In the first part of the book we get to know the story -- or at least part of it -- of some of the main characters; including a few local politicians, The Counselor’s followers, and Galileo Gall. However, after reading one fourth of the book, we really know nothing about The Counselor. What is his personal story? His background? His purpose?
In the two moments the book changes from having an omnipresent narrator to have Galileo Gall as the personal narrator, his thoughts bring up interesting points. Who are The Counselor’s followers? Are they part of a strategy of The Counselor to rebel against the pillars of a classist society? Is religion the only force able to strike a group of people for centuries yield to the oppression of a tyrannical church and abusive government?
So far I think that the introduction is very interesting. It reminds me of Garbriel García Márquez, what do you think of this?
ReplyDeleteIt is certainly an original setting and the characters are special too! Galileo Gall, in plus, is so real. I feel I have seen this "hippy" man before. I haven't though reach the end of part 1 yet, but will be there soon!
I really like how Vargas Llosa describes every character with so many details that I feel like I'm being an intruder in their personal lives, knowing their dirty little secrets. I'm enjoying this book a lot, I did my best to find it in Spanish so I could read it on the author's native language. Sometimes I'm horrified with the awful and violent events that take place in those little towns, how a person is capable of doing such evil things to other human beings (like opening up a pregnant woman belly, taking the baby out and putting a rooster in it's place? Wow)
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read about what is going to happen in Canudos and what the saint is all about, that is the only character I feel I don't know much about. I hope the Spanish version is very similar to the English one, so we all talk about the same things, and nothing gets lost in translation.
Rocio, I agree with the similarity with Garcia Marquez, although I feel like Vargas Llosa gives much more descriptions in this book that what I remember with the books from Gabo, who describes the situations so richly I love reading his books. Hopefully Vargas Llosa will do the same in this book.
ReplyDeleteI have mixed feelings about the book. I love the descriptions of the secondary characters, with their incredible and difficult lives, very original and interesting stories.
ReplyDeleteAt some points, the story goes very slowly and I lose interest and drag through a bunch of pages, until something happens.
I am curious to find out more about Galileo Gall and his fate, what an interesting character.
The book got me thinking about the manipulation of the media to make us think things happened in one way or the other. The corruption of politicians and power seems to be the same one century after the war of the end of the world.
I am also reading the book in Spanish – as far as I can, I try to read every book in the language it was originally written.
ReplyDeleteI like the style and the description of the characters, even if sometimes the miseries of their lives are shocking and heartbreaking. Although it is not the kind of book that grabs me to the point of reading until 2am, I am enjoying turning the pages.
Regarding The Counselor, I am still trying to figure out how I feel about him – and that is a thing for me, since I cannot help "labeling" the main characters of a book in those who I like and those who I don’t. Any personal thoughts or comments about his figure?