Written by Giovanna Napoleone
A special book review written by Giovanna Napoleone for Jimena Yengle, a young Peruvian self-published author with lots of imagination. As founder of a blog called "Magical Manuscripts" and an advocate for the arts, Yengle dives deep into a whimsical story of young individuals who seek to find love in magical Rome. Thank you Yengle for sharing your work with GN Books, and read below for the full review! #Rome #lovestory #aspiringauthor #selfpublished #creativewriting
Learn more about Yengle through her social media page and our "Member Gallery" website page!
Instagram @jimenaramos_y
You Tube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCopBc6KjDVx2YlXNEaOusiw
Website romaenamorada.com
Artfully creative and beautifully written, Jimena Yengle’s translated novel Roma Enamorada give us a quirky taste of what it is like to vacation in Rome with two friends, Alejandro and Gina. Yengle’s writing style is reminiscent of creative writers like Jandy Nelson, who, in her work, plays with an eccentric storytelling narrative through whimsical descriptions of characters and settings.
“There are women who go through life carrying glitter in their hearts.”
Besides the description of Rome itself at the end of Chapter I, one of my personal favorite descriptions in this novel lies in the beginning of Chapter II, where Gina describes Alejandro in her point of view, who “awakens butterflies with his voice and harvests love in every living being,” and who “listens to [Gina’s] stories, [her] out-of-tune melodies, and [her] gloomy compositions.” Juxtaposed against Gina’s cheery and bubbly personality, Alejandro’s own demeanor complements it well, further supporting how the pair work well together as best friends, a sort of platonic set of “soulmates.”
“Do you think that Paris is the only city of love? Let me tell you that between the Apennines and the sapphire Tyrrhenian Sea, you will find a magical city where love has been crowned with laurels of glory…The gleaming piazzas adorned the city. Live music was the soundtrack of this story. And that singular aroma of espresso, every morning, was concentrated in the street.”
Furthermore, by romanticizing the Italian culture through their visit, one can not help but fall in love with Rome and every person the young pair of friends meet along their journey, greeting them with warmth and smiling faces. With pizzas and Vivaldi and mentions of caffetterias, this book encapsulates an exciting trip to Rome, only to be met with even more surprise upon the developing storyline, such as realizing that Alejandro and Gina are not destined to fall in love with one another exactly as expected; Instead, each of them decide to venture out into the world, forming new relationships with foreigners that will last long beyond their vacationing years.
“I would love to live in a world where you can love without pretending.”
However, as beautiful as the story is, I do feel that some of its meaning has been lost to translation. Originally a novel written in Spanish, the English translation sometimes has descriptions or wording that may not fully describe the experiences the author wished to convey, especially through dialogue transferred between characters. In addition, another part of the story that may be confusing at times is the switch in the narrative point of view between different characters, from Gina’s perspective to Alejandro’s, without bold indication. I wish I could read the Spanish version of the novel, and compare it to the English one. However, if this choice of complex narration was intentional, the free-style of writing used by the author can only add to the creative elemental chaos of the two leading characters, and their tumultuous thoughts as they discover how deep their ties truly are with one another’s emotions and how it affects how they interact with others.
Ultimately, Roma Enamorada is an endearing love story which is warm to follow, and perfect for those who wish to explore the richness of descriptive language, especially through the forms of mini poetry written and spoken by each character within the book.
“I wanted to advance to one hundred and one places that welcomed the rhythm of a heartbeat.”
All in all, I would recommend Roma Enamorada to those who are looking for a work that has a unique style of writing, lots of references to art and creative elements, and a feel-good ending that would please any audience.