A case of exploding mangoes

The death of the dictator of Pakistan General Zia alongside all his high-ranked officers plus the US embassador has intrigued people since the day it happened. The cause for the fall of the plane is still a mystery, becoming excellent material for a writer.

This novel depicts the reasons behind those events, having as a narrator a young soldier who has a grudge with the government, which apparently is the responsible for his father's death. His best friend Obaid disappears with a fight plane and the CIA and the Pakistani Intelligence agency decide that the protagonist must know something about this.

What is unique about this novel is the sarcastic tone which the protagonist/narrator uses to retells his adventures, trying to survive a few more days in order to acomplish his sole purpose on earth: to kill General Zia. At the same time, we learn about this general superstitious mind, his relationship with his officers and the level of corruption and intrigue that surrounds this dictatorial leader.

A truly page-turner, this novel replicates the characteristics of a book that Obaid recommends to the protagonist: 'Tale of a death foretold' by Gabriel Garcia Marquez: you know the end of the narrative from the beginning, but you want to know what has happened to get to that ending. Mohammed Hanif is a marvellous storyteller, creating a suspenseful plot that will keep you alert until the last page of the book.

Ana Ovejero

mail: ana.ovejero@gmail.com

instagram:ananbooks

The assassination of Margaret Thatcher

Hilary Mntel is the first woman to win the Booker prize twice with her book about Thomas Cronwell 'Wolf Hall' and 'Bring up the bodies'. This short story collection depicts the narratives published in different newspaper in England.

The language of the stories is superb, almost poetic. The characters are complete and complex, as the settings, which are well-depicted with a great variety that makes the stories really exquisite. 'Sorry to interrupt', the first story, displays a woman who receives a man at her house asking to use tha telephone. It is in mid-story that we realised the narrative is not happening in London. In 'Winter Break' a small detail shows us the true dramatic situation the characters have gone through.

Mantel's mastery of the language makes us see realities where there is only fiction, taking sides with characters that seem to be sympathetic with others' flaws, without acknowledging their ones.

If you have read her work before, you are going to see her characteristic writing style in the witty dialogues and sarcastic tone of the stories. If this is your first time with Hilary Mantel, you have an unforgettable encounter with literature with capital L ahead. Enjoy!

How to be both

Ali Smith's masterpiece is published in two different editions. Some readers would get the 'eyes' section first and the 'camera' section in second position. In my case, it was the other way around.

The 'camera' section depicts the life of  teenaged George who has lost her mother and who tries to figure out her father's attitude, her little brother's loneliness and her own pain. In unforgettable flashbacks, we see the family's visit to an Italian palazzo just to admire the frescoes done by the not-so-famous Francesco del Cossa. They had previously seen them at home in the computer, but her academis mother takes them to admire the frescoes for their unique beauty.

The dialogues between mother and daughter are superb, dissecting each others' ideas regarding art: 'Do things just go away?' ' Do things that happened not exist, or stop existing just because we can't see them happening in front of us?' Even the image in the cover of the book has a connecting with the plot and its themes, appearing on George's walls alongside del Cossa's printed-version frescoes.

The second section 'eyes' displays the life of Francesco del Cossa in the fifteenth century, who is the painter of the frescoes in the palazzo George and her mother visit in Italy. We see his love for his mother, the decision his father takes regarding his future, his learning how to use colours and how to create them. However, Smith has a surprise for us readers as not everything is as it seems.

'How to be both' has been described  as 'playful, tender, unforgettable' by the Guardian. I believe it ro be exquisite beyong measure. Regardless the edition you get, you know you have in your hands the work of a true artist.

Ana Ovejero

mail: ana.ovejero@gmail.com

instagram:ananbooks

La Vegetariana

Esta novela, ganadora de premio Man Booker internacional, relata los dias de la vegetariana del titulo, desde el punto de vista de su esposo, su cuñado y su hermana.

Una madrugada, el esposo encuentra a la protagonista de pie frente al refrigerador, vaciandolo de todos los productos de carne. Cuando este le pregunta que esta haciendo, ella solo le contesta que tuvo un sueño. Asi comenzara el tiempo en que la mujer solo come vegetales o frutas, hasta llegar a la estapa que deja de comer totalmente.

El cuñado de la protagonista relata los dias en que esta ya se encuentra viviendo sola, alejandose de su familia, aislandose. Entre ellos, en especial de parte del hombre, existe un deseo escondido, que lo llevara a producir un proyecto artistico que los acercara de manera muy intima.

Su hermana cuenta los ultimos dias de la vid de la mujer, internada en un neuropsiquiatrico. Ella se cuestiona si lo que sufre su hermana es la locura, y como llego a estar inmersa en ella, y si su cordura puede tambien peligrar. Su pequeño hijo es el centro de su vida y en cierta medida, su ancla de la oscuridad.

Esta novela no es para todos. Los acontecimientos llevan al lector a cuestionarse sus decisiones e ideas, la razon de su rutina diaria, la fragilidad de la calma de sus dias, la facilidad con que todo puede desaparecer.

Ana Ovejero

mail: ana.ovejero@gmail.com

instagram:ananbooks