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A review by jimmylorunning
Ghosts by César Aira
3.0
Everything belonged to the children. The expansion produced by the measurements and the feeling of contraction that goes with fear were overlaid by the world of childhood. The real universe is measured in millimeters, and it is gigantic. p. 4
Plot: A Chilean family lives temporarily on the roof of a half-built (and otherwise uninhabited) condominium building. The story takes place during the course of a day: New Years Eve. The family gathers for a siesta to celebrate. Meanwhile there are ghosts, fat and naked and covered in a fine uniform white dust, that float about in the formation of the hands of a clock, or just hanging out by the dumpster; sometimes they laugh vigorously. They tempt one of the older daughters to join them in their party, the one the ghosts are holding at midnight. But she would, of course, have to be dead first.
Review: The high-points in the book are considerably great, although over-all, I'd say this is second-rate Aira. You should read [b:An Episode in the Life of a Landscape Painter|152809|An Episode in the Life of a Landscape Painter (New Directions Paperbook)|César Aira|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172246706s/152809.jpg|147499] first, as that one is filled with greatness, and [b:How I Became a Nun|152808|How I Became a Nun|César Aira|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172246706s/152808.jpg|147498] next as that one is also very good. Here, I felt like the blending is not working as well for him. The philosophy sticks out too much as Philosophy (with a capital P) rather than just part of the fabric of the whole book. (I love his philosophizing in his other books, because they were just one or two lines tossed out, almost as an aside, very illuminating yet kind of light and joyful). The surreal/ridiculous parts (i.e. ghosts and such) also seem to stick out instead of working together with the mundane. Overall, I felt a little bored through some sections, whereas in other Aira books I felt constantly (and pleasantly) surprised.
Also, NDP needs to do better copy editing. I found at least 10 minor spelling or grammatical errors in this short book. Although, to be fair, they did a GREAT job with the book and cover design.
Each of them seized a car; although the cars were identical, there was an obvious advantage in being able to choose while the other two children were asleep. What a surprise they would get, poor suckers, when they found they could only choose between the two remaining toy cars, which were indistinguishable from the others! p.79
Plot: A Chilean family lives temporarily on the roof of a half-built (and otherwise uninhabited) condominium building. The story takes place during the course of a day: New Years Eve. The family gathers for a siesta to celebrate. Meanwhile there are ghosts, fat and naked and covered in a fine uniform white dust, that float about in the formation of the hands of a clock, or just hanging out by the dumpster; sometimes they laugh vigorously. They tempt one of the older daughters to join them in their party, the one the ghosts are holding at midnight. But she would, of course, have to be dead first.
Review: The high-points in the book are considerably great, although over-all, I'd say this is second-rate Aira. You should read [b:An Episode in the Life of a Landscape Painter|152809|An Episode in the Life of a Landscape Painter (New Directions Paperbook)|César Aira|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172246706s/152809.jpg|147499] first, as that one is filled with greatness, and [b:How I Became a Nun|152808|How I Became a Nun|César Aira|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172246706s/152808.jpg|147498] next as that one is also very good. Here, I felt like the blending is not working as well for him. The philosophy sticks out too much as Philosophy (with a capital P) rather than just part of the fabric of the whole book. (I love his philosophizing in his other books, because they were just one or two lines tossed out, almost as an aside, very illuminating yet kind of light and joyful). The surreal/ridiculous parts (i.e. ghosts and such) also seem to stick out instead of working together with the mundane. Overall, I felt a little bored through some sections, whereas in other Aira books I felt constantly (and pleasantly) surprised.
Also, NDP needs to do better copy editing. I found at least 10 minor spelling or grammatical errors in this short book. Although, to be fair, they did a GREAT job with the book and cover design.
Each of them seized a car; although the cars were identical, there was an obvious advantage in being able to choose while the other two children were asleep. What a surprise they would get, poor suckers, when they found they could only choose between the two remaining toy cars, which were indistinguishable from the others! p.79