Discover new books on Goodreads

Meet your next favorite book

356 ratings (3.73 avg)
96 reviews

Carlos Ch

Add friend

Carlos’s Bookshelves

to-read‎ (9)
currently-reading‎ (3)
read‎ (355)

did-not-finish‎ (1)
novels‎ (161)
short-stories‎ (97)

non-fiction‎ (65)
drama‎ (34)
poems‎ (5)

Stats | More…

Carlos is Currently Reading

Carlos Ch is currently reading

Cathedral

by Raymond Carver

bookshelves: currently-reading, short-stories

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Jul 25, 2026 04:59AM

Carlos Ch is currently reading

Dubliners

by James Joyce

bookshelves: short-stories, currently-reading

Reading for the 2nd time

read in June 2025

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Carlos Ch said:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

" (This is not a review but rather an attempt at short summaries of each story).

In “The Sisters”, after a declining health and some form of paralysis, Father Flynn dies. The evocations his passing away raises are clouded. The narrator, a young lad of u (This is not a review but rather an attempt at short summaries of each story).

In “The Sisters”, after a declining health and some form of paralysis, Father Flynn dies. The evocations his passing away raises are clouded. The narrator, a young lad of unknown age remembers him as a “maleficent and sinful being” but is appreciative of his mentorship and teachings towards himself; Mr. Cottee, a family friend, as having something “queer” and “uncanny” about him, and not feeling comfortable about him being around children. The narrator’s aunt on the other hand is confident Father Flynn’s gone to his “eternal reward”; Father Flynn’s sister remembers him as “scrupulous” and confiding his priesthood duties may have taken a toll on him. A story that offers some cues and frugal suggestions , but little certainty and many questions and room for the reader to fill out the voids. One event is known, though , where a Christian symbol suffers an accident and there is speculation about this being the start of Father Flynn’s downfall.

“An Encounter” is the account -or the memory of it- of a man during his school days. He and his school friends liked to read and play out Wild West stories, which “opened doors of escape”. The narrator then lusted for adventure, that is, real adventure and resolved it must be sought outdoors. He and his friends decided to skip school for a day; they wandered around Dublin and even took the ferry across the Liffey. An old man approached them and started talking oddly about young girls with white hands and soft hair. The old man suddenly left and when he re-appeared, the narrator was left alone with him . This unsettled the narrator , who eventually called out for his friend and was relieved when he came and joined him, effectively rescuing him from the old creep.

In “Araby” , a young boy lives in a mundane neighborhood with little thrill other than playing in the street with fellow neighbors and staring at and fantasizing about one of the neighbor’s sisters. Despite this infatuation, the boy never dared speaking to her, except one day she was the one who initiated conversation with him. In the brief exchange the girl shared she had wanted
to go to a bazaar but couldn’t and encouraged the boy to go. Seizing the opportunity, the boy promised to bring her something from the bazaar if he goes.
In the subsequent days, the boy has no room in his mind nor his life for anything other than eyeing the prospect of the bazaar. On the much anticipated day, however, he has a bad premonition. In any case, the boy follows through and due to factors beyond his control only manages to get there close to closing time. He is sorely disappointed, not by the delay but by the bazaar itself.
This is the story of a double awakening. The first one is a romantic and innocent “confused adoration” for a girl he barely knew. The second one is the sunken feeling that what he had experienced was not falling in love, but a disappointing and derisory “vanity”.

The story of “Eveline” is one of departures. Hers is imminent. She is due to elope with her lover (Frank) to Buenos Aires and is reminiscing her house as she prepare to leave, hopeful of her future ahead. Her mother is dead; one of her brothers too. Some neighbors and also a local priest have left abroad. Her other brother works somewhere out in the country. Eveline works , struggles to make ends meet and even cares for two children of parents not disclosed in the story. Her father is abusive and now aging but “sometimes (…) could be very nice”. Music coming from an (Italian immigrant) organ player in the streets reminded Eveline of the promise she made to her late mother of keeping the home together as long as she could. She ultimately goes to the Dublin dock, where her lover is waiting and calling for her. She is hesitant, prays for an answer -leaving or staying-, visualizes (or receives a response to her prayer of) Frank drowning her and stays, as the boat is about to leave.

In “After the race”, Jimmy is a Dublin son of a newly rich family who made their wealth through butcheries. He had been sent to study in England and “see a little life”. His father valued his son moving around social circles of well off people. Jimmy and a few foreign friends go out to see a race, then dress up smartly, go out for dinner and play card games. Jimmy gets splendidly drunk and loses a significant sum of money. He is reassured “he would regret it in the morning” and we are not entirely sure if he refers to the hangover or the loss of money (or very likely both of these). He feels content nonetheless. ...more "

Jul 13, 2026 10:17PM · see review

Carlos Ch is currently reading

El enamorado de la Osa Mayor

by Sergiusz Piasecki

bookshelves: novels, currently-reading

Reading for the 2nd time

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Jun 24, 2026 11:11PM

Carlos’s Notes & Highlights

Ceniza en la boca by Brenda Navarro

2 highlights

¿Qué te he hecho yo para que me mientas? Y tenía razón. ¿Pero qué le decía? Pues mentí porque cuando una mentira se dice, hay que seguir mintiendo para sostenerla. Lo dije de verdad, con sinceridad,