New reads, new flavors

What is working in the draft has to be the stakes. Allan, though young, could carry a grudge for his brother. The relationship has the potential to sour. I also tried to make the story very believable while in the realm of magical realism. I think that benefitted the story as well.

I do feel however that there isn't enough of a conflict. There has to be a bigger conflict in the story since I only have an argument in the beginning which isn't very long at all.

I would like to know if it the story still falls in the category of magical realism and if there are any tips as to how I can increase the conflict between Allan and his brother and maybe even January.

The plot of the story is: A boy becomes heartbroken by his crush after she picks his older brother. He runs away and finds this mystical underground space for kids to hangout. At this place he meets his "one true love" and mends his heart. My main characters internal conflict is feeling betrayed and taken advantage of.

This draft is challenging my writing because I'm not used to writing through the perspective of a pre-teen.


Part 2

My impressions on Carlos Fuentes' stories are good. He writes very intellectually. The style seems mature and real. Words are used brilliantly, which made me reread some passages a few times. I do not like how does not get to the point. In Chac Mool, some sentences seemed to drag on. Fuentes seemed to have the voice as a passive one. In Chac Mool his main character seems to be dominated and imprisoned by a statue. In The Two Elenas, the couple take on different partners. They are passive to each other in that they allow ideas of monogamy to dissipate.


Carlos Fuentes. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Carlos-Fuentes

Academy of Achievement. http://www.achievement.org/achiever/carlos-fuentes/

NPR.com A conversation with author Carlos Fuentes. https://www.npr.org/2012/05/18/152828601/a-conversation-with-carlos-fuentes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8DUO0gbo58