Faces in the Crowd by Luiselli: Fact, Fiction, Ghosts?

Faces in the Crowd by Valeria Luiselli centres on the life of a mother living in Mexico, who is reflecting on the period of her life spent in New York. As a homemaker, she finds her desire for self-expression and creativity constrained by her responsibilities in the household. This feels like a typical narrative: a woman looking back on a past defined by independence, creativity, and career fulfillment, while now feeling limited by the expectations of motherhood and marriage. Even though she has left New York, she tries to hold onto that version of herself. However, her husband’s skepticism toward her writing, combined with the constant presence of her children running around, makes this act of reliving her past quite difficult. This dynamic is something I find myself wanting to avoid in my own future - I don’t want to settle into a life that feels restrictive or disconnected from my personal ambitions!

Okay, back to the novel. I found this book very difficult to follow, largely due to its constant shifts in perspective. We are introduced to the perspective of Gilberto Owen, a Mexican poet the narrator deeply admires. What becomes especially intriguing (but very confusing) is how these perspectives begin to blur and merge, particularly toward the end of the novel, making it difficult to distinguish between timelines and identities.

I’ve been trying to understand the significance of these ghosts throughout the story. For example, there is the presence of a ghost, Without, living in her house in Mexico, yet the narrator seems largely unfazed by it? And throughout the story there are other times that ghosts are alluded to. I think that I interpret this theme of “ghosts” as manifestations of the past. They are lingering presences that haunt the characters, kind of like memories.

Overall, this was a complex and confusing read for me - so I am sorry if my blog post has been difficult to follow. I really do wish I had been able to arrive at a more comprehensive understanding of what the novel is trying to convey. However, I also recognize that one of the most glorious aspects of art is that it is open to interpretation. As readers, we are meant to engage with and interpret texts ourselves. So, perhaps my sense of confusion is supposed to be part of the experience Valeria Luiselli intended?

My photo for this novel: A ghost!

My question for the class: What is the significance of ghosts in this novel?