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A review by roseflr
The Barbarian Nurseries by Héctor Tobar
3.0
I would not compare this book to "Bonfire of the Vanities" by any stretch. Tobar manages to capture the inane narcissism of many wealthy, educated thirtysomethings, their endless consumerism, self-righteous lifestyle and blindness to the reality of lives other than their own. The tale he weaves is complex and believable, yet I barely ever found reason to shake my head and laugh the way I did with Bonfire.
The main character, Ariceli, is difficult to embrace; she's sullen and offers little opportunity for connection, but that may be to the author's credit. A more loveable woman would be a facile cop-out in a way. Perhaps as a Easterner, I failed to grasp the whole California thing. The plot revolves around the complexities of immigration and where I live, it's pretty much a non-issue.
Overall, I was relieved to be done with the people in this tale, glad I didn't have to listen to their whining any longer or worry about how they could navigate their situation without the benefit of common sense. I'll give it 4 stars because I appreciate the way Tobar skillfully presented a detailed story and tied up loose ends, but the emotional attachment just didn't happen.
The main character, Ariceli, is difficult to embrace; she's sullen and offers little opportunity for connection, but that may be to the author's credit. A more loveable woman would be a facile cop-out in a way. Perhaps as a Easterner, I failed to grasp the whole California thing. The plot revolves around the complexities of immigration and where I live, it's pretty much a non-issue.
Overall, I was relieved to be done with the people in this tale, glad I didn't have to listen to their whining any longer or worry about how they could navigate their situation without the benefit of common sense. I'll give it 4 stars because I appreciate the way Tobar skillfully presented a detailed story and tied up loose ends, but the emotional attachment just didn't happen.