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I Libri Bruciano Male (2009)

by Manuel Rivas(Favorite Author)

3.25 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

8807017814 (ISBN13: 9788807017810)

languge

English

genre

Historical Fiction

publisher

Feltrinelli

review 1: It's strange because I almost gave up on this book twice. The writing, the vignettes and the characters drew me in, but despite getting to the end, I really feel that I could not put the whole plot together. It was long and so many connections existed among the characters and so much happened over such an extended period of time, that I felt that I could not put the puzzle pieces together to see the big picture. I really enjoyed the writing and the creative story elements.
review 2: This novel takes place in northwestern spain, Galicia, in the towns of compestela and coruna mainly, from 1936 to more or less now. Its cast of characters focus mainly on the very poor, but also the cops, franco and his wife Carmen, the secret police, rich people, tourists, fisherm... moreen and farmers and fishwives. To start off the “re-conquest” from liberal, progressive govt. the fascists started out burning all the books of the liberals of the town. That act chokes all that comes after, for you see, books burn badly. This excerpt takes place in the judges house. The judge is a fascist who has been uplifted by the franco regime (though he seems not such a bad sort, for a nazi). Neves is a maid, polka is a sometimes-servant, sometimes-tutor for the judges son, Gabriel, and polka is a subversive. Polka is teaching Gabriel not to stutter. ‘o’, is olinda, a washerwoman and sometimes-servant to the judge/judge’s family. This little vignette takes place about maybe 1940’s, or even early 1950’s, deep in the dictatorship of franco, and usa’s rapprochement (we just luuuvvv us our dictators). Luis terranova was a subversive too, but has been disappeared. He was always pushing things very far but was somewhat tolerated because of his wit and talent (but disappeared nonetheless).Rivas’ novel is incredibly dense, dreamy, trippy even. Perhaps this will give a good flavor of this incredible story: “Neves accompanied the judge to the door. Polka, meanwhile, poured himself some coffee, which he sugared generously. “ But you’re…..having….sugar!’ the boy protested.Polka winked.‘My words are re-turned already.’‘Phew! I’m glad he didn’t ask anything,’ sighed Neves when she came back.‘I’d have explained it all to him,’ said O. ‘We weren’t doing anything wrong.’‘He’s very particular,’ commented Neves in a low voice. ‘When he gets all authoritative, there’s nothing to be done. He walks with his bust on a pedestal.’Polka savored the last drop of sugary coffee. La dolce vita, he called those dregs. A phrase he’s heard from Luis Terranova. What had happed to Terranova, to that boy who was a diamond, a Gardel? He hoped he hadn’t had dealings with eternity.Polka savored the last drop as if it were an undying pleasure and then clicked his tongue.“What was the problem? He looked at me and didn’t see me.’He turned his face to Gabriel.‘Now you know. What you have to do is look and see. Give eyes their vision. Words their meaning. Come on. Let’s have another go. Say, ”With each note he played, the bagpiper made a polished diamond”.’Gabriel recited the sentence without getting stuck on the jingle. He didn’t choke on a single word. His voice sounded happy and singsong and the words contained everything they named.‘That’s it. That’s what I call many happy re-turns,’ Polka congratulated himself. ‘You have to find the right key for the lock.’He was emotional. He took Gabriel’s head in his hands as if he might lift it off his body and polish the sculpture. These were no sad verses, but the man’s eyes were wet. He heard Luis Terranova’s voice again. He was standing naked, a god in the nude, on top of Ara Solis. He mumbled that incomprehensible refrain Yamba, yambo, yambambe! As if it were Latin. Something Polka only did when he’d just killed a worm of fear. less

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