Reviews

O reino deste mundo by Alejo Carpentier

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jake_'s review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

4.25

This is the second Carpentier I've read, and like the other, Explosions in a Cathedral, the themes are heavy and should give the novel gravitas, but much of the plot's weight is obscured beneath a baroque prose style interested in tangents and lists of specific details. This is a prose style I like, but for many this novel could be underwhelming given the premise, a very Latin American magical realist telling of the Haitian Revolution.

lylawells's review against another edition

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challenging slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Read for a class on the Haitian Revolution

This book genuinely left me speechless. Medina's translation is fantastic, but this is a challenging read nonetheless. Ti Noel is not likable, which is of course the point, but it makes the narrative significantly harder to stomach. A fascinating look at revolutions and perhaps, revolutions that may not have really "happened." After finishing this book I found myself drawing many parallels between it and The Hunger Games, which is silly, but seriously. Go read this book and then watch Mockingjay 1 and 2. I think Collins may have been a bit inspired! Anyway. Short and beautiful, but an insanely challenging read.

Trigger Warning: Graphic Sexual Assault, among other things

Content Warnings