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A review by cajonist
Death in the Andes by Mario Vargas Llosa
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
A deeply unpleasant book. I read a lot of grim material, fiction and non-fiction, but there was a dark twisted sensibility to the writing here that I couldn’t help but ascribe to the author himself.
You’ll read worse events in lots of books but there was just a seediness to the writing that made you feel like time spent in the writer’s company would be unsettling.
An unrelated complaint, but the book relied frequently on those weird perspective shifts most associated with Kafka. I know they’re stylistic but, more often than not, they leave you re-reading the page looking for a typo or a mistake rather than whatever intentional disjointed feeling they’re supposed to inspire.
You’ll read worse events in lots of books but there was just a seediness to the writing that made you feel like time spent in the writer’s company would be unsettling.
An unrelated complaint, but the book relied frequently on those weird perspective shifts most associated with Kafka. I know they’re stylistic but, more often than not, they leave you re-reading the page looking for a typo or a mistake rather than whatever intentional disjointed feeling they’re supposed to inspire.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism
Moderate: Homophobia