A review by alexandriaslibrary
Simpatía by Rodrigo Blanco Calderón

dark reflective
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Longlisted for the International Booker, Simpatía is surprisingly accessible and plot-driven. Set in Caracas Ulises is married to Paulina who is estranged from her father Martín. However, Ulises and Martín start a friendship even after Paulina leaves the country. When Martín dies, he leaves Ulises the apartment he shared w Paulina, and his beautiful giant estate as long as Ulises promises to transform it into a dog sanctuary. (In the novel and in real life, Venezuela has had major political turmoil with over 7 million fleeing, causing a surplus of abandoned dogs.)

There’s a motley crew of characters who must work together to build the rescue, musings about dogs, the political history of Venezuela, dysfunctional family dynamics, and The Godfather. All in all, an enjoyable read and although there are dark moments, it’s not a slog or overly depressing. 
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