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A review by thebobsphere
Occupation by Julián Fuks
4.0
Occupation is the second part of Julián Fuks loose autobiographical trilogy. In the previous volume, resistance Fuks spoke about his sibling relations with his family’s escape from Argentina. This time round the scope is more kaleidoscopic, using different narrative voices,
The book is divided roughly into 3 plots. One is about Fuks alter ego Sebastián interviewing refugees in an apartment block. Another plot concerns Sebastián’s upcoming fatherhood, while at the same time he is losing his own father to sickness.
Despite this structural difference, Resistance’s themes of displacement are still present in Occupation: A lot of the chapters are dedicated to the refugees stories and how they had to move out their countries and their ongoing ways of adapting to South America.
In Resistance Fuks stated that he felt like an outsider and in Occupation as he is going to be a father, he feels that he is alienated again, we all know that a child is a bit life change and Sebastián is not sure that he is cut out for fatherhood, at the same time his link to his father is casting him further adrift. By the end of the book, there is a meta moment as Sebastián receives a letter from no other than African author Mia Couto (who also praises this book). A total surprise and has sparked my interest in the direction the third part ( out in 2023) will take.
Although Occupation shares it’s themes with it’s previous volume, I think it is thematically richer and has more ideas. I do suggest that reading both Resistance and Occupation back to back is recommended as one can see the progression between both volumes.
The book is divided roughly into 3 plots. One is about Fuks alter ego Sebastián interviewing refugees in an apartment block. Another plot concerns Sebastián’s upcoming fatherhood, while at the same time he is losing his own father to sickness.
Despite this structural difference, Resistance’s themes of displacement are still present in Occupation: A lot of the chapters are dedicated to the refugees stories and how they had to move out their countries and their ongoing ways of adapting to South America.
In Resistance Fuks stated that he felt like an outsider and in Occupation as he is going to be a father, he feels that he is alienated again, we all know that a child is a bit life change and Sebastián is not sure that he is cut out for fatherhood, at the same time his link to his father is casting him further adrift. By the end of the book, there is a meta moment as Sebastián receives a letter from no other than African author Mia Couto (who also praises this book). A total surprise and has sparked my interest in the direction the third part ( out in 2023) will take.
Although Occupation shares it’s themes with it’s previous volume, I think it is thematically richer and has more ideas. I do suggest that reading both Resistance and Occupation back to back is recommended as one can see the progression between both volumes.