A review by msgtdameron
The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolaño

challenging slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This is one of the most challenging and confusing works I have ever read.  First, pet peaves, in the first 100 pages we have another in depth deflowering of one of our more minor characters.  He is deflowered by Maria, daughter of one of the financers of the poetic movement.  This section is three pages long and I just don't see the reason but its there.  The rest of the sex scenes are kiss, cuddle, or describe the first action in one line and then fade to black.  OK pet peave handled.                  The work continues with a selection of story lines all dealing with various founding members of visceral realism.  We follow their lives until 1996 where some are dead, some have just disappeared, some are murdered, think of a way for people to drop out of society and you have what happens.                                                   I mention Maria at the top for this reason.  Her character is up for anything as long as it brings pleasure.  But, she hates goat.  I love goat.  Goat kebabs are one of the greatest foods that man has ever thought of.  Baked, cooked on a spit, in a kebab, on a sandwich how ever goat is great, but Maria hates goat.  She will eat any thing.  She will drink any thing and smoke or pop any thing.  She will have sex any where any time and multiple times a day.  But she won't eat goat.  I know petty but this one fact of her character really bothers me.  A suggestion if you choose to give it a go: get a scorebook so you can track where each character comes in and the highlights of their story.  The work skips through time and space like a drunk starship Captain zipping around multiple suns changing time and the space at random.  It is a great read and I enjoyed it but it is a challenge.  Enjoy.