El corazón del tártaro

La tapa de la novela hace referencia a el libro sobre pintura que Zarza, la protagonista de esta historia, tiene que editar en su trabajo. Al comienzo de la novela, su vida parece monótona, simple, cuando recibe un llamado en su casa que le dice 'Te he encontrado.'

Así entraremos en el pasado de Zarza, a medida que lo recuerda, huyendo de su perseguidor, quien no será revelado hasta mucho después.

Lo que pronto sabemos es que Zarza tiene un pasado lo sumamente oscuro para creer que alguien busca matarla. En su atropellada huida, ella recordará su pasado, dándole pistas al lector sobre su verdadera historia con las drogas, llegando a prostituirse y utilizar a sus seres queridos, siendo parte de asaltos, engañando a quién la ayuda, traicionando a todos a su alrededor.

El libro sobre el que trabaja es referida en la novela como el caballero de la rosa: la historia de dos hermanastros hijos de un duque, quienes viven con el y su esposa (la madre de uno de ellos). un día el bastardo salva a su hermanastro, perdiendo un ojo. Sin embargo, este lo encuentra teniendo sexo con su madre, lo que le enfurece, echándolo y encerrándola su madre en sus aposentos. Esta historia se entrelaza con la narración del presente de Zarza, la autora mostrando así las conexiones que abundan entre ambas historias.

El relato transcurre en 24 horas en las que Zarza rememora amargamente sus años de autodestrucción. La narración no es lineal, por lo que el lector trabaja activamente para ordenar los eventos en su cabeza y así, entender los eventos que llevaron a Zarza a huir.

Esta novela muestra una vez más la magistral prosa de Rosa Montero, una de las voces consagradas de la narrativa en español. Sin dudas, los atrapará, llevándolos a cuestionarse que harían en el lugar de la protagonista, preguntándose si los humanos realmente aprendemos de nuestros errores, si finalmente nos convertimos en mejores personas cuando admitimos nuestras flaquezas, cuando nos miramos al espejo sin maquillaje ni disfraz, sin nada que nos oculte quién verdaderamente somos.

Ana Ovejero

mail: ana.ovejero@gmail.com

instagram:ananbooks

The Lacuna

' A story is like a painting, Soli. It doesn't have to look like what you see out the window.'

The novel begins with the terrors of mother and son every morning, the fantasy of the aulladores (howlers) coming to devour them, only their bones and Will's writing to give evidence of their existence.

Writing is an essential element in the story, as young Will, the protagonist, fills little notebooks endlessly, spreading his days in Mexico in paper. Having a Mexican mother and an American father, this duplicity in his identity is even displayed in his name: he is 'Will' to his mother Salomè, 'Pícaro' to Leandro, the Mexican cook who teaches him how tamales are properly made, 'Harry' to his American father, 'Insólito' to Frida, 'Sweet Buns' to Señor Rivera.

At the onset of the narrative, Salomé has abandoned America and her American husband for Don Enrique and Isla Pixol in Mexico. It is there where Will discovers the cave in the beach, its possibility of escape and a new reality. Later, when Salomé finds a new man, they move to the capital, the DF. There, he meets a man called 'The Painter', becoming the painting ixer for him. Soon, we discover that this man is not other than Diego Rivera, the famous muralist, and that the Azteca queen that walks every morning through the local market is his wife, the painter Frida Kahlo.

However, Will's luck runs out and he is sent to his father in Washington, where he is schooled as a boarding student. His writing continues and we, the readers, learn od his adventures and misfortunes from them directly.

After being expelled from school, he returnes to Mexico and becomes an important asset in Diego and Frida's home. There, his life becomes interwined with important historical events as Trotsky' exile in Mexico and his fragile safety in the Rivera's household is a continuous struggle for the protagonists.  After Trostsky's death, Will returns to America, where he starts writing novels about the Azteca empire. However, his former job in the household of famous communists makes him the target of the McCarthism movement.

As you can see, the plot has many suculent twists as a Will's true adventurous life is unfolded. Kingsolver's writing is magic and you can feel the heat of the Mexican atmosphere in your skin.

A 'lacuna' is a gap, an epty space in a story, a cave in the sea, a part that is missing for something to become a whole, to be utterly complete. There are always 'lacunas' in a narration ans is us, the readers, who have the marvellous opportunity to fill them with our dreams, our desires, our imagination.

Ana Ovejero

mail: ana.ovejero@gmail.com

instagram:ananbooks

Sea of Poppies

Being  set in India, during the Opium Wars between England and China, this monumental story tells the lives of several characters, from different castes and ideological perspectives, narrating the tumultuos times they have to survive. Amitav Ghosh is a master of storytelling, unravelling a plot in which everycharacter embarks themselves in a journey that will lead them to a ship, the Ibis.

The story begins with Deeti, a shy woman who struggles growing poppies to sell to the Opium factory. Unhappily marriage, she is devoteed to her daughter who she wishes would have a different future. With her, we learn of Kalua's fate, an untouchable ox man who takes Deeti's husband to work everyday.

In the Ibis, we find Zachary Reid, a sailor, new to the business and the only survivor of the journey that finishes in India.  With the support of the lascars, especially their leader Serang Ali, he becomes the second in command of the ship. This is to become an opium trader, but before, it will take coolies (Indian workers) to the Island of Mauritania.

In Calcutta, we find Paulette, a French orphan, being taken care of by Mr. Bhurman, an important dealer in the opium trade. She has been brought up in an unique way, being her father a botanistin the Imperial Gardens. She considers Jodu, a young Indian boy, as her brother. He wants to become part of the crew of the Ibis, having to face dangers and perils to do so.

We also have the story of the Rajah Neel Rattan Halder, who the previously mentioned Mr Brhuman forces to sell his properties in order to pay his late father's debts.

As you can see, Ghosh introduces this diversity so as to display the multiculturality of India at the times of the colony in contrast to the imperialist view of one people talking English and having the ultimate desire to become like their English masters. This adventurous tale unravels magestically, the destinies of the different characters becoming one, sailing the Black Water, finding a future in an another land, a new home.

Ana Ovejero

mail: ana.ovejero@gmail.com

instagram:ananbooks