A review by jnzllwgr
The Book of Sand by Jorge Luis Borges

5.0

Nothing is quite as enjoyable as Borges. I’m blessed with a poor memory and can return to his books frequently, as if for the first time. I do not know when I last read The Book of Sand, whether it was last week or several years ago. Time only moves between readings. I only dream when reading his books. I am talking about his short stories, of course. His poetry and nonfiction do not behave the same way for me. The brevity of the works ensure efficiency. Each word is carefully chosen without pretension. The risk of stories skimming the surface is high but a single word is a star system; a story, a galaxy; a collection, the universe. Philosophy, speculative fiction, allegory, love story, fantasy, (auto)biography, theology, detective or crime novel exists together and sometimes simultaneously. Critics sometimes suggest that Umberto Eco comes close to some of Borges’ qualities. But he can be exceedingly verbose.