An impressive panoramic portrayal of his native country is created
with masterly economy in this intriguing political detective story
by the celebrated Peruvian author (In Praise of the Stepmother,
1990; the autobiography A Fish in the Water, 1994, etc.). The story
details the investigation performed in a remote Andean territory by
two government Civil Guard officers: weary, cynical Corporal Lituma
(who appeared in Vargas Llosa's Who Killed Palomino Molero?, 1987)
and his young adjutant, Tomas Carreno. Three men have mysteriously
disappeared and are presumed murdered. Suspicion falls initially on
the Marxist Shining Path guerrillas, whose terrorist activities
range from disrupting a star-crossed highway project to stoning
innocent tourists to death. But Lituma also suspects a putative
local "witch" and her Falstaffian husband (pointedly named
Dionisio), rumored to practice both cannibalism and human
sacrifice. The novel rockets energetically from one scene and set
of characters to another, powered by Vargas Llosa's distinctive
structural device: A story told by one character to another
simultaneously presented through authorial omniscience in the
present-tense. The guerrillas are observed from outside, and they
prove all the more menacing and mysterious for that. Several
subplots linger hauntingly in the memory, most notably those
involving a woman environmentalist whose devotion to a variously
funded reforestation plan brands her as an "intellectual who
betrays the people," and a gentle retarded man who watches with
horror as a herd of the vicunas he protectively tends is, for
ostensibly political reasons, slaughtered. The vigorous, fractious
narrative is skillfully unified by a painstakingly rendered
contrast between its two major characters: Lituma's profane
testiness is oddly engaging, as is his moonstruck partner's
romantic fixation on a thug's mistress who has more than one
surprise in store for her hopeful young lover. A terrific novel:
dramatic and varied, rich in incident, characterization, and
atmosphere, and disturbingly forthright in its political and human
implications. One of Vargas Llosa's best books in years. (Kirkus
Reviews)
In an isolated community in the Peruvian Andes, a series of
mysterious disappearances has occurred. Army corporal Lituma and
his deputy Tomas believe the Shining Path guerrillas are
responsible, but the townspeople have their own ideas about the
forces that claimed the bodies of the missing men. This riveting
novel is filled with unforgettable characters, among them
disenfranchised Indians, eccentric local folk, and a couple
performing strange cannibalistic sacrifices. As the investigation
progresses, Tomas entertains Lituma with the surreal tale of a
precarious love affair. Death in the Andes is both a fascinating
detective novel and an insightful political allegory. Mario Vargas
Llosa offers a panoramic view of Peruvian society, from the recent
social upheaval to the cultural influences in its past.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
