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jaclyn_sixminutesforme's review against another edition
4.0
The Remainder is another new release now available worldwide that you will want to pop on your TBR this month.It recently was a nominee for the Man Booker International Prize 2019. It is a road trip narrative told through the alternating perspectives of two friends, Felipe and Iquela. A childhood acquaintance, Paloma, comes back into Iquela’s life as an adult, and the three find themselves on this road-trip when Paloma’s mother dies overseas and her body goes missing on its journey back to her.
Structurally this is an immediately fascinating story as the first chapter that the book opens with is chapter eleven. These numerical chapters countdown as the novel progresses, and are told from Felipe’s perspective. They are brimming with lengthy, stream-of-consciousness style sentences, and feel incredibly immersive and hypnotizing to read. We then alternate with chapters told from Iquela’s perspective, with her chapters imply titled with open parenthesis. Both characters openly grapple with the trauma of their parents, and the experiences of Chile under the legacy of the Pinochet dictatorship. This is really well drawn in Felipe’s narrative, as his perspective is consumed with this count he is undertaking of bodies, both literal and imagined.
The narrative also expressly grapples with the translation process - Iquela works as a translator, and has many discussions (particularly regarding Paloma) about language and how meaning and nuance can be lost as people lose their touch with it over time. It makes for an interesting discussion to read, particularly given what a seamless translation this novel was itself!
Structurally this is an immediately fascinating story as the first chapter that the book opens with is chapter eleven. These numerical chapters countdown as the novel progresses, and are told from Felipe’s perspective. They are brimming with lengthy, stream-of-consciousness style sentences, and feel incredibly immersive and hypnotizing to read. We then alternate with chapters told from Iquela’s perspective, with her chapters imply titled with open parenthesis. Both characters openly grapple with the trauma of their parents, and the experiences of Chile under the legacy of the Pinochet dictatorship. This is really well drawn in Felipe’s narrative, as his perspective is consumed with this count he is undertaking of bodies, both literal and imagined.
The narrative also expressly grapples with the translation process - Iquela works as a translator, and has many discussions (particularly regarding Paloma) about language and how meaning and nuance can be lost as people lose their touch with it over time. It makes for an interesting discussion to read, particularly given what a seamless translation this novel was itself!
tronella's review
3.0
There's some interesting stuff here but nothing much happens until halfway through the book, and I really just don't like reading that stream-of-consciousness writing style with no punctuation.
leah_alexandra's review against another edition
challenging
dark
medium-paced
3.5
This was not a bad book, I just don't think it was for me. I definitely would have benefitted from a bit more cultural context. Some of the scenes were quite difficult to get through, but I could tell the writing was skillful. There are some upsetting bits, and the end was quite dissatisfying.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Body horror
magdon's review
4.0
Might need to read this again--there are things i feel that i missed and would like to understand. But so interesting.
adarossiwrites's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
leoferrari's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.25
emily_madcharo's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
fraeuleininsomnia's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
st4rlight's review against another edition
4.0
حاصل الطرح - أليا ترابوكو ثيران
حاصل الطرح رواية عن الماضي والأسر التي دمرتها دكتاتورية بينوشيه، حكاية متعددة الأصوات وقوية وفريدة، تنتمي لنوع جديد من الأدب التشيلي يعرف بأدب الأبناء.
ساعدتني ملاحظات المترجم محمد الفولي وهوامشه في قراءة الرواية وفهمها بشكل أفضل .
حاصل الطرح رواية عن الماضي والأسر التي دمرتها دكتاتورية بينوشيه، حكاية متعددة الأصوات وقوية وفريدة، تنتمي لنوع جديد من الأدب التشيلي يعرف بأدب الأبناء.
ساعدتني ملاحظات المترجم محمد الفولي وهوامشه في قراءة الرواية وفهمها بشكل أفضل .