Rate this book

Wola I Fortuna (2011)

by Carlos Fuentes(Favorite Author)

3.2 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

8377990466 (ISBN13: 9788377990469)

languge

English

genre

Fantasy

publisher

Świat Książki

review 1: Overall, Destiny and Desire was an interesting novel. However, I plodded my way through many parts of it and wasn't thrilled about pulling it out and continuing. The style was often rambling and repetitious, leading me to look ahead to see how long this part was going to be. The beginning was unusual, the decapitated narrator, Josue, introducing himself and saving the circumstances until the end. The plot begins in high school with Josue being bullied for the size of his nose and being rescued by Jerico, a bolder, more confident orphan , like Josue himself. Both boys become kindred spirits and decide to challenge each other intellectually through readings and debate. Mysterious at this point are the circumstances surrounding their benefactors, as each one is supported with... more a monthly check. As the boys mature, they are mentored first by a priest, Father Filopater, and then a law professor, Antonio Sangines. Eventually, Jerico goes to work for the Mexican president, an inept politician who gets elected by a sympathy vote due to his wife suffering from cancer. Then, as his 6 year term comes to an end, he tries to win over the populace for reelection by throwing festivals and opening pools, supposedly spreading happiness. Josue goes to work for a secretive, rarely seen businessman who wants to improve life of the Mexican people through technology, putting an electronic device in the hands of each citizen. In the last section both of their bosses meet several times, and the reader can detect some kind of secretive link between the two. The ending serves to clarify all the loose ends and reveal many mysterious secrets concerning both young men.
review 2: A difficult but ultimately very rewarding novel. The pairs are dizzying, and spirals into 3s 4s and mores. Politics, philosophy and the nature of storytelling battle to draw for center stage. Colorful, engaging characters galore. Fuentes demands knowledge of (or at least serious thinking about) the Bible, Greek legend, St Augustine, Nietzsche, Spinoza, Mexican politics and more. A novel about everything that somehow manages at the same to time to stick to its knitting. And how can you argue with observations like: "We were, as children, singular magicians. As adults, we will be herd animals.""Just look at the Gringos. Look at what prosperity has done for them! They work constantly, eat badly, you can bet they fuck in a hurry, a straight suburban quickie, they don't have vacations, they don't have social welfare, they retire at fifty and die beside a lawn mower. A lot of work, a lot of money, and not much satisfaction.... Some happiness!""Now I told myself the probable summary of history is that we could analyze in detail and clarify the cultural modalities of the time but did not know how to avoid its evil." "I don;t want the killings to go on.""What serious politician hasn't eaten shit, Josue." less

Download links for: Wola i fortuna

Advertising