In Real Life: An English-Spanish Novel in Poems

by Leticia Sala

In Real An Online Love Story is the first of its kind—a bilingual novel-in-poetry written by popular Spanish-language poet Leticia Sala. In Real Life is not only about a young Barcelona woman who finds romance online thousands of miles away in New York City, it is also an ode to the titanic effort required in staying loyal to a commitment and her own individuality in the silicon age.Told in a poetic key, the fate of this couple, whose relationship begins with love at first like, offers a fractured mosaic of essential moments crowded with insecurities and urban neuroses, both contemporary and universal. The characters in the work of Leticia Sala seek light in the chaos churned out by modern culture and are always treated by the author with compassion, regard, and respect for their unfolding desires.In Real Life captures our infatuation with technology and finding new ways of relating to one another, our fascination with travel and language, and our age-old obsession with that right to love and feel loved. 

Genres: Poetry, Fiction, Spanish Literature

226 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2020

Reviews

[Geoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved that the poems were published in both Spanish and English, and although my high school Spanish is really rusty it was interesting to see how the poems slightly differed in each language. The poems' themes selves were on the whole pretty good. Some of them strayed into Instagram Poet territory, but several , like 'Typing" were interesting:

I never thought the word 'typing'
could wax so luminous.

While waiting while holding on, I imagine
the millions of words
you might write for me,

unready as I am
to accept
the single word
with which you finally
reply.

The "novel" part didn't really work for me. These are clearly thematically and temporally connected, but there's not much of a plot beyond what you would find in a romcom (meet cute, fall in love, deal with adversity, separate, reunite, happily ever after). On the whole a soothing, romantic read.

**Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for a free review in exchange for an honest review.

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this for the cover. I got it for I was made to believe from the title that it was supposed to be a novel in poems.

Novel?

I was expecting some form of continuity or description of something.

I got poetry verses, not that connected to the previous one or the next.

Okay. Let it be. I love poetry.

I kept on reading.

But yes, I feel there's nothing much that I haven't read before.

Instagram poetry genre.

If you love poetry by Rupi Kaur and Amanda Lovelace, you might like this collection.


Thanks NetGalley for the copy.

[Jungian.Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was provided by Netgalley. #Netgalley
This is a book of poems that reads like a story of two lovers who seek ways to explain how much they love each other, how much their love for each other is worth, and how much more they want from each other.
Each poem is so beautifully crafted and so heartfelt that it pulls you as the reader into the relationship. It expresses deep love, acceptance, loss, grief, second chance, and most importantly self-reflection.
One that really stood out to me was the 'Reflection' poem
"Couples are the most perfect mirrors" and it just made me think about the importance of having a partner that reflects your heart. You only stay with someone you think you want. If you look in the mirror hoping to see a perfect you, then that is what you will see.

Another is 'Twisted'
"You, pretending to be, the person you think, I'm expecting you to be
Me, pretending to be the person I think you're expecting me to be"
This is true in a lot of relationships, especially at the start, if you are going to pretend to be someone else's type then you really shouldn't be dating that person in the first place. It will just be this rollercoaster where you keep trying to be someone you are not.

My personal favorite has to be 'Waves'
where she takes about commitment and sacrifice, basically if you are not ready to commit to this for the rest of your life, then don't go in. at least, go in knowing that you will give it all you've got, sacrifice what you have to, then you will know that you did everything you could for it to work.
I really enjoyed this book and I hope everyone checks it out.

[Alan Gonzalez Bisnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 2.8

My biggest gripe with this book is that it’s marketed as a “novel in poems”, but it doesn’t follow any narrative. It thematically explores the trials and tribulations of a relationship. So really, it’s a collection of poems about the budding relationship of a man and a woman.

I will say, I was kind of bummed to not have loved this book. I thought that the thoughts and ideas explored in the poems were great, but the poems often felt stilted. (I read the original Spanish poems) Also, another attempt of making this a “novel” just meant that the shifts in the status of the relationship were not defined. Which made the experience a confusing one. Had they admitted that this was just a collection of poems, they could have broken it up into sections for more clarity.

All that being said, this collection does have some GREAT poetry and the exploration of love and relationships was moving.

[Monica Villas Boas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Synopsis: In Real Life, by Leticia Sala is a book that tells a story through poems. Most of the poems mention something common to the 21st century lovers: social media, long-distance relationships, how the internet plays a role in modern romance. All of the texts are presented twice: once in Spanish (Ms. Sala is Spanish) and in once in English.

Review: I don’t usually read poetry but the premise of In Real Life caught my attention. The poems are extremely easy to relate to due to mentions to “stories”, “stalking”, “googling”, etc. So, uunlike many poetry books that require a certain familiarity to the genre, this one if very approachable. Another thing that is important to mention is the fact that Leticia herself translated the poems to English; I usually think translated poetry loses a bit of its meaning, but when the author does it herself, the meaning behind the poems is always there. Last but not least: even though it’s poetry, the book can still be considered a novel: you will read about romance unfolding and developing, hoping the couple will be together in the end!

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing for the ARC!

I've never read a book like this before. A bilingual novel-in-poetry. Every poem is written in english and spanish.

My spanish level is low, even though it's very similar to portuguese. It was easier for me to read in english, but some pages I read in spanish and it was a very interesting experience. I really liked this.

When I finished it, the only thing I could think of was... I wanna read it again! I just need to! I need to read this again when I'm madly in love. I need to read this again when my heart is completely broken. My friends need to read this. You there, reading this review... You should read this book!!!

I can't even save a few quotes I liked on goodreads, because honestly I would be quoting the whole book.

LOVE IT.

[Madisen Kuhn · Rating 5 out of 5]

romance in the age of the internet. a must-read for anyone who's ever fallen in love online or over the phone. i read this book in one sitting. leti is absolutely wonderful

[Giuls · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

In Real Life was an extremely relatable and emotional poetry collection. It talks about long distance love in such a genuine and honest way that you can't help but root for Leticia and Pau.

I loved that it was extremely easy to read and the use of social media terms made the poems more real.

It was incredible to see the story unfolding after every poem and they each left a mark on my heart.

I highly recommend this to any poetry lovers or simply to anyone who's ever had a long distance relationship.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an early copy.

[Audrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was really fun! I think because the majority of the poems focused on a long distance relationship, the bilingual poetry style made a lot of sense. As someone who is attempting to become fluent in Spanish, trying to figure out what the poem was saying and then immediately being able to check my work was a lot of fun. That being said, the poems didn't exactly blow my mind, although a lot of them were clever and they were fun to read.
I think if you're familiar with Spanish and you're interested in the topic, you might enjoy this collection.

[vania meliveth · Rating 4 out of 5]

me sentí muy identificada con todo el asunto de la distancia, la virtualidad y el amor porque así han sido todas mis relaciones, leticia logra plasmar muy muy bien todos estos sentimientos 🩷

[Yanitza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I have a deep appreciation for Spanish poetry and I appreciated having the English translation as well. I find it interesting to compare the words and see how the translation can affect the meanings. I think this would be the perfect book for a coffee table. It is short, lovely, and reflective. I don’t think its one of those poetic works of arts that is life changing, its not supposed to be. The author wrote this as a love story to her husband and decide to share that story with the readers. That’s not to say that her words were not impactful or thought provoking. Her words led me to pause and reflect. I was thinking about the people her poems and the emotions depicted reminded me of. The memories I think back on. I found myself silent and deep in thought. I even verbally said “awww” a few times because of the sadness or sweetness in her words. I enjoyed reading the poetry and would definitely would recommend to those interested in contemporary Spanish poetry. I would even suggest this to those wanting to get stronger in the other language as a tool for learning either English or Spanish. Overall, they were lovely poems and I am thankful for the opportunity to read and review the ARC.

Some of my personal favorite poems were: Mi Nombre, Ok, Screenshots, Verter Aqua en Acuarelas, and Leap of Faith

Some of my favorite quotes:
“Porque el amor no tiene que irse si siempre estuvo ahÍ”
“Cuando me voy a quedar sin batería, solo te aviso a ti.”

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sadly, this is the book that will open the DNF shelf in my goodreads account. I really thought I would like it, the premise was amazing (a story told in verse in two languages! I was so up for it), but the insta-poetry style is not for me anymore.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for so kindly sending me an arc copy of this book.

I am sure other people who are more interested in reading about modern love and long distance relationships in the form of instapoetry will like it.

[Libby · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for the copy of this book in response for an honest review.

This collection of poetry did nothing for me. It felt like it was trying hard to be meaningful but just felt flat and devoid of real emotion or interesting ideas. I think the blurb does not do it justice, it is not a novel but a collection of poetry. I was expecting two languages to be intertwined but instead there was just the Spanish and English versions of the same poems.

[Blanca Solé Vilanova · Rating 5 out of 5]

A novel written in poems. Spectacular book, very easy to read and very deep.
100% recommended. It gives a lot to think about.

[Noor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up in KL thinking it was a philosophical novel, something with continuity (the book was sealed)
I admit I found it a bit boring and overly simple (“Instagram poetry”) but I was still (and wanted to be) intrigued by it and the love story embedded in it. I suspect the writing is better in Spanish and that reduced to English it was cringe-ful and corny and not actual poetry. With that being said though, there is something poetic about it. The two languages (with her being Spanish and him being western) the digitalization of love, and what it means to her and him.
Suspecting that the Spanish version was better also parallels how much deeper she feels emotion - but maybe I’m looking for something profound and in reality this is simple and digital and that’s enough.

The few that I thought could’ve bordered on poetry were: my name / plot twist / new fragments / leap of faith / chasing grays.

Not what I was looking for, but I read it anyways because books don’t have to be ancient or well written or deeply profound to learn from!!!!! And the more I read it the more intrigued I was by their story. I think that’s what mattered here more - the story and not the writing

[Avani ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Real Life by Leticia Sala is a bilingual poetic novel, featuring an online love story of a young Barcelona woman who finds her love online far away in New York City.

It expresses love from both the sides, it talks about how much more they want of eachother. It talks about love in modern times and loving in long distance. Even though it's a poem book, the story unfolds beautifully just like a novel.

She talks about love, acceptance, grief, commitment, self reflection and much more. I liked the poems of 'Reflection', 'Waves', and many more. They are common to us in today's world.

The poems are presented twice, once in Spanish and then in English. But while translating the poems, the author made sure they don't loose their meaning and purpose. The translated ones are also very emotional and relatable to the reader's today.
_________

Thank You to the Publisher and NetGalley for this e-copy in exchange of a honest review.

[Joanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This clever book is a love story told through poetry in both English and Spanish. As I don't speak Spanish (not even to a basic level) I was still intrigued as the format of the book is Spanish poem, followed by the English translation. I still found myself reading the Spanish versions as there was something quite exotic and beautiful about them.
.
BUT....I didn't get this. I didn't get it all. It was an original idea, the poems as standalone pieces of work were beautiful, but I didn't get the underlying storyline particularly.
.
This one just wasn't for me.
.
This shouldn't be a write off for everyone else though. I've seen many reviewers that are learning Spanish really enjoy testing out their skills. I've seen others who have found it a really beautiful read. But it fell short for me.
.
.
⭐⭐.5 / 5
.
.
Thanks @netgalley for the ARC in exchange for this honest review.

[Francisca]

I received a DRC of this book. I would like to thank NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing
for the opportunity!
This was a super lovely and quick book. I found interesting the bilingual component of this book and I'm glad the author chose that path, since it's a lot more enriching. In terms of content, the only downside was the quality of the few illustrations, because (at least in my copy) they had a lot of pixelization, and their placement felt a little bit random. I liked the modernity and honesty of the poems, and I felt this was a autobiographical 21st century love anthem. It was nice knowing the characters' story and finding a lot of aspects relatable among the uniqueness of the couple, and I wish Leticia and Pau all the best!

[Jordi Labanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This literary artifact by Leticia Sala reminds us that the small, the subtle and the brief can reach a very long wavelength. This succession of poems with a narrative spirit (or novel dressed in poetry) is like a glass bell that continues vibrating when we have long closed the book. With a small gesture, Sala suggests atmospheric and sometimes abstract scenarios and situations, and it is up to the reader to fill in the empty spaces. It is in these moments when our neural connections work their magic and they manage to understand the path that these poems have woven. Reading it moves you and makes you reflect on where contemporary relationships are going. Impossible not to feel painfully portrayed in this poetic novel.

[Marina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Through an innovative combination of short and long poems, Leticia walks you through a string of emotions as few people can.

Her words and descriptions are visually powerful, and you can relate to her raw human feelings. It is a light yet deep read that makes you think about love, social interactions, and higher emotions. I loved winding down and letting myself get lost in whatever feelings came up. I know I'll go back to some of my favorite poems frequently.

The book can be read as a linear story, or you can randomly open a page to discover a tiny bit of her- and our - shared universe: transatlantic love, international settings, dogs, food, and all digital moods mixed with classic romance.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was intrigued by In Real Life mainly because of the cover I'll admit it. It looks simple, yet beautiful and when looking into the premise I was excited - a story in poems about a long-distance relationship between a person in Barcelona and the other in New York.

Unfortunately, I had previously read Elizabeth Acevedo's novels and perhaps my expectations had been a little too high but I did not like how little of the poem and novel sections seemed to connect and often I felt left wanting to take a bit more of a deep-dive than what we were given.

I did adore parts of it and especially the poems felt very emotional, however it did not quite live up to my expectations in this case.

[bru · Rating 3 out of 5]

me senti um pouco lendo poesia de Instagram, mas é um bom remédio para aqueles momentos em que você se sente ‘chronically online’…

o fato de ser escrito em inglês-espanhol é enriquecedor ao meu ver — especialmente quando constata-se que é tudo fica tão mais sensacional quando escrito em espanhol e tão mais atenuado quando escrito em inglês —, essa é talvez a maior qualidade da obra da leticia sala.

por último, resgato a crítica de como esse livro se pretende uma história em poesia, mas não há linearidade ou, bem, qualquer tipo de conexão entre os poemas. ainda assim, tem seu valor. não me arrependo de ter comprado.

[PEPE MASFLORENSA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un libro PRECIOSO Que llega al Alma ‼️ Una bonita Historia de AMOR escrita en poesías , cada una de las cuales es única y a la vez forma parte de un todo. De estilo simple y contenido profundo hace que lo leas sin poder parar. Para leerlo y releerlo una y mil veces 💟💟💟💟💟
Real Life es una recopilación de pensamientos de la autora expresados en forma poética. Reflexe avec grand sincérité ses émotions à l’intérieur du monde numerique. Je l’aime énormément. Me llama la atención cómo expresa su visión de lo cotidiano.
Wenceslao & Angie

[Eugenia Simó Grijalbo · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Real Life is different to anything I’ve ever read before! Is a novel with the originality of telling a couples relationship through poems. You can’t help but wanting to know more about their life and completely imagine their world. Because it’s narrated in poems it gives room for one to be able to imagine the gaps. Extremely relatable and touching. Written in a beautiful, deep and non pretentious way. Leticia Sala has a gift wording out what most of us can only feel. I highly recommend reading this!

[Soulinpages · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC given by Andrews McMeel Publishing and Netgalley.
--------------------------------------------
Disclaimer - I cannot read or speak Spanish, so, I'm not going to comment on the Spanish poems.

Relatable, unapologetic feminist and firmly set in the present day. It begins light and later dives into the uncertainties and insecurities that accompany modern romances. It subtly gets the reader immersed in the story unfolding and leaves you rooting for the couple towards the end.

[Kayla Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this book! Admittedly it's been a while since I've read a full book of poetry so I was so excited to receive this one. The entire book really read like a bi-lingual love letter. I personally was touched by so many of the poems and could identify with a lot of the situations and feelings presented in this book. Whether you read the entire book as one linear work or hop around and pick favorite, everyone is sure to find a poem from In Real Life that speaks to them .

[Flor Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

**4.5**

I was originally going to rate this book 4 stars, but then I read the acknowledgments and had to bump it up. While I didn’t absolutely love every poem in this book, there were many that caught my heart. It wasn’t necessarily what I expected a novel-in-poetry to be, but more of a poetry collection with a theme. Nonetheless, it was a pleasant read and made me have more faith in my own writing.

[Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved this book a lot.
As someone who is studying Spanish, it was really interesting to read Spanish poems and having the English ‘translations’ next to them.
In the end, all the poems form a full story and that was beautiful to read.

Thank you NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing me with this copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Totalmente On E Off · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love poems and I loved this book.

The different diagramming for pages, and the beautiful illustrations.

We have simple poems and also with deep tones, about life, fellings, thoughts, loves, relationships, some about our current 21st century with the use of the internet.

I highly recommend it, I didn't know the author, but I'll start to follow.

[Rebeca Núñez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for provide me with a digital copy in exchange for my honest review.
No soy una habitual lectora de poesia, pero de todas formats, creo queue lo fundamental es si la misma nos hace sentir cosas.
El estilo es no convencional, lo que es interesante, y la tematica de los poemas es una mezcla de lo traddicional, con los tiempos que corren.