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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Don't read it for the plot; read it for the way it transports you to those places where - under a cover of jazz and cigarette smoke - art, literature and music is discussed as if life depends on it. I once knew a place like the Serpent Club, where time stood still and Proust and Gertrude Stein (and many others I now wish I could remember) were quoted in their respective original languages. Much like La Maga, I had no idea what they were talking about and all I could do was listen.
In Hopscotch, whichever way one decides to read it, we meet Horacio Oliveira, who breathes literature and prefers to ignore the more dreary things in life. And La Maga, his girlfriend, who is accepted but also patronised by Horacio and his friends from the Serpent Club. When La Maga disappears, Horacio realises that he needs her and the mundane things of life after all – if only to keep his sanity. That, in short, is the narrative, but there is so much more to discover and dwell upon in this book. Take the plunge and play the game of hopscotch, where the bottom is Earth and the top is Heaven, and don't forget that in order to reach Heaven you will need at least a pebble and a toe. Although a sip of yerba mate and some good jazz in the background might do the trick as well.
In Hopscotch, whichever way one decides to read it, we meet Horacio Oliveira, who breathes literature and prefers to ignore the more dreary things in life. And La Maga, his girlfriend, who is accepted but also patronised by Horacio and his friends from the Serpent Club. When La Maga disappears, Horacio realises that he needs her and the mundane things of life after all – if only to keep his sanity. That, in short, is the narrative, but there is so much more to discover and dwell upon in this book. Take the plunge and play the game of hopscotch, where the bottom is Earth and the top is Heaven, and don't forget that in order to reach Heaven you will need at least a pebble and a toe. Although a sip of yerba mate and some good jazz in the background might do the trick as well.
Don't read it for the plot; read it for the way it transports you to those places where - under a cover of jazz and cigarette smoke - art, literature and music is discussed as if life depends on it. I once knew a place like the Serpent Club, where time stood still and Proust and Gertrude Stein (and many others I now wish I could remember) were quoted in their respective original languages. Much like La Maga, I had no idea what they were talking about and all I could do was listen.
In Hopscotch, whichever way one decides to read it, we meet Horacio Oliveira, who breathes literature and prefers to ignore the more dreary things in life. And La Maga, his down-to-earth girlfriend, who is accepted but also patronised by Horacio and his friends from the Serpent Club. When La Maga disappears, Horacio realises that he needs her and the mundane things of life after all – if only to keep his sanity. That, in short, is the narrative, but there is so much more to discover and dwell upon in this book. Take the plunge and play the game of hopscotch, where the bottom is Earth and the top is Heaven, and don't forget that in order to reach Heaven you will need at least a pebble and a toe. Although a sip of yerba mate and some good jazz in the background might do the trick as well.
In Hopscotch, whichever way one decides to read it, we meet Horacio Oliveira, who breathes literature and prefers to ignore the more dreary things in life. And La Maga, his down-to-earth girlfriend, who is accepted but also patronised by Horacio and his friends from the Serpent Club. When La Maga disappears, Horacio realises that he needs her and the mundane things of life after all – if only to keep his sanity. That, in short, is the narrative, but there is so much more to discover and dwell upon in this book. Take the plunge and play the game of hopscotch, where the bottom is Earth and the top is Heaven, and don't forget that in order to reach Heaven you will need at least a pebble and a toe. Although a sip of yerba mate and some good jazz in the background might do the trick as well.
It took me a year to finish this book and I still didn’t soak everything up but it was worth it for the occasional genius tidbits and the ~dreaminess~ of the reading experience. A haunting lost love story just gets me.
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
Minor: Cancer, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content
challenging
dark
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Rayuela no es un libro fácil de leer y mucho menos de describir. Es un collage de estilos, de géneros y de historias. La historia principal es la de Horacio, un argentino que vive en París y pasa sus días disfrutando de la vida bohemia de la ciudad. Allí conoce a la Maga, quien va a marcar su vida para siempre. La segunda parte de la novela transcurre en Buenos Aires, a donde Horacio vuelve tras un hecho importante al final de la primera parte. Los capítulos que transcurren en Bs As atrajeron menos mi atención, no pasa nada en la historia (hasta llegar al final) que sea verdaderamente memorable. Entre medio se intercalan capítulos "prescindibles" (si uno lee la obra usando el Tablero de dirección), que incluyen la obra de un misterioso escritor, escenas adicionales de la historia principal, citas de autores famosos y noticias de diarios, entre otras cosas. La estructura no lineal, leyendo capítulos salteados es una de las cosas que disfrute más, junto con muchas frases memorables que aparecen en diferentes capítulos. Para explicar lo que menos me gustó voy a citar una frase del propio libro "todo dura siempre un poco más de lo que debería".
(Read in the author's suggested order starting on ch 73. English translation)
Spell-binding and delirious. The way themes are explored felt like listening to a mashup of jazz styles. Sometimes metaphors and descriptions (especially the ones about love) would pop into my head with such vibrance, that I had to take a break. I savored this book and rank it among my favorites
Spell-binding and delirious. The way themes are explored felt like listening to a mashup of jazz styles. Sometimes metaphors and descriptions (especially the ones about love) would pop into my head with such vibrance, that I had to take a break. I savored this book and rank it among my favorites