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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
Would really give it a 3.5 star rating. The characters were expertly woven togther to give a full picture of life in Central America. From a matadora, to an ex-guirilla, international child adoption, and a Korean manufacturer, you get a sense of political struggle, the role of women, and human rights. Well written.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Given my dislike of overly poetic writing styles and my disinterest in anything to do with magical realism, this book didn't have much of a chance. Sorry, book. But on the plus side, it was short and the plot had enough to keep me interested (especially the storyline about murder. I can't resist murder).
Easy to read book about a week in the lives of six people, with the common connection being a hotel in a politically unstable, unidentified Latin American country. The characters are unique and colorful. Within each chapter, the author alternates between each character's story, with change encounters. Although the characters are involved with serious situations, such as political assassinations, adoption of foreign babies, and cheap factory labor, the book is entertaining.
I abhor bullfighting and I expected to hate this book when it was assigned for a class. To my surprise, I actually really loved it. I did skip the bullfighting scenes and had 0 interest in the matador's plot-line, but luckily she was not as central to the story as I expected. The five other plot-lines are beautifully interwoven and poignant. The book is strange, and sad, and somewhat disturbing, but Garcia's poetic writing style is gorgeous.
mysterious
fast-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I love Cristina Garcia's novels and I loved this one. She alternates among six characters at a hotel in an unnamed Central American city: a female bullfighter, a Korean businessman with a teenage lover, a Cuban poet seeking to adopt a baby, a colonel who committed war crimes, an ex-guerrilla who wants to avenge her brother's murder and an attorney who arranges the adoption of local babies. Garcia's touch is perfect; she never shares too much information about her characters but picks details that get you into their hearts and motives. Her chapters end with local news reports that add both depth and levity to the events of the book.
I would give this 4.5 stars if I could. I am not willing to go up to 5 only because a couple of the characters felt a little flat to me as the novel wound down. Still, this is a captivating short novel with enough adventure for three times as many pages.
I would give this 4.5 stars if I could. I am not willing to go up to 5 only because a couple of the characters felt a little flat to me as the novel wound down. Still, this is a captivating short novel with enough adventure for three times as many pages.
The Lady Matador's Hotel tells the story of several individuals who all converge in an unnamed Central American capital (my guess is Honduras or Guatemala) during a time of great upheaval. Some characters are more affected than others as they make their way through their roles and responsibilities in the city. Each chapter is divided up into vignettes about each individual character.
The author has a wonderful way of writing and I almost gave the book 3 stars instead of the 2 that I ultimately decided on.It had been awhile since I read anything in the realm of magical realism. I really liked that aspect of the book. Where the book lost me is that there didn't seem to be any overriding cohesiveness within the story. Some of the characters interact with each other but others did not. I found myself wondering what the author was really trying to convey with the story. Each man is an island? We're all affected in different ways by earth shaking events? I'm just not really sure.
The author has a wonderful way of writing and I almost gave the book 3 stars instead of the 2 that I ultimately decided on.It had been awhile since I read anything in the realm of magical realism. I really liked that aspect of the book. Where the book lost me is that there didn't seem to be any overriding cohesiveness within the story. Some of the characters interact with each other but others did not. I found myself wondering what the author was really trying to convey with the story. Each man is an island? We're all affected in different ways by earth shaking events? I'm just not really sure.
Enjoyable novel centered around a hotel. There's a large cast of characters; most, maybe all live shallow and empty lives, and each one faces challenges and disappointments as their story lines unfold. Though slight and short, this book references serious themes, and by the end, a few have entirely captured our sentiments, and we wish them the best.