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3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
Juan Gabriel Vásquez es extraordinario. Esta novela es una muestra de lo que puede hacer un escritor latinoamericano en pleno uso de sus herramientas narrativas. Y aún así, siento que esta novela fue escrita como un ejercicio para algo más grande, más impresionante. Como novela corta, es un golpe certero y fulminante. El estilo de Vásquez es, me parece, lo que sostiene todo este entramado narrativo. En fin, la recomiendo mucho. Además, puede hallarse muy barata.
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Written in three acts, as if a play. It’s a lot different than I was anticipating for so long, a book about a Colombian political cartoonist. It wasn’t not about his career, but really a commentary on memories and perceptions vs. reality, and the potential one has on impacting others with very little thought or effort given. It took place over the course of just a few days, with plenty of flashbacks. Just alright for me.
Evocative, interesting, beautifully written, especially for a translation.
Roman court & élégant sur la mémoire, l'opinion publique & (comme son titre l'indique) la réputation. Javier Mallarino, caricaturiste colombien au sommet de son art & de sa carrière, revient malgré lui sur une décision prise à la va-vite, une vingtaine d'années auparavant, & en mesure a posteriori les conséquences. Si j'ai trouvé la coïncidence qui porte l'intrigue un peu forte, & si je ne suis pas certaine que la fin soit complètement satisfaisante, j'aime toujours autant la plume de Vásquez : coulante, érudite & un peu facétieuse, confiante mais nuancée.
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wanted to like this work. Almost too much, maybe. But it’s obvious story was written with intrigue and mystery that perhaps only the author didn’t see coming. The story plods along, with a storyline of an ex-wife that ultimately goes nowhere and holds little meaning to the overall story. The author loves these characters, which is apparent. But more than the readers do. The main character is a vile old man, whom we should empathize with for his aging regressions and pondering of his place in the world. All to be couched in a child sexual assault story that at its end is maybe too apparent that the revelations are written by a man and of a man’s perspective. Which is the furthest from a compliment I can write. Reading this almost makes me wonder if I was completely wrong to think ‘The Sound of Things Falling’ was a great novel.
2.5
it was interesting but i really wasn’t a fan of the prose. lots of rambling i found myself zoning out for. the plot was okay but it wasn’t the main focus. i didn’t like some aspects like making a girls assault about a man. i liked some of his takes on deeper parts of life and was interested about his career. i guess from reading the description i just expected something different. a good book, just not my style.
it was interesting but i really wasn’t a fan of the prose. lots of rambling i found myself zoning out for. the plot was okay but it wasn’t the main focus. i didn’t like some aspects like making a girls assault about a man. i liked some of his takes on deeper parts of life and was interested about his career. i guess from reading the description i just expected something different. a good book, just not my style.