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alleeme's review against another edition
5.0
I am not really sure how I came across this book other than I must have added it to my library list before going to Guatemala for a month. I can’t decide if it would have been better before Guatemala or if it is nicer after when I perhaps understand something of the cultural melange of a country with 26 living languages.
At first this book seems like a lovely trap. At once completely self-conscious as the narrator of the novel/collection of short stories (reviewers seem conflicted on which this is) shares his name and bio with the author. But it turns out to be too genuine to be a trap.
This is about words and their meanings, how words have beauty in their own right, how they make up the stories we tell other people and the stories we think we know about ourselves. It is about translation and languages. This is the first work of Eduardo Halfon to be translated into English. Quite surprising when you look at his biography and see he actually moved to the US at age 10, stayed here until after college before returning to Guatemala to teach literature (and he now divides his time between Nebraska and Guatemala). Although Halfon can be assumed to be a fluent speaker of English, this book has 5 different translators, all of whom apparently translated this as a work of love wanting to collaborate on bringing Halfon’s words to an English audience rather than compete to be the first one to do so.
Even more intriguing, or perhaps frustrating, is that this is a incomplete work. Halfon has continued these intertwined stories and in more recent translations to other languages has published the most recent additions. I can only hope a second English translation occurs or I finally learn Spanish well enough to read and appreciate this living, breathing work.
At first this book seems like a lovely trap. At once completely self-conscious as the narrator of the novel/collection of short stories (reviewers seem conflicted on which this is) shares his name and bio with the author. But it turns out to be too genuine to be a trap.
This is about words and their meanings, how words have beauty in their own right, how they make up the stories we tell other people and the stories we think we know about ourselves. It is about translation and languages. This is the first work of Eduardo Halfon to be translated into English. Quite surprising when you look at his biography and see he actually moved to the US at age 10, stayed here until after college before returning to Guatemala to teach literature (and he now divides his time between Nebraska and Guatemala). Although Halfon can be assumed to be a fluent speaker of English, this book has 5 different translators, all of whom apparently translated this as a work of love wanting to collaborate on bringing Halfon’s words to an English audience rather than compete to be the first one to do so.
Even more intriguing, or perhaps frustrating, is that this is a incomplete work. Halfon has continued these intertwined stories and in more recent translations to other languages has published the most recent additions. I can only hope a second English translation occurs or I finally learn Spanish well enough to read and appreciate this living, breathing work.
melhara's review against another edition
1.0
***#7 of my 2019 Book Riot Read Harder Challenge - An #ownvoices book set in Mexico or Central America***
I just finished this audiobook and I have no idea what it's about. I think, it's an autobiography of all the 'interesting' people that [a:Eduardo Halfon|1770387|Eduardo Halfon|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1472221490p2/1770387.jpg] has met (). I'm not sure how these different people and short stories were connected... This book was so boring, I simply powered through without absorbing much of its content.
I just finished this audiobook and I have no idea what it's about. I think, it's an autobiography of all the 'interesting' people that [a:Eduardo Halfon|1770387|Eduardo Halfon|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1472221490p2/1770387.jpg] has met (
Spoiler
he's never met the Polish Boxer... but his grandfather did!astarkvedja's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
s2t's review
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
claire_s's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
2.75
discomagpie's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
5.0
I gave this book 4.85 stars at InsatiableBooksluts.com. I was provided a reader copy by Bellevue Literary Press.
Review excerpt:
"Halfon’s characters (and it feels weird to call them characters because I assume they are real people) all enchant the reader–Lía, who draws her orgasms; Juan Kalel, a brilliant poet confined by life in a tiny village; his grandfather, who always told his grandchildren that the number tattooed on his arm was his phone number, so he wouldn’t forget it–but the one that sticks with you hard is Milan Rakic, a half-Serbian half-Gypsy pianist who introduces himself to Eduardo in a bar one night. Rakic is the focus of three major stories in the collection (plus a small interlude), and with good reason: he’s captivating–or, at least, Halfon thinks he’s captivating, and shows us that side of Rakic. We fall down the rabbit hole with Halfon, who eventually finds himself in Belgrade, seeking out the wandering pianist in the book’s longest story, “The Pirouette”. We come away emotionally upturned, and that’s okay.
I still feel steeped in Halfon’s language and imagery. I want to wrap it around me like silk. I want to submerge myself like it’s a bath of warm cream, and maybe swim around a bit.
The Polish Boxer is sexy; it’s moving; it’s a little bit in the gutter, but it’s looking up at the stars. I don’t ever tell you that you must read a book, but I’m strongly urging you to pick up a copy of this one. It may become one of my all-time favorites."
Check out the full review here.
Review excerpt:
"Halfon’s characters (and it feels weird to call them characters because I assume they are real people) all enchant the reader–Lía, who draws her orgasms; Juan Kalel, a brilliant poet confined by life in a tiny village; his grandfather, who always told his grandchildren that the number tattooed on his arm was his phone number, so he wouldn’t forget it–but the one that sticks with you hard is Milan Rakic, a half-Serbian half-Gypsy pianist who introduces himself to Eduardo in a bar one night. Rakic is the focus of three major stories in the collection (plus a small interlude), and with good reason: he’s captivating–or, at least, Halfon thinks he’s captivating, and shows us that side of Rakic. We fall down the rabbit hole with Halfon, who eventually finds himself in Belgrade, seeking out the wandering pianist in the book’s longest story, “The Pirouette”. We come away emotionally upturned, and that’s okay.
I still feel steeped in Halfon’s language and imagery. I want to wrap it around me like silk. I want to submerge myself like it’s a bath of warm cream, and maybe swim around a bit.
The Polish Boxer is sexy; it’s moving; it’s a little bit in the gutter, but it’s looking up at the stars. I don’t ever tell you that you must read a book, but I’m strongly urging you to pick up a copy of this one. It may become one of my all-time favorites."
Check out the full review here.
ma1's review against another edition
"Literature is no more than a good trick a magician or a sorcerer might perform, making reality appear whole, creating the illusion that reality is a single unified thing."
carolwolverine's review against another edition
3.0
Aunque es el primer libro que leo del autor es uno de esos autores que hay que seguir la pista.
Usando un lenguaje muy sencillo es capaz de adentrarte en ese mundo construido alrededor de la historia de un abuelo ya fallecido. Así nos damos cuenta que cuando somos niños las historias de nuestros mayores nos marcan mucho más de lo que creemos pensar.
Usando un lenguaje muy sencillo es capaz de adentrarte en ese mundo construido alrededor de la historia de un abuelo ya fallecido. Así nos damos cuenta que cuando somos niños las historias de nuestros mayores nos marcan mucho más de lo que creemos pensar.
nini23's review against another edition
4.0
I started reading this from the middle, mistakenly thinking it was a collection of short stories. Starting from The Polish Boxer (figured it would be the strongest story since it's the title), I became quite intrigued later on by the story of the half-gypsy half-Serb musician who would send postcards from all over the world with their enigmatic stories of gypsies. Lots of writers like to 'borrow' ideas from gypsy culture - their nomadic lifestyle and famed musical spontaneous talent - but books that actually concentrate on gypsies themselves: their contribution to art and music, their folklore, family and community structure, their philosophy are rare.