Reviews

Hopscotch by Julio Cortázar

imissyou's review against another edition

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5.0

“Pobre amor el que de pensamiento se alimenta.”

En honor al eterno amor y respecto que le tengo a mi profesor de literatura decidí que leería su libro favorito para intentar comprender cómo funcionaba su cabeza, por lo menos un poco, y así termine leyendo Rayuela (aunque lo leería tarde o temprano). Si algún experto de literatura lee esto, por favor perdonar mi probable poco entendimiento de la novela, al final del día sigo siendo una persona bastante joven.

Cortázar realmente dijo "juemadre pongamos a sufrir a Oliveira hasta que el propio lector dudé de su sanidad mental" y si me preguntan a mi, lo logró. Sufrí por ese tipo tanto, aunque no entendiera su dolor, porque logré simpatizar con él.

Esta reseña es más corta de lo que el libro merece, pero si algún día logro organizar mis pensamientos volveré y la completaré.

kukupraka's review against another edition

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challenging emotional inspiring mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

alissonmardenilt's review against another edition

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4.0

A story about a hipster before the word hipster was a thing....

Julio Cortázar is undeniable a skilled writer, with many quotable lines, this novel is a great read to brag to your friends.

valerie_walkerl's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective slow-paced

4.0

catarina_fernandes's review against another edition

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challenging emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

papelgren's review against another edition

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5.0

This book is most likely a masterpiece. I'll be revisiting it down the line, hopefully with a book of annotations to help me sift through the countless references, puns, language games in French, Latin, and translated Spanish, as well as helping me figure out what actually happened, and who may or may not be figments of the writers' imagination (Cortazar or Morelli?) or the characters' imagination or my imagination. The book had an uncanny way of channeling events and books in my immediate life. It was offputting how many times it referenced things talked about in the book I finished just before this one (Gödel, Escher, Bach, a book written long after Hopscotch), and how many times it seemed to comment on thoughts and deeds I had or did the week of reading a passage. There is magic in this book, there are games played that are hilarious, cruel, clever, and profane, and there is a careless rigor only seen in the most elite writers of the past century and a half. It made me pine to know Spanish better so I could read it in the original language. But Cortazar's mind is so far passed mine in any language perhaps that wouldn't matter.

moi_stephanie's review against another edition

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2.0

Perhaps it is that I'm not in the vibe needed to read this book. Maybe I didn't get the instructions in the beginning (highly unlikely, since the kindle version links you to the following chapter).

Whatever it was, I've decided to stop reading it. It's tedious and unlike many other books, I dread the moment where I'll get to read it, making of this activity a much less enjoyable one.

valeriaq24's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

juliavives's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

4.0

casparb's review against another edition

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5.0

O what a tale that hovers formalistically among Nabokov's gorgeous Pale Fire and (dare I mention it?) D.F.W's Infinite Jest. Endlessly, resolutely postmodern, but I think it is altogether more useful to dispense of that label, frequently applied in much the same way as fire blankets are.
I find many (many) authors a little too eager to flex their literary knowledge, the result being a text hypersaturated with author after author, with little effect aside from instilling tedium. Cortázar, I think, avoids this, much to my delight. When he does reference an author, it is not only thematically useful, but also opens up other questions about Hopscotch itself, if one has familiarity with the works referenced. The text also appears to anticipate many philosophical developments of the late 20th century, in particular, Deleuze + Guattari's work (of which I do not presume to speak with any authority).
What am I saying? I suppose I am saying read this book. I think perhaps I have laid my emphases a little poorly, and I must highlight - this novel is quite wholly beautiful.

Okay happy new year everyone check out Year's End by Borges if I don't drop it in some sort of gc