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thebobsphere's review
4.0
A Perfect Cemetery is published by Charco Press, a publisher who specializes in translating South American literature into English. To date I’ve liked everything they’ve published and A Perfect Cemetery is no exception AND it’s a short story collection, a genre I don’t really get along with.
The five stories here are quite eclectic and yet there are elements which unite them. Usually I try a collective analysis but since there aren’t many stories, I can give a brief summary/teaser of each one.
Opening story The Hares is about a man who gives up his life to life in the woods. Obviously there’s much more than that but it’s always best to be as vague as possible. This story is quite crucial to understanding one major theme in this book which is how people interact with natural world and the urban one.
Silvi and her Dark Night is my favorite one of the bunch: A girl who is rebelling against her mother’s devout Christianity decides to become a Mormon, but for all the wrong reasons. The last few sentences contain a clever metaphor for Silvi’s attitude.
The title story is the big grand piece of the book. The mayor of a small town decides to build the most aesthetically pleasing cemetery as it is part of his dying father’s wish. Unfortunately while building the cemetery he encounters problems. Once again the nature theme crops up but it’s also an interesting look village dynamics.
Nature, again plays a big role in Woodland Life: A father who lives in the forest is going to lose his house and has to find a suitor for his daughter and eventually moves into an old age home. As one can guess, the pull of mother nature is a strong. An interesting minor theme is the Japanese communities in Argentina.
The concluding story, The River just hit me in the heart. A widow sees her husband everywhere, that is until a strange occurrence happens, which puts into some light, her husband’s past actions. It’s the only surreal one but it’s also a tender look on loss.
Nature, relationships , old age, grief and survival. All these stories feel like individual experiences. Some I reread for pure pleasure, some I went back and forth in order to see connecting themes. Reading A Perfect Cemetery was enjoyable and as for someone who does not like short stories, this means that this collection is special indeed.
The five stories here are quite eclectic and yet there are elements which unite them. Usually I try a collective analysis but since there aren’t many stories, I can give a brief summary/teaser of each one.
Opening story The Hares is about a man who gives up his life to life in the woods. Obviously there’s much more than that but it’s always best to be as vague as possible. This story is quite crucial to understanding one major theme in this book which is how people interact with natural world and the urban one.
Silvi and her Dark Night is my favorite one of the bunch: A girl who is rebelling against her mother’s devout Christianity decides to become a Mormon, but for all the wrong reasons. The last few sentences contain a clever metaphor for Silvi’s attitude.
The title story is the big grand piece of the book. The mayor of a small town decides to build the most aesthetically pleasing cemetery as it is part of his dying father’s wish. Unfortunately while building the cemetery he encounters problems. Once again the nature theme crops up but it’s also an interesting look village dynamics.
Nature, again plays a big role in Woodland Life: A father who lives in the forest is going to lose his house and has to find a suitor for his daughter and eventually moves into an old age home. As one can guess, the pull of mother nature is a strong. An interesting minor theme is the Japanese communities in Argentina.
The concluding story, The River just hit me in the heart. A widow sees her husband everywhere, that is until a strange occurrence happens, which puts into some light, her husband’s past actions. It’s the only surreal one but it’s also a tender look on loss.
Nature, relationships , old age, grief and survival. All these stories feel like individual experiences. Some I reread for pure pleasure, some I went back and forth in order to see connecting themes. Reading A Perfect Cemetery was enjoyable and as for someone who does not like short stories, this means that this collection is special indeed.
annadamsgaard's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Loved this collection of short stories and can’t wait to read them more carefully and analyse them.
just_me_gi's review
3.5
Liked perfect cemetery and forest life, which was so sad. Not a da of Silvi story, cw in that one for statutory rape
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape
emsemsems's review
4.0
'I’d rather you get me a wheelchair so I could go and see about my garden or visit my chickens, not to see some cemetery.'
The Hares – 5/5
Silvi and Her Dark Night – 4/5
A Perfect Cemetery – 5/5
Forest Life – 5/5
The River – 1/5
I’m gladly surprised by Falco’s collection of short stories – a very enjoyable read, left me craving for more. Fantastic translation work as well. Would’ve given it a full 5-star rating, but the last story lost me entirely. The third story, ‘A Perfect Cemetery’ is a personal favourite. Reading these stories reminds me of the paintings of Frida Kahlo and Dorothea Tanning – obviously weird but also very ordinary when perceived in a different light/angle. I am not familiar with Latin American landscapes, so reading these stories felt all the more surreal to me. I’d love to read more of Falco’s writing – really quite brilliant. Might post a more thorough review later.
jules_vp's review
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
kurenzhi's review
3.0
This would probably have been a 4 if the book were only "Silvi and Her Dark Night" and "A Perfect Cemetery," which are both brilliant novelettes. The other three stories, unfortunately, are quite lacking in comparison ("Forest Life" being especially disappointing), though the writer and translator's skills are both quite good in a void.
hollious's review
dark
sad
fast-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
3.0
I don’t have a lot to say about this collection of short stories. None of the characters were particularly loveable which they don’t have to be to make a good story. I’m not sure if it was the translation but something just wasn’t getting through to me.
bookishcori's review
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0