convertir a la protagonista en una famosa dona de negocis. Tant es així que acaba sent segrestada per un grup radical de protecció d'animals desprès d'una entrega de premis a Paris.
Això provoca un canvi dramàtic a la Karen que es va humanitzant més i més cada cop però alhora es manté ben lluny d’ells…
I així a prop d’ells però lluny, hem vaig donar compte que així seria sempre. Estaria a prop dels humans però lluny. Molts anys després, molts llibres després vaig trobar un full d’un llibre antic, escrit per un filosof francès, una oració que posa en paraules la meva distancia amb els humans...Penso, després existeixo
Per la Karen, es una estupidesa que l’ésser humà busqui aquesta distancia entre l’home i l’animal i parteix de la base, que primer s’existeix i després es pensa.
I tombada al fons de la sorra de l’oceà, hem dedico a existir. A ser. I a la més gran de les felicitats possibles: A veure
Com entendries la vida si el teu cervell no et permetés entendre els eufemismes, les metàfores, si les teves connexions neurològiques no et permetessin mentir ni tenir fantasies, en definitiva...
Com entendries la vida vivint en un pragmatisme absolut però amb un alt grau de simplicitat i lucidesa.
Aquesta noia es diu Karen i és la protagonista i alhora narradora d’aquesta fantàstica obra.
Tot comença a Mazatlán, poble costaner del Pacífic mexicà. La tieta de la Karen, arribada d’Estats Units per heretar l’empresa familiar, Atunes Consuelo, es troba la Karen, la seva neboda, una nena totalment desvalguda i deixada a la mà de Déu.
Les limitacions mentals i la incapacitat òbvia de la Karen per comunicar-se o interactuar amb altre gent fa que la seva tieta Isabelle es dediqui d’inici i amb totes les seves forces i mitjans a “civilitzar” la noia. Aquest procés s’inicia a casa seva on la tieta ensenya a parlar a la Karen, a escriure i adquirir conceptes generals.
Desprès d'un període a una escola "especial", la Karen comença una capacitació a l'empresa familiar de tonyina que farà canviar la seva vida. Primer, descobrint com gaudeix el fet de portar un vestit de bus; i segon, veient com són tractats els peixos.
La Karen decideix acompanyar als pescadors a la "caça". En aquestes sortides i dins el seu món autista, descobreix l'amor amb un dels pescadors, Ricardo, un italià que té el doble d'edat, i es crea entre ells una historia "d'amor" entre dues persones solitàries.
Mesos més tard, envien a la Karen a estudiar Zootècnia a una universitat d'Estats Units. Els companys d'habitació s'espanten en veure aquesta noia "especial" penjada d'un arnes amb el seu vestit de bus. Durant l’estança a la Universitat passa el temps estudiant obsessivament les seves assignatures, rellegint textos que memoritza i es maravella de l'estupidesa de l'existència humana, perquè sembla que tinguin por a comunicar les coses de forma literal i tenen (els humans) tendència a utilitzar moltes metàfores i molts eufemismes que ella no entén. Ella es queixa d'aquest us i pensa que el món seria molt millor sense utilitzar-los. Posa com exemple que l’assignatura sobre mitjans per matar a diferents espècies animals es diu ,Industria de la carn.
Posteriorment, la Karen es expulsada de l'universitat per demostrar que un dels seus professors (Huntington) i la seva forma de matar el bestiar no era sense estres, tal i com el professor defensava.
Això fa que l'empresa familiar de tonyina, entri en una nova fase.
Obsessionada en el tractament de la tonyina, la Karen inventa una nova forma de pescar-la tonyina sense "estrès" i de protegir als dofins que habitualment són capturats en el procés. En aquest moment entra en escena una empresari nord-americà anomenat Gould, que convenç a la Karen d'unir-se en una aventura conjunta i que fa convertir a la protagonista en una famosa dona de negocis. Tant es així que acaba sent segrestada per un grup radical de protecció d'animals desprès d'una entrega de premis a Paris.
Això provoca un canvi dramàtic a la Karen que es va humanitzant més i més cada cop però alhora es manté ben lluny d’ells…
I així a prop d’ells però lluny, hem vaig donar compte que així seria sempre. Estaria a prop dels humans però lluny. Molts anys després, molts llibres després vaig trobar un full d’un llibre antic, escrit per un filosof francès, una oració que posa en paraules la meva distancia amb els humans...Penso, després existeixo
Per la Karen, es una estupidesa que l’ésser humà busqui aquesta distancia entre l’home i l’animal i parteix de la base, que primer s’existeix i després es pensa.
I tombada al fons de la sorra de l’oceà, hem dedico a existir. A ser. I a la més gran de les felicitats possibles: A veure
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
93 people are currently reading
2386 people want to read
About the author
Sabina Berman
54 books89 followersEscritora: Dramaturga, Novelista, Ensayista, Periodista y Guionista.
Ha ganado cuatro veces el Premio Nacional de Dramaturgia de México. Dos veces el Premio Nacional de Periodismo. Un Ariel de la Academia de Cinematografía. Dos películas de su autoría han representado a México en los Oscares. Ha dado clases en la NYU, la Universidad de Yale y la Universidad de Claifornia at Berkeley.
Ha ganado cuatro veces el Premio Nacional de Dramaturgia de México. Dos veces el Premio Nacional de Periodismo. Un Ariel de la Academia de Cinematografía. Dos películas de su autoría han representado a México en los Oscares. Ha dado clases en la NYU, la Universidad de Yale y la Universidad de Claifornia at Berkeley.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 320 reviews
August 26, 2019
My favourite book of 2018. Extremely unusual plot and fascinating lead character. You won't read anything else like this.
August 31, 2012
Unfortunately, I found this book to be a bit disappointing. Though the translation felt very smooth and without error, the perspective - that of a 42-year-old autistic woman - felt rather inconsistent, and often bordering on the inauthentic. The book felt like a fictionalization of the life of Temple Grandin, an autistic woman who has made an amazing impact on both industry and the animal-human bond. Here, Karen revolutionized the tuna industry rather than cattle, but the similarities from the use of a harness, even to the swine slaughterhouse added up to too many coincidences for it to seem just without giving Grandin some credit.
The injustice aside, I previously held high hopes because the description mentioned feral children, the ocean and autism - all fascinating topics for fiction. One of the pre-release blurbs called this book comedic, and I definitely failed to find the humour in this book that alternated between the horror of the fishing industry and the difficulties of Karen’s communication with others. Despite this, the book’s overall tone was not depressing, but rather matter-of-fact, the one of the successes of the point-of-view in accuracy (though these insights sometimes led to the inconsistencies). I simply expected more from the book. Karen’s miraculously high functioning status considering her first seven years as little more than a feral child bordered on the extremely fantastical considering the current research into language development and the effects of neglect. And the ocean’s role revolved more on death and industry than beauty and hope.
However, the flow and style of the writing pulled me through quickly. If only the execution had supported the interesting premise...
The injustice aside, I previously held high hopes because the description mentioned feral children, the ocean and autism - all fascinating topics for fiction. One of the pre-release blurbs called this book comedic, and I definitely failed to find the humour in this book that alternated between the horror of the fishing industry and the difficulties of Karen’s communication with others. Despite this, the book’s overall tone was not depressing, but rather matter-of-fact, the one of the successes of the point-of-view in accuracy (though these insights sometimes led to the inconsistencies). I simply expected more from the book. Karen’s miraculously high functioning status considering her first seven years as little more than a feral child bordered on the extremely fantastical considering the current research into language development and the effects of neglect. And the ocean’s role revolved more on death and industry than beauty and hope.
However, the flow and style of the writing pulled me through quickly. If only the execution had supported the interesting premise...
February 4, 2014
Karen Nieto is discovered in her house in Mazatlan by her Aunt Isabelle, after her sister, Karen's mother, has passed away. Karen is a feral child, left to scavenge for food, with no past human interactions to shape her social behavior or even speaking capabilities. And Karen is also autistic. She is a high functioning autistic savant, ranging from complete 'imbecile' (the book's words, not mine) in certain areas, to genius in others. Her family owns a tuna cannery in Mexico that is about to go under due to an importation embargo set up by the USA. Now, as she is coming to find her place in the world, finding her voice, interacting with other humans for the first time, and learning the fishing trade, Karen works to try and save her family's business--and also reflect philosophically about the food industry.
Reading from the perspective of someone with autism was intriguing. This book, I believe, was extremely well done. I felt like I really understood Karen, or as she refers to herself, 'Me', and as a reader I got to experience her growing up and learning from a perspective totally outside of myself. At times, yes, she was a bit frustrating and unreasonable, but I think the author, Sabina Berman, does that to show how difficult it is for Karen to adjust not only as someone with high-functioning autism but also as one who has experienced very little love and human interactions in her life.
The prose style was beautiful. There were a few passages that really struck me and stuck with me after reading them. I loved the interweaving of water imagery throughout the whole book, obviously dealing with the tuna and fishing but also as a place of love and comfort and safety for Karen.
Overall this book was a great read. I am happy to read a translate work of fiction (from Spanish; the author is Mexican), and also read from a unique narrator. FYI, this book has quite a bit of adult language and material in it, especially surrounding Karen's college experiences/observations, and sexual awakening. So keep that in mind if you are younger or if you are sensitive to that material. I will say that it did not seem extraneous. Karen as a narrator is quite blunt, so I felt that it was done appropriately.
4/5 Stars. Beautiful. Moving. Wonderful.
Reading from the perspective of someone with autism was intriguing. This book, I believe, was extremely well done. I felt like I really understood Karen, or as she refers to herself, 'Me', and as a reader I got to experience her growing up and learning from a perspective totally outside of myself. At times, yes, she was a bit frustrating and unreasonable, but I think the author, Sabina Berman, does that to show how difficult it is for Karen to adjust not only as someone with high-functioning autism but also as one who has experienced very little love and human interactions in her life.
The prose style was beautiful. There were a few passages that really struck me and stuck with me after reading them. I loved the interweaving of water imagery throughout the whole book, obviously dealing with the tuna and fishing but also as a place of love and comfort and safety for Karen.
Overall this book was a great read. I am happy to read a translate work of fiction (from Spanish; the author is Mexican), and also read from a unique narrator. FYI, this book has quite a bit of adult language and material in it, especially surrounding Karen's college experiences/observations, and sexual awakening. So keep that in mind if you are younger or if you are sensitive to that material. I will say that it did not seem extraneous. Karen as a narrator is quite blunt, so I felt that it was done appropriately.
4/5 Stars. Beautiful. Moving. Wonderful.
April 22, 2016
Este libro es ...mágico. No se me ocurre un adjetivo para describirlo. Nunca había leído algo parecido. Si buscas una novela para reflexionar sobre nuestra delicada relación con los animales y con muchos toques filosóficos, este libro es para ti.
Me encantó.
Me encantó.
April 8, 2018
Una historia contada por una mujer autista en el que se nos relata su vida y cómo llega a ser un genio de la cría y venta de atunes. Al principio, cuando su tía se hace cargo de ella, cuesta un poco leer porque ha estado toda su infancia maltratada y desatendida. Pero luego la historia despega y, aunque a ratos cueste seguir su lógica autista, la historia está muy bien.
Lo más divertido de todo el libro, sin duda, la escena en el baño en Japón y los botones del water...
Al parecer, la protagonista es una copia muy descarada de una persona real, la norteamericana Temple Grandin, una autista vegetariana que diseña instalaciones para el sacrificio de ganado, con gran éxito. La autora ha copiado de ella el carácter, las costumbres, el método de trabajo y hasta el estilo de escribir (Grandin ha escrito varios libros autobiográficos). La única diferencia es que ha cambiado vacas por atunes, y físicamente se parece más a Lisbeth Salander.
Lo más divertido de todo el libro, sin duda, la escena en el baño en Japón y los botones del water...
Al parecer, la protagonista es una copia muy descarada de una persona real, la norteamericana Temple Grandin, una autista vegetariana que diseña instalaciones para el sacrificio de ganado, con gran éxito. La autora ha copiado de ella el carácter, las costumbres, el método de trabajo y hasta el estilo de escribir (Grandin ha escrito varios libros autobiográficos). La única diferencia es que ha cambiado vacas por atunes, y físicamente se parece más a Lisbeth Salander.
October 22, 2015
Implausible and weird.
Let me explain. I thought this was going to be a novel about the journey of the aunt bringing her orphaned, wild, autistic niece into society. But no. Within the space of a few pages Karen went from zero to self-taught reader and fairly competent communicator (implausible). The rest was about her education and subsequent career as a humane animal slaughterer (weird).
It wasn't badly written or anything, and there was just enough interest to keep reading, but I was left thinking I didn't sign up for this. So 2.5 stars.
Let me explain. I thought this was going to be a novel about the journey of the aunt bringing her orphaned, wild, autistic niece into society. But no. Within the space of a few pages Karen went from zero to self-taught reader and fairly competent communicator (implausible). The rest was about her education and subsequent career as a humane animal slaughterer (weird).
It wasn't badly written or anything, and there was just enough interest to keep reading, but I was left thinking I didn't sign up for this. So 2.5 stars.
May 1, 2022
Me gustan los libros con historias memorables y que te animan a conversar sobre sus letras. La mujer que buceó dentro del corazón del mundo es uno de los mejores títulos que he leído, le da sentido al desarrollo de la trama mientras descubres la vida de Karen, una mujer autista que le da otro sentido a la vida y a las vidas de seres vivos minimizados y menospreciados por nuestra especie humana.
Tiene unas frases realmente memorables...
"Creo que sostener a diario la fantasía de que uno primero piensa y luego existe es lo que hace tan cansado ser un ser humano, en mi caso pretender serlo".
"A existir, que es para mí desaprender la prisa. Soltar los músculos de mi corazón y dejarlo latir a su ritmo. Volver a estar en el calor del sol sin pensar el calor. Comer cuando el hambre tiene hambre y obedecer el sueño que llega cuando la noche llega y la oscuridad cubre las cosas, y las cosas en la oscuridad pueden descansar".
"Lo que cagamos está prohibido al ojo de los humanos civilizados. Cómo matamos para comer y cómo lo comido lo cagamos está prohibido a la conciencia de los humanos civilizados. Somos ciegos de los mataderos y las aguas negras, y esa ceguera, ese asco y esa ceguera, lo que nos separa de lo no humano".
Tiene unas frases realmente memorables...
"Creo que sostener a diario la fantasía de que uno primero piensa y luego existe es lo que hace tan cansado ser un ser humano, en mi caso pretender serlo".
"A existir, que es para mí desaprender la prisa. Soltar los músculos de mi corazón y dejarlo latir a su ritmo. Volver a estar en el calor del sol sin pensar el calor. Comer cuando el hambre tiene hambre y obedecer el sueño que llega cuando la noche llega y la oscuridad cubre las cosas, y las cosas en la oscuridad pueden descansar".
"Lo que cagamos está prohibido al ojo de los humanos civilizados. Cómo matamos para comer y cómo lo comido lo cagamos está prohibido a la conciencia de los humanos civilizados. Somos ciegos de los mataderos y las aguas negras, y esa ceguera, ese asco y esa ceguera, lo que nos separa de lo no humano".
September 27, 2020
Ésta novela llegó a mi vida por casualidad, de esos flechazos que tienes con una portada. Estaba en la biblio y me lo llevé. Desde que empecé no pude parar.
Me atrapó, esta sencilla historia. Una chica salvajada en una zona costera de Méjico. Una herencia, una tía que se hace cargo. Una Mary Poppins, que la ayuda, e intenta convertirla en un ser humano, que tenga su lugar en el mundo. Una niña diferente, quizá con una especie de trastorno Asperger, que cuesta empatizar, una tía que no quiere tenga límites y acabé siendo la dueña de los negocios familiares de pesca atunera y conservas de la zona.
Hay crudeza, y amor, hay una relación más cómplice que amorosa, pero salvadora. Hay una lucha por encima de los límites . Tiene ciertos períodos que decae por la mitad.
Pero no decepciona. Enternece, a veces asombra vas de la mano de ésta peculiar protagonista y su solitario mundo interior, su conexión con el mar, con los atunes, con la llegada de algo parecido al amor. Al proceso de matar para el consumo y como empatiza más con los animales en este caso y desea crear algo para un fin más digno.
La recomiendo mucho para que podamos entender estás discapacidades y dónde puede llegar el amor y la voluntad por ser lo que esperan de nosotros más quizá que lo que queremos. Aunque aquí más bien motivada por la tia-tutora y su empeño que no tenga límites . Ella es obediente, se fía pero va encontrando su camino.
El final queda como abierto, pues es joven y aún tiene camino por recorrer, la novela cuenta desde que sí tía entra en su vida hasta que es adulta y está preparada. Luego queda la vida... Hubiese sido interesante una segunda parte. Pero bueno no es por ello un mal cierre.
Me atrapó, esta sencilla historia. Una chica salvajada en una zona costera de Méjico. Una herencia, una tía que se hace cargo. Una Mary Poppins, que la ayuda, e intenta convertirla en un ser humano, que tenga su lugar en el mundo. Una niña diferente, quizá con una especie de trastorno Asperger, que cuesta empatizar, una tía que no quiere tenga límites y acabé siendo la dueña de los negocios familiares de pesca atunera y conservas de la zona.
Hay crudeza, y amor, hay una relación más cómplice que amorosa, pero salvadora. Hay una lucha por encima de los límites . Tiene ciertos períodos que decae por la mitad.
Pero no decepciona. Enternece, a veces asombra vas de la mano de ésta peculiar protagonista y su solitario mundo interior, su conexión con el mar, con los atunes, con la llegada de algo parecido al amor. Al proceso de matar para el consumo y como empatiza más con los animales en este caso y desea crear algo para un fin más digno.
La recomiendo mucho para que podamos entender estás discapacidades y dónde puede llegar el amor y la voluntad por ser lo que esperan de nosotros más quizá que lo que queremos. Aunque aquí más bien motivada por la tia-tutora y su empeño que no tenga límites . Ella es obediente, se fía pero va encontrando su camino.
El final queda como abierto, pues es joven y aún tiene camino por recorrer, la novela cuenta desde que sí tía entra en su vida hasta que es adulta y está preparada. Luego queda la vida... Hubiese sido interesante una segunda parte. Pero bueno no es por ello un mal cierre.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2012
Goodness, I've never had such trouble in picking a shelf for a book. How in the world do I classify this one? Autistic fiction perhaps, but if I create that shelf then I almost feel obligated to seek out more of such an animal and with the exception of "The Curious Incident of the Dog at NIght" I'm not sure what would go on that shelf.
This was a book that was at times difficult to read. Maybe autistics shouldn't read about autistics because it really underscores just how different our thought patterns are sometimes. Karen resonated so deeply with me at times that it left me shaken. Which is of course, the mark of an excellent writer, that she could evoke this response when she herself is not autistic (to my knowledge anyway...makes me wonder).
Yes, the obvious parallels of Temple Grandin's life are impossible to ignore. But the knowledge of tuna fishing the industry is in itself very impressive. And while there are similarities, the depth of expression and emotion that you find in following Karen to the bottom of the sea is something that is unique to Ms. Berman, who captured this girl in quiet eloquence.
So yes, this was a book that I would recommend, especially to those who wish to maybe understand me a little bit more. But be prepared to be more than a bit disturbed at what you find there. I suspect not everyone will be as comfortable with Karen as I was.
Which is, perhaps, the point after all.
This was a book that was at times difficult to read. Maybe autistics shouldn't read about autistics because it really underscores just how different our thought patterns are sometimes. Karen resonated so deeply with me at times that it left me shaken. Which is of course, the mark of an excellent writer, that she could evoke this response when she herself is not autistic (to my knowledge anyway...makes me wonder).
Yes, the obvious parallels of Temple Grandin's life are impossible to ignore. But the knowledge of tuna fishing the industry is in itself very impressive. And while there are similarities, the depth of expression and emotion that you find in following Karen to the bottom of the sea is something that is unique to Ms. Berman, who captured this girl in quiet eloquence.
So yes, this was a book that I would recommend, especially to those who wish to maybe understand me a little bit more. But be prepared to be more than a bit disturbed at what you find there. I suspect not everyone will be as comfortable with Karen as I was.
Which is, perhaps, the point after all.
February 28, 2014
I really enjoyed this book, particularly all the underwater/fish scenes. Being part fish myself, I could totally relate to the protagonists favorite pasttime of simply laying her head on a rock on the bottom of the ocean and leaving the realm of thought behind in yet another example of her rejection of Descartes "Cogito, ergo sum" philosophy of life. I loved the lemon leaves and the grove she ultimately planted, as well as her unlikely love for Ricardo. I loved the tuna paradises and her ability to see and feel the world from the perspective of animals, namely fish. (and I wish someone would really figure out a way to save the bluefin tuna...) I don't eat sand, but my kids have certainly had their share as babies so she might be onto something there. And I loved her jellyfish rescue. This book was a refreshing change, a unique story, and I wish I read Spanish well enough to read it all over again in its original language. In fact, I'd recommend that blindly to anyone who can. Thinking it would be Jo vs. Me? Like it better already.
August 19, 2021
No es un libro para mi.
Karen narra su historia, una niña solitaria, maltratada y autista que es rescatada por su tía quien es la única que puede acercarse a Karen.
Crece, trata de adaptarse lo más que puede y llevar las riendas de una empresa atunera familiar con algunas ideas de la propia Karen.
May 24, 2022
I love the cover. The basic idea of the book that is found in the abstract is great, but I find the book to be so poorly written. I dont recommend this book.
August 14, 2020
Karen yeets an 80 year old man into the sea because he calls her an idiot and if that’s not a 5 star read idk what is
May 18, 2020
La mujer que buceó dentro del corazón del mundo por Sabina Berman
Una novela que narra la historia de Karen, una chica autista desde su infancia/adolescencia desde un punto de vista muy peculiar. Contada en primera persona pero refiriéndose a ella misma como Yo.
Una historia bonita y dura a partes iguales, donde la protagonista encuentra su camino en el sector atunero pero de una forma distinta: protegiendo al atún de la pesca masiva.
Le pongo un pero: "El pienso, luego existo" de Descartes no lo enfoca bien, no sé si de forma intencionada por la dificultad para captar las metáforas y el lenguaje no directo de la protagonista o por una mala interpretación de la conocida reflexión del filósofo.
Aún así, tienes que leerla porque la prosa de Berman es sublime.
4 sobre 5.
Una novela que narra la historia de Karen, una chica autista desde su infancia/adolescencia desde un punto de vista muy peculiar. Contada en primera persona pero refiriéndose a ella misma como Yo.
Una historia bonita y dura a partes iguales, donde la protagonista encuentra su camino en el sector atunero pero de una forma distinta: protegiendo al atún de la pesca masiva.
Le pongo un pero: "El pienso, luego existo" de Descartes no lo enfoca bien, no sé si de forma intencionada por la dificultad para captar las metáforas y el lenguaje no directo de la protagonista o por una mala interpretación de la conocida reflexión del filósofo.
Aún así, tienes que leerla porque la prosa de Berman es sublime.
4 sobre 5.
April 8, 2025
Una historia diferente en cuanto a trama y forma de narrar. La autora consigue meternos en los pensamientos de una persona con TEA y como su mundo gira en torno al mar. Sus vivencias, su perspectiva del mundo y de las personas y sobre todo las peculiaridades de esta sociedad que en muchas ocasiones son incomprensibles para ella. Pero una historia, sobre todo que te hará descubrir que todos los mitos sobre las personas con TEA. No son ciertos.
July 20, 2025
“Y sencillamente porque un humano standard vive separado por su pensamiento de las cosas naturales, incluso de su propio cuerpo, y como nada puede ser feliz si no es en su cuerpo real, el ser humano no es feliz.”
"The woman who dived into the heart of the world" is one of those underrated hidden gems one encounters by chance. I wanted to read as many books by mexican authors as possible before my trip, and I was lucky enough to stumble upon one that fit like a glove! I loved the writing style, it made me laugh, and reflect, and discover! It embraces diversity and celebrates nature.
I think I will reread it one day for its beautiful, humourous but unpretentious way of describing everything that surrounds us, and for its meaningful messages about being present, accepting the different, and finding value in everything and everyone.
“También me gustan mucho los nombres de los colores, que son cosas que casi no son. Quiero decir, los colores son cosas que por un poco y no existen. Que entre ser y no ser, son como de milagro.”
"The woman who dived into the heart of the world" is one of those underrated hidden gems one encounters by chance. I wanted to read as many books by mexican authors as possible before my trip, and I was lucky enough to stumble upon one that fit like a glove! I loved the writing style, it made me laugh, and reflect, and discover! It embraces diversity and celebrates nature.
I think I will reread it one day for its beautiful, humourous but unpretentious way of describing everything that surrounds us, and for its meaningful messages about being present, accepting the different, and finding value in everything and everyone.
“También me gustan mucho los nombres de los colores, que son cosas que casi no son. Quiero decir, los colores son cosas que por un poco y no existen. Que entre ser y no ser, son como de milagro.”
September 8, 2015
Taken from the point of view of an autistic woman, Karen (which took me a really long time to remember her name since it is first person perspective and she always capitalizes Me), the book looks at how human beings think about what make them human. Two major points of reference she draws on time and time again are Descartes and Darwin. Her major problem with Descartes is his famous phrase "I think; therefore, I am," which she finds impossibly stupid. And I agree with her. She's convinced me wholeheartedly. First, you exist and then you think. Descartes uses this idea to define reality. A reality in which anything that thinks must exist more than anything that does not think. Thus, animals are inferior to humans, which allows us to eat them and kill them with little concern for them. The book goes to great, and subtle, lengths to convince the reader that things, humans and animals, exist first and then learn to think.
Karen loves Darwin. He went outside of himself, unlike Descartes, and discovered a reality of how humans became humans and how all the animals became the animals they are. She much prefers this reality because it connects her to the animals (this case that humans and monkeys have a common ancestor). However, once again, human have perverted his message and made the phrase "survival of the fittest" famous, irregardless of his true hypothesis. Darwin has so much more to say about compassion and cooperation than strife and competition.
Obviously, what I find most interesting about the book was her redefinition of what a human is. But there are so many more elements to this story that are rich and make this book a worthwhile read. Since Karen is autistic, the reader gets a better understanding of what autism is (keyword: better), as well as a more complete picture of what the meat and fish industries are doing to the environment and to the animals themselves, though the book is not an account of the atrocities of the meat and fish corporations. The book was also really well written and used a language that I could relate to and become emotionally connected with. This book is the first that I've read that has come even close to convincing me to become a vegetarian. The only thing I wish was different was that I didn't want this book to be a novel.
I am definitely going to read more books by this author.
Karen loves Darwin. He went outside of himself, unlike Descartes, and discovered a reality of how humans became humans and how all the animals became the animals they are. She much prefers this reality because it connects her to the animals (this case that humans and monkeys have a common ancestor). However, once again, human have perverted his message and made the phrase "survival of the fittest" famous, irregardless of his true hypothesis. Darwin has so much more to say about compassion and cooperation than strife and competition.
Obviously, what I find most interesting about the book was her redefinition of what a human is. But there are so many more elements to this story that are rich and make this book a worthwhile read. Since Karen is autistic, the reader gets a better understanding of what autism is (keyword: better), as well as a more complete picture of what the meat and fish industries are doing to the environment and to the animals themselves, though the book is not an account of the atrocities of the meat and fish corporations. The book was also really well written and used a language that I could relate to and become emotionally connected with. This book is the first that I've read that has come even close to convincing me to become a vegetarian. The only thing I wish was different was that I didn't want this book to be a novel.
I am definitely going to read more books by this author.
August 14, 2021
Este es otro libro a prueba de bala: gusta a todas las personas que leen mucho y a quienes Este es otro libro a prueba de bala: gusta a todos les leyentes, quienes leen mucho y quienes apenas se inician. Los personajes autistas, en su marcada diferencia y proceso de incorporación al mundo, cada vez ganan mayor estelaridad en las obras narrativas. Pienso en El curioso incidente del perro a media noche, libro también querible y apto para todo tipo de lectores. El neurocientífico y divulgador de la ciencia Oliver Sacks, en su artículo “Un antropólogo en Marte”, resume el interés que le ha suscitado entender esta condición, sus orígenes y a quienes la viven, y narrarla; al menos yo, por primera vez, supe así de Temple Gardin. Karen Nieto, la personaja, está inspirada en ella, una autista resiliente que contra todo pronóstico aprovechó sus particularidades no solo para salir adelante, sino para aportar a la sociedad. La novela, que sucede en territorio mexicano, con referencias temporales y locales muy ubicables, pinta la fuerza y la convicción del amor entre una tía y una sobrina que permite a ambas desarrollarse en ámbitos inimaginados. Las dos personajas son enternecedoras, viven escenas memorables porque expanden el entendimiento de lo humano, lo limitado e ilimitado de la biología frente a la fuerza del amor y de la mente.
#México #Escritoras #Discapacidad #ParaTodos #PersonajeHistórico #Resiliencia #TiempoContextoMexicano
#México #Escritoras #Discapacidad #ParaTodos #PersonajeHistórico #Resiliencia #TiempoContextoMexicano
October 19, 2014
I had to read this for a Latin American Literature class I'm taking. At first I thought it would be a boring book. I Loved this book! Karen the main character's struggle being autistic allowed her to relate more to the tuna than as she calls it "humans". She is always under estimated in her abilities but her Aunt sees more in her than anyone and believes she has more to offer. I liked how she found similarities when she travels to Japan in the peoples customs and compared them to her austism. Her extreme ability in detail allowed me to visualize her experiences. She finds her reality and makes peace.
August 16, 2012
A very peculiar book. I found it really hard to get into the rhythm of the writing at first and then I wasn't sure if I was enjoying it or not.
Having said that, I raced through the last half and didn't want to put it down .
Having read a few books with Autistic characters, this wasn't new, however this was the first I'd read from an adult female perspective.
I always enjoy seeing the world from someone else's perspective, a new set of priorities and values. It is always thought provoking.
An enjoyable read.
Having said that, I raced through the last half and didn't want to put it down .
Having read a few books with Autistic characters, this wasn't new, however this was the first I'd read from an adult female perspective.
I always enjoy seeing the world from someone else's perspective, a new set of priorities and values. It is always thought provoking.
An enjoyable read.
February 27, 2013
Wow....a very odd and wonderful read. If you like this book, I'd recommend any of the books by Temple Grandin, an autistic woman who has created an amazing life as a professor in the Veterinary School of Colorado State University. Especially great linked to this book is Thinking in Pictures in which Grandin explores her ability to understand animal thought.
May 30, 2012
El relato de Karen, más lúcida que muchos de los que la rodean, reivindica la intuición y los sentidos frente a la razón, el derecho a ser diferente. Su particular sensibilidad no siempre es comprendida por los otros. Dura pero frágil, incomprendida y genial.
May 23, 2013
Karen Nieto is an autistic child who was neglected and abused by her mother. When the mother dies, her sister inherits the mansion, the family tuna cannery and her feral niece.
Some of the most beautiful writing I've ever read.
Some of the most beautiful writing I've ever read.
January 24, 2014
On the 21st of August, 1978, Isabelle Nieto arrives from California to the coastal town of Mazatlán, Mexico, after her grandfather's death. Arriving at the family's 19th-century French mansion, Isabelle learns that she's inherited her grandfather's tuna cannery, Consolation Tuna, since her older sister, Lorena, also died recently at the age of sixty-seven. That's not all she's inherited, though. There is also the matter of the "Thing" that lives in the house, along with Gorda, the housekeeper. The Thing is a wild girl of indeterminate age, with a mat of tangled hair, filthy and scarred from her mother's beatings, who in times of stress eats sand off the beach. She's a ghost in the house who has been living beneath it, on the ground by a water hole.
Isabelle takes both the cannery and her newly discovered niece under her care. She cleans and dresses the girl, names her Karen, and proceeds to teach her to speak, read and write, to eat properly, to dress and many other things. The first word she later remembers learning was "me", and the concept that Karen is the one and only "Me" forever sticks with her.
The cannery, though, is in trouble. An American embargo on Mexican tuna due to the slaughter of dolphins means that they can't export the cans of tuna to the States. While Isabelle downsizes the company and its fleet of twenty ships by half, she sends Karen to America to earn a degree at university. Karen is an autistic savant: considered an idiot in some areas, a genius in others. She's already mastered English, but she struggles in her classes, the names of which she finds bizarre: Animal Industry Economy (all about how to make money off killing and selling animals); Scientific Experimentation (where they taught you to torture live animals); and Human Intelligence (a class that "justified our license to kill animals). In Karen's autistic, black-and-white literal mind, she prefers Charles Darwin over Descartes, and relates better to animals than to people.
While Karen doesn't earn a degree, she's learned a lot and had a few ideas of her own, which she uses to turn Consolation Tuna into the first dolphin-friendly, low-stress tuna cannery in the world. Unfortunately, not all their problems are solved, and it isn't until a strange man with incredible wealth turns up at the family mansion with a proposal that things really change. Though, everyone underestimates Karen and her affinity for animals over humans, with unexpected results.
This profound novel gripped me from the very beginning and held me close right to the end. A smooth blend of animal rights, philosophical thought and what it means to be human, Berman has written a powerful novel that explores our place in the world and the values we give things. In the creation of Karen Nieto, autistic savant, she has created the perfect character, narrator and protagonist to shine a light on certain things we take for granted, assume is our right, and never question - such as our sense of our own superiority on this planet and how we abuse this self-given right.
Karen narrates her own story, looking back from the age of forty-one over the course of her strange life. She writes in her own distinct voice, and her story is full of her unique perceptions and growing understandings. There is a clear sense of self-awareness, especially of her own place in human society, but in her honest, literal-minded way, she doesn't disguise or inflate or lie about her own qualities. She knows who she is better than anyone else, except her aunt.
I haven't read very many books that are told from the perspective of someone on the autism spectrum - I did get a copy of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, back in 2007 I think it was, and I still haven't read it, whoops! I have read the memoir of John Elder Robison, Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s and, just last year, Graeme Simsion's The Rosie Project , which features a narrator who has some form of Asperger's. While Karen Nieto seems to have been modelled on real-life animal rights autistic, Temple Grandin, whom I know of only in general terms (I haven't yet read any of her books or watched the biopic of her life, starring Claire Dane), so I think my love of this book comes from its freshness and uniqueness: I don't have much to compare it to, therefore there isn't much that can detract from it.
The world as seen through Karen's eyes is a black-and-white world: she sees things the way they are, in simple terms, and without metaphor or euphemism or romantic rosy glasses. And she sees the position of animals on the planet and in this human world in the same way, starkly free of religious symbolism, historical precedent, economic greed or social norms. As such, she doesn't agree with the way most humans see their place in the world, or that animals are there simply for us to use and abuse.
I loved Karen's frank appraisal of Descarte's famous philosophy, the one where he sums up our sense of our own superiority and justifies it: I think, therefore I am. I loved it partly because the same ideas that Karen responds to it with, occurred to me also when I had to study it in first year philosophy at uni (I was disillusioned, to put it mildly, to discover that in the study of philosophy we were meant to simply absorb the philosophies of dead white men and what they mean, not argue or analyse or critique them, so I didn't take any more classes in it after first year). It is in the same vein as that rather lame idea of the tree falling in the forest making no sound because no person is around to hear it. I can't remember where that was from originally, but I remember studying a bit of Berkley who said much the same: that this chair only exists if I am here to see it, therefore I know that God exists because He "sees" the chair when I am not in the room (thus ensuring its continued existence). I'm paraphrasing (and bastardising) but that's the general gist of it.
Karen strips it all back, and by seeing things in more simple, less esoteric and egoistic ways, sees more truth in the world than we allow ourselves to.
Aside from Karen's introspective thoughts, this also a novel of action. Smoothly paced and executed, we follow Karen (mostly chronologically) through her life with its strange quirks - such as how she likes to put on her wetsuit and hang from the wall in a harness; the feeling of floating while being encased is freeing and relaxing to her - as she travels the world and gets caught up with animal rights activists in France. She has interesting and often funny experiences, like her attempts to figure out how to use a modern Japanese toilet results in her first-ever orgasm!
In fact, the story is often very humorous through the way Karen describes and relates things. She has no sense of humour or irony herself, but because we have a greater understanding of the undercurrents and misunderstandings, for example, many scenes are humorous to us. Karen is not presented as a comedic, or clown, figure, by any means. She's a deeply sympathetic character, though she retains that sense of the alien Other because we can never see the world quite like she does. She lets us in and shares it with us, but we can't stay. What comes across clearly and emphatically, though, is just how human Karen is, the depth and richness of her own unique human experience and emotions.
She may be autistic and many of the people she meets in the course of her life dismiss her or ridicule her, but readers of her story will come away from it with the understanding that Karen isn't all that different, really - that the things we measure her on and judge her on, aren't as important as we like to make out in the grand scheme of things. She notes her three core values, the things she's realised about herself that she sees as strengths. I noted also, that in her inability to grasp economic principles or agree with human superiority, she is more humane than most of her fellow humans. She can't fit into "normal" society, she will also be odd and unusual and need things to be explained differently, but what Karen shows us is that how we treat many of our fellow humans is not much different from how we treat our fellow animals: with a lack of understanding, empathy, dignity even, and with a clear view to drawing a line in the sand so we can maintain the upper hand.
For a thought-provoking, insightful and vivid look into the heart and mind of an autistic savant as well as a sharp critique on animal husbandry and industry as well as the environment and our place as a species within it, Sabina Berman has written a stellar novel. If you read nothing else this year, read Me, Who Dove into the Heart of the World.
Isabelle takes both the cannery and her newly discovered niece under her care. She cleans and dresses the girl, names her Karen, and proceeds to teach her to speak, read and write, to eat properly, to dress and many other things. The first word she later remembers learning was "me", and the concept that Karen is the one and only "Me" forever sticks with her.
The cannery, though, is in trouble. An American embargo on Mexican tuna due to the slaughter of dolphins means that they can't export the cans of tuna to the States. While Isabelle downsizes the company and its fleet of twenty ships by half, she sends Karen to America to earn a degree at university. Karen is an autistic savant: considered an idiot in some areas, a genius in others. She's already mastered English, but she struggles in her classes, the names of which she finds bizarre: Animal Industry Economy (all about how to make money off killing and selling animals); Scientific Experimentation (where they taught you to torture live animals); and Human Intelligence (a class that "justified our license to kill animals). In Karen's autistic, black-and-white literal mind, she prefers Charles Darwin over Descartes, and relates better to animals than to people.
While Karen doesn't earn a degree, she's learned a lot and had a few ideas of her own, which she uses to turn Consolation Tuna into the first dolphin-friendly, low-stress tuna cannery in the world. Unfortunately, not all their problems are solved, and it isn't until a strange man with incredible wealth turns up at the family mansion with a proposal that things really change. Though, everyone underestimates Karen and her affinity for animals over humans, with unexpected results.
This profound novel gripped me from the very beginning and held me close right to the end. A smooth blend of animal rights, philosophical thought and what it means to be human, Berman has written a powerful novel that explores our place in the world and the values we give things. In the creation of Karen Nieto, autistic savant, she has created the perfect character, narrator and protagonist to shine a light on certain things we take for granted, assume is our right, and never question - such as our sense of our own superiority on this planet and how we abuse this self-given right.
Karen narrates her own story, looking back from the age of forty-one over the course of her strange life. She writes in her own distinct voice, and her story is full of her unique perceptions and growing understandings. There is a clear sense of self-awareness, especially of her own place in human society, but in her honest, literal-minded way, she doesn't disguise or inflate or lie about her own qualities. She knows who she is better than anyone else, except her aunt.
I don't feel those 101 things that are somewhere between pain, fear, and happiness, or between hunger and sleepiness. Which, the way I see it, is to my advantage.
I mean, I know that I am dimwitted, at least compared to standard humans. I know that on standard IQ tests I score somewhere between idiot and imbecile. But I have 3 virtues, and they are big ones.
1. I don't know how to lie.
2. I don't fantasize, so things that don't exist don't worry Me or hurt Me.
3. I know that I only know what I know, and that what I don't know - which is a lot more - I am sure I don't know.
And that, like I said, over the long run has given Me a big advantage over standard humans. [p.25]
I haven't read very many books that are told from the perspective of someone on the autism spectrum - I did get a copy of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, back in 2007 I think it was, and I still haven't read it, whoops! I have read the memoir of John Elder Robison, Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s and, just last year, Graeme Simsion's The Rosie Project , which features a narrator who has some form of Asperger's. While Karen Nieto seems to have been modelled on real-life animal rights autistic, Temple Grandin, whom I know of only in general terms (I haven't yet read any of her books or watched the biopic of her life, starring Claire Dane), so I think my love of this book comes from its freshness and uniqueness: I don't have much to compare it to, therefore there isn't much that can detract from it.
The world as seen through Karen's eyes is a black-and-white world: she sees things the way they are, in simple terms, and without metaphor or euphemism or romantic rosy glasses. And she sees the position of animals on the planet and in this human world in the same way, starkly free of religious symbolism, historical precedent, economic greed or social norms. As such, she doesn't agree with the way most humans see their place in the world, or that animals are there simply for us to use and abuse.
The standard human world: a bubble where nothing that isn't human is really seen or heard, where only what's human matters and everything else is either background, or merchandise, or food. [p.30]
I loved Karen's frank appraisal of Descarte's famous philosophy, the one where he sums up our sense of our own superiority and justifies it: I think, therefore I am. I loved it partly because the same ideas that Karen responds to it with, occurred to me also when I had to study it in first year philosophy at uni (I was disillusioned, to put it mildly, to discover that in the study of philosophy we were meant to simply absorb the philosophies of dead white men and what they mean, not argue or analyse or critique them, so I didn't take any more classes in it after first year). It is in the same vein as that rather lame idea of the tree falling in the forest making no sound because no person is around to hear it. I can't remember where that was from originally, but I remember studying a bit of Berkley who said much the same: that this chair only exists if I am here to see it, therefore I know that God exists because He "sees" the chair when I am not in the room (thus ensuring its continued existence). I'm paraphrasing (and bastardising) but that's the general gist of it.
Karen strips it all back, and by seeing things in more simple, less esoteric and egoistic ways, sees more truth in the world than we allow ourselves to.
Descartes didn't write only about human thought. He also wrote, at the end of his life, a very short book on happiness, which I did read and which, unfortunately, is less famous than the others.
After many words and 24 pages, Descartes wrote that happiness is a matter of the senses. Seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, tasting: that is happiness. Then Descartes wrote many other pages full of words, which is a shame because he'd reached the truth on page 25.
Yes, the most basic, most happy form of happiness is simply feeling with your senses. Thinking with your eyes and skin and tongue and nose and ears. [p.107]
Aside from Karen's introspective thoughts, this also a novel of action. Smoothly paced and executed, we follow Karen (mostly chronologically) through her life with its strange quirks - such as how she likes to put on her wetsuit and hang from the wall in a harness; the feeling of floating while being encased is freeing and relaxing to her - as she travels the world and gets caught up with animal rights activists in France. She has interesting and often funny experiences, like her attempts to figure out how to use a modern Japanese toilet results in her first-ever orgasm!
In fact, the story is often very humorous through the way Karen describes and relates things. She has no sense of humour or irony herself, but because we have a greater understanding of the undercurrents and misunderstandings, for example, many scenes are humorous to us. Karen is not presented as a comedic, or clown, figure, by any means. She's a deeply sympathetic character, though she retains that sense of the alien Other because we can never see the world quite like she does. She lets us in and shares it with us, but we can't stay. What comes across clearly and emphatically, though, is just how human Karen is, the depth and richness of her own unique human experience and emotions.
She may be autistic and many of the people she meets in the course of her life dismiss her or ridicule her, but readers of her story will come away from it with the understanding that Karen isn't all that different, really - that the things we measure her on and judge her on, aren't as important as we like to make out in the grand scheme of things. She notes her three core values, the things she's realised about herself that she sees as strengths. I noted also, that in her inability to grasp economic principles or agree with human superiority, she is more humane than most of her fellow humans. She can't fit into "normal" society, she will also be odd and unusual and need things to be explained differently, but what Karen shows us is that how we treat many of our fellow humans is not much different from how we treat our fellow animals: with a lack of understanding, empathy, dignity even, and with a clear view to drawing a line in the sand so we can maintain the upper hand.
For a thought-provoking, insightful and vivid look into the heart and mind of an autistic savant as well as a sharp critique on animal husbandry and industry as well as the environment and our place as a species within it, Sabina Berman has written a stellar novel. If you read nothing else this year, read Me, Who Dove into the Heart of the World.
June 11, 2012
If you like original, unusual, interesting books, this has to be on the top of your list. Narrated by Karen Nieto, an autistic savant, this book takes you into the world of someone who makes the most of her “different abilities”. Written by an acclaimed Mexican author, of Jewish background, who often uses part of her heritage in her books, the readers will find that the novel enlightens them with interesting, clear and concise information, not only about autism but also about the tuna industry, especially in terms of its impact on the environment and in terms of its culinary and nutritional value.
Karen's story introduces us to the food chain of tuna and dolphins, and we learn how the larger of all species feeds upon the smaller of another, how dolphins protect tuna as they swim, how they sometimes get caught in traps, how they are brutally treated and how she, of "different abilities", recognizes their needs and lobbies for their more humane treatment as she designs more humane methods of capturing and killing them. It seems odd to be so concerned about humanely treating something you are eventually intending to destroy, murder, eat..., but the gift of this character is that she makes you question things merely with her simplistic reasoning. She made me think of our penal code, the death penalty...solitary confinement, etc., the ways we treat each other. In order to reform someone, is punishing them the answer, is showing them less humane treatment how they learn? If they learn by the example, isn’t that the wrong lesson?
To Karen, who is autistic, humans are too complicated. She reduces problems to their basics, to uncomplicated forms. Things are more black and white. She doesn’t see gray areas. It either is one way, or it isn’t. She does not waste words or make idle conversation. She does not really know how to do that, and she considers it a waste of time and effort.
After inheriting the tuna factory from her sister, Karen’s aunt moves to Mazatlan to take it over and run it in the interest of family. Once there, she discovers Karen, an untamed child, unkempt, completely wild and uncontrollable, with no language or verbal skills and with little or no interest in communicating with others. In fact, she hides from the world and seems to only show herself in order to investigate what piques her curiosity or to feed her hunger, which can be satisfied by things other than food, as is evidenced when she eats sand. She is left to herself by the inhabitants who know full well of her existence. Mostly she runs away and lives without hygiene of any kind and without any structure, as well, until her Aunt Isabelle discovers her and realizes that she is most likely her deceased sister’s offspring. When she sees the appalling conditions in which she lives, and she realizes that she has been abused, as evidenced by the scars on her body, she sets about to try and tame her, educate her and provide a viable live for her. This proves to be a daunting task. However, Isabelle is an unusual person. When she discovers that Karen fails 90 % of the tests she is given and is classified basically as a childlike imbecile, she decides to concentrate on the 10% of the test results that classify her as a genius. What a remarkable idea!!!
This is definitely a book with a progressive slant to it. Environmentalists will love this book, although the darker, more violent side of environmentalism is also exposed. Karen is unusual. Her memory for certain things is exact, her need for privacy and silence often sends her outside herself, away from the world, and she simply “disappears”. She uses a harness and wetsuit to suspend herself upside down from the ceiling when she needs to be calm, to center herself and escape from the over stimulated world of people. Often her behavior is very anti-social and she can do violent things like tossing people into water to remove them when they annoy her too much. She has no filter on her behavior.
Karen’s view of the world is uncomplicated by what she calls metaphors. She would prefer people say exactly what they mean to express themselves. She doesn’t easily comprehend facial expressions and cannot make them without practice. She doesn’t feel the way the majority of people “feel”. Her emotions are missing. She is more clinical than passionate; actually, the only thing she gets excited about is the well being of the tuna. Greenpeace adores her. I loved her explanation of why Descartes is absolutely wrong about his theory that “I think, therefore I am”. She says, rightly and literally so, you must be, before you can think, so that his idea is idiotic!
The important characters were well defined and you could almost see the actor or actress playing their role on the big screen. The writing was interesting as in the use of the numeral 1 instead of the word, (one), or in giving Karen the name of “ME” in the beginning, rather than a real name. Explaining her idiosyncrasies was a large part of the dialogue and it helped to understand what autism is and how an autistic person would interact in the world, often misunderstood and often not recognized as someone with a handicap. Too many people made fun of her shortcomings instead of her strong points. An enormous spotlight was shed on the cruelty of humans towards those who are different and those they deem less important. The mercenary character traits were emphasized, as well, to contrast with the fact that Karen only wanted to do good for the world of the sea creatures and held no interest in monetary gain. She was not judgmental nor was she callous. She admits she cannot lie, and these traits can’t possibly be construed in a negative way, can they?
This author has a light touch and with a judicious sense of humor, makes what could be a really complicated story into one that wears “simple story clothing”. It is about a child who sees the world through the eyes of her autism. Her perspective, while narrow, is often clearer and more concise than that of the more educated among us who create convoluted answers and explanations, often to applaud themselves. This novel makes one think about how we treat each other, as well as how we treat everything else around us, animate and inanimate.
The only things I found lacking in the book were references to the real world. I was left wondering about its credibility, wondering if someone like Karen did or could exist, and would people around her be as cavalier as they were to her abuse at home, at school or in any setting. Were it not for her aunt, what kind of a life would she have led? I would have liked to know more about the author's reasons for writing the novel and how she conducted her research. The topic is timely and important on many levels.
Karen's story introduces us to the food chain of tuna and dolphins, and we learn how the larger of all species feeds upon the smaller of another, how dolphins protect tuna as they swim, how they sometimes get caught in traps, how they are brutally treated and how she, of "different abilities", recognizes their needs and lobbies for their more humane treatment as she designs more humane methods of capturing and killing them. It seems odd to be so concerned about humanely treating something you are eventually intending to destroy, murder, eat..., but the gift of this character is that she makes you question things merely with her simplistic reasoning. She made me think of our penal code, the death penalty...solitary confinement, etc., the ways we treat each other. In order to reform someone, is punishing them the answer, is showing them less humane treatment how they learn? If they learn by the example, isn’t that the wrong lesson?
To Karen, who is autistic, humans are too complicated. She reduces problems to their basics, to uncomplicated forms. Things are more black and white. She doesn’t see gray areas. It either is one way, or it isn’t. She does not waste words or make idle conversation. She does not really know how to do that, and she considers it a waste of time and effort.
After inheriting the tuna factory from her sister, Karen’s aunt moves to Mazatlan to take it over and run it in the interest of family. Once there, she discovers Karen, an untamed child, unkempt, completely wild and uncontrollable, with no language or verbal skills and with little or no interest in communicating with others. In fact, she hides from the world and seems to only show herself in order to investigate what piques her curiosity or to feed her hunger, which can be satisfied by things other than food, as is evidenced when she eats sand. She is left to herself by the inhabitants who know full well of her existence. Mostly she runs away and lives without hygiene of any kind and without any structure, as well, until her Aunt Isabelle discovers her and realizes that she is most likely her deceased sister’s offspring. When she sees the appalling conditions in which she lives, and she realizes that she has been abused, as evidenced by the scars on her body, she sets about to try and tame her, educate her and provide a viable live for her. This proves to be a daunting task. However, Isabelle is an unusual person. When she discovers that Karen fails 90 % of the tests she is given and is classified basically as a childlike imbecile, she decides to concentrate on the 10% of the test results that classify her as a genius. What a remarkable idea!!!
This is definitely a book with a progressive slant to it. Environmentalists will love this book, although the darker, more violent side of environmentalism is also exposed. Karen is unusual. Her memory for certain things is exact, her need for privacy and silence often sends her outside herself, away from the world, and she simply “disappears”. She uses a harness and wetsuit to suspend herself upside down from the ceiling when she needs to be calm, to center herself and escape from the over stimulated world of people. Often her behavior is very anti-social and she can do violent things like tossing people into water to remove them when they annoy her too much. She has no filter on her behavior.
Karen’s view of the world is uncomplicated by what she calls metaphors. She would prefer people say exactly what they mean to express themselves. She doesn’t easily comprehend facial expressions and cannot make them without practice. She doesn’t feel the way the majority of people “feel”. Her emotions are missing. She is more clinical than passionate; actually, the only thing she gets excited about is the well being of the tuna. Greenpeace adores her. I loved her explanation of why Descartes is absolutely wrong about his theory that “I think, therefore I am”. She says, rightly and literally so, you must be, before you can think, so that his idea is idiotic!
The important characters were well defined and you could almost see the actor or actress playing their role on the big screen. The writing was interesting as in the use of the numeral 1 instead of the word, (one), or in giving Karen the name of “ME” in the beginning, rather than a real name. Explaining her idiosyncrasies was a large part of the dialogue and it helped to understand what autism is and how an autistic person would interact in the world, often misunderstood and often not recognized as someone with a handicap. Too many people made fun of her shortcomings instead of her strong points. An enormous spotlight was shed on the cruelty of humans towards those who are different and those they deem less important. The mercenary character traits were emphasized, as well, to contrast with the fact that Karen only wanted to do good for the world of the sea creatures and held no interest in monetary gain. She was not judgmental nor was she callous. She admits she cannot lie, and these traits can’t possibly be construed in a negative way, can they?
This author has a light touch and with a judicious sense of humor, makes what could be a really complicated story into one that wears “simple story clothing”. It is about a child who sees the world through the eyes of her autism. Her perspective, while narrow, is often clearer and more concise than that of the more educated among us who create convoluted answers and explanations, often to applaud themselves. This novel makes one think about how we treat each other, as well as how we treat everything else around us, animate and inanimate.
The only things I found lacking in the book were references to the real world. I was left wondering about its credibility, wondering if someone like Karen did or could exist, and would people around her be as cavalier as they were to her abuse at home, at school or in any setting. Were it not for her aunt, what kind of a life would she have led? I would have liked to know more about the author's reasons for writing the novel and how she conducted her research. The topic is timely and important on many levels.
June 14, 2020
4
La verdad no sabía que esperar de este libro, las primeras, no sé, 80 páginas me atraparon muy bien además de que me hacían pensar mucho, después sentí que bajo el ritmo y perdió un poco mi atención, pero, las últimas paginas fueron muy profundas y sencillas al mismo tiempo.
La forma de redacción es curiosa pero se adapta bien a los pensamientos que se supone debe transmitir el narrador, unos toques crudos y desde una perspectiva cero convencional.
De verdad llegar al final fue lo mejor. Definitivamente es un libro que recomendaría.
La verdad no sabía que esperar de este libro, las primeras, no sé, 80 páginas me atraparon muy bien además de que me hacían pensar mucho, después sentí que bajo el ritmo y perdió un poco mi atención, pero, las últimas paginas fueron muy profundas y sencillas al mismo tiempo.
La forma de redacción es curiosa pero se adapta bien a los pensamientos que se supone debe transmitir el narrador, unos toques crudos y desde una perspectiva cero convencional.
De verdad llegar al final fue lo mejor. Definitivamente es un libro que recomendaría.
August 20, 2017
No conocía a la autora. Por casualidad ví una entrevista que hizo recientemente y me gustó su personalidad. Leí que su trabajo más conocido es en el área del periodismo y me interesé por esta novela que ha sido traducida a varios idiomas.
El libro te atrapa desde los primeros párrafos, son personajes con los que te identificas fácilmente, los que tenemos algo de autistas y vivimos en el México actual tan dinámico y cambiante, con las facilidades y retos de esta época.
El libro te atrapa desde los primeros párrafos, son personajes con los que te identificas fácilmente, los que tenemos algo de autistas y vivimos en el México actual tan dinámico y cambiante, con las facilidades y retos de esta época.
June 17, 2019
Me hizo llorar y reír con su sarcasmo inteligente y muy negro. Pudiera resultar un poco tedioso en algunas páginas, pero ¡ si que vale la pena!
July 2, 2019
El principio es muy duro y lindo.
Luego, se va tornando cada vez más jalado del pelo, lo que le hace perder credibilidad a la historia.
Aún así, es una lectura entretenida y linda.
Un cuento moderno.
Luego, se va tornando cada vez más jalado del pelo, lo que le hace perder credibilidad a la historia.
Aún así, es una lectura entretenida y linda.
Un cuento moderno.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 320 reviews