Oh hell yes -- I am thrilled to see a review of this book, which really is THAT good and worthy of serious analysis (which Adam, as always, delivers). I found it much more effective as a thriller than our fearless reviewer did, though -- two of the three main threads here are both really satisfying (particularly when we get to Operacion Espiral), which contrasts with the deliberate ambiguity of the biographer's plot. (I say "deliberate ambiguity" because one of the coolest things in the novel is how Sorondo has characters and the narration alike withhold details as a power move -- we conspicuously don't know the names of anyone in this narrative until they lose their power, which feels thematically apt.) But even that has tension, and it's impressive just how much dread Sorondo summons in the last twenty pages without a concrete "here's what happened."
Good to see Cubafruit reviewed here! When I read this I was under the impression I did get "the part of Annaliet’s story that contradicts the biographer’s" and it did satisfyingly "recontextualize the events we witness throughout" – though granted it came indirectly through the flashbacks rather than directly through her speech to the biographer. It worked well for me as a thriller, so I was more satisfied with it.
Oh hell yes -- I am thrilled to see a review of this book, which really is THAT good and worthy of serious analysis (which Adam, as always, delivers). I found it much more effective as a thriller than our fearless reviewer did, though -- two of the three main threads here are both really satisfying (particularly when we get to Operacion Espiral), which contrasts with the deliberate ambiguity of the biographer's plot. (I say "deliberate ambiguity" because one of the coolest things in the novel is how Sorondo has characters and the narration alike withhold details as a power move -- we conspicuously don't know the names of anyone in this narrative until they lose their power, which feels thematically apt.) But even that has tension, and it's impressive just how much dread Sorondo summons in the last twenty pages without a concrete "here's what happened."
Cubafruit is really good, is what I'm saying!
Good to see Cubafruit reviewed here! When I read this I was under the impression I did get "the part of Annaliet’s story that contradicts the biographer’s" and it did satisfyingly "recontextualize the events we witness throughout" – though granted it came indirectly through the flashbacks rather than directly through her speech to the biographer. It worked well for me as a thriller, so I was more satisfied with it.
I liked Havana. It pisses me off we can’t really go and worse I can’t bring in Cuban cigars.