ferluna's review against another edition
3.0
las historias de los jefes algunas sí y otras no, PERO LOS CACHORROS nao q historia del bien te atrapa desde el inicio la amé
quitobowen's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
analuisateles's review against another edition
3.0
2,5*
Só gostei de um dos contos. Detestei o primeiro.
Só gostei de um dos contos. Detestei o primeiro.
blueyorkie's review against another edition
3.0
"Os Chefes" brings together six conflicts. There are five rounds of pure violence and the last, of affectionate perversity. Of this set, urban fictions show boys challenging themselves, disputing a territory or a girl.
Or they were collectively challenging the rigid norms of a school dictatorship, a minor representation of the various dictatorships in Latin America. Far from the metropolis, rural narratives also speak of account settlements. Omnipresent, only death. There are six stories of a simple plot, told with grace and elegance. They respect the traditional form of the genre, not forgetting the welcome surprise in the last paragraph. In "O Avô", this surprise is almost unlikely, but its strangeness provokes a flash of humour that ignites the tale.
Or they were collectively challenging the rigid norms of a school dictatorship, a minor representation of the various dictatorships in Latin America. Far from the metropolis, rural narratives also speak of account settlements. Omnipresent, only death. There are six stories of a simple plot, told with grace and elegance. They respect the traditional form of the genre, not forgetting the welcome surprise in the last paragraph. In "O Avô", this surprise is almost unlikely, but its strangeness provokes a flash of humour that ignites the tale.
jfl's review against another edition
3.0
The English edition of Vargas’ short stories includes works first published in Spanish at different times. The lead story in the English edition (The Cubs) was first published in Spain in 1967 with the definitive version dated in 1966. Titled Los jefes, it was preceded by his first novel, La ciudad y los perros. For Roberto Bolaño, Los jefes is a masterpiece, a judgement that owed much to the creative structure of the story, serving as a “practice run” for Conversaciones en la catedral, “one of the best Spanish-language novels of the twentieth century”.
The other six short stories in the English edition were first published in 1965, written before his first novel. Structurally, there is none of the innovation that marked Los jefes. As Vargas himself confesses in the introduction to the English publication, the stories show the impact of the handful of writers (including Faulkner, Hemingway, Paul Bowles) who influenced him as he searched for his own voice.
Los jefes Bolaño has elevated to immortality. However, the other stories (apparently written between 1953 and 1957) are entertaining and quickly read as Vargas’ early, youthful, imaginings.
The other six short stories in the English edition were first published in 1965, written before his first novel. Structurally, there is none of the innovation that marked Los jefes. As Vargas himself confesses in the introduction to the English publication, the stories show the impact of the handful of writers (including Faulkner, Hemingway, Paul Bowles) who influenced him as he searched for his own voice.
Los jefes Bolaño has elevated to immortality. However, the other stories (apparently written between 1953 and 1957) are entertaining and quickly read as Vargas’ early, youthful, imaginings.
gian333's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.5
gomar93's review
4.0
As someone only somewhat familiar with southern cone and, to a lesser extent, Caribbean literature, Vargas Llosa's stories provided for me an awesome glimpse into Peruvian literature and culture.
I don't think I've read anything quite as haunting as what I read in "The Cubs", particularly for the quick stream of thought in which it's presented. The story could have easily been a novel, but Llosa is so great at condensing the important aspects of a boy's adolescence that it seems like what is written is all a blurry stumble down memory lane, done so in one sitting. Now imagine all that trauma that we can assume occurred, but in the eyes of a man whose genitalia was mutilated by a dog during his adolescence. The idea could be generic if machismo and inability to assimilate to that culture were the goals of the story, but Llosa's stream of consciousness keeps the reader alert enough to have to decipher what the emotional, observational text means in the narrative.
The other stories in the collection still contribute to my impression of Peruvian adolescence. The most noteworthy are "A Visitor" and "A Younger Brother", the first of which sees an exploration of the weird hierarchical race relations in Peru that differ considerably from anywhere else I am familiar. Also, I really liked "A Younger Brother," which deals with family pride between two brothers in conflict about whether to murder an indigenous Peruvian who was "admiring" their sister. Simple, yet unembarrassed to explore the ugly sides of every day semi-urban life in northern South America.
I don't think I've read anything quite as haunting as what I read in "The Cubs", particularly for the quick stream of thought in which it's presented. The story could have easily been a novel, but Llosa is so great at condensing the important aspects of a boy's adolescence that it seems like what is written is all a blurry stumble down memory lane, done so in one sitting. Now imagine all that trauma that we can assume occurred, but in the eyes of a man whose genitalia was mutilated by a dog during his adolescence. The idea could be generic if machismo and inability to assimilate to that culture were the goals of the story, but Llosa's stream of consciousness keeps the reader alert enough to have to decipher what the emotional, observational text means in the narrative.
The other stories in the collection still contribute to my impression of Peruvian adolescence. The most noteworthy are "A Visitor" and "A Younger Brother", the first of which sees an exploration of the weird hierarchical race relations in Peru that differ considerably from anywhere else I am familiar. Also, I really liked "A Younger Brother," which deals with family pride between two brothers in conflict about whether to murder an indigenous Peruvian who was "admiring" their sister. Simple, yet unembarrassed to explore the ugly sides of every day semi-urban life in northern South America.
floveco's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Racism
epictetsocrate's review against another edition
3.0
Javier o luă înainte cu o secundă:
— S-a sunat! strigă el, deja în picioare.
Tensiunea răbufni violent, ca o explozie. Cu toţii eram împietriţi: doctorul Abásalo rămăsese cu gura căscată. Se făcuse roşu la faţă şi strângea din pumni. Abia îşi mai revenise, ridicase o mână şi părea gata-gata să ne ţină o predică, dar chiar atunci se sună de-adevăratelea. Ieşirăm alergând într-o hărmălaie, înnebuniţi, întărâtaţi de croncănitul de corb al lui Amaya, care o luase înainte, întorcând băncile cu susul în jos.
Curtea interioară era zguduită de strigăte. Cei dintr-a patra şi dintr-a treia ieşiseră mai înainte şi se adunaseră într-un cerc mare, îmbulzindu-se pe sub praful ridicat. Aproape odată cu noi îşi făcură apariţia şi elevii de-a-ntâia şi de-a doua, aducând cu ei noi vorbe grele şi încă mai multă ură. Cercul se făcu şi mai mare. Indignarea era unanimă în rândul elevilor de gimnaziu. (Cei de la primară aveau o altă curte interioară, micuţă, cu mozaic albastru, în aripa din partea opusă a colegiului.)
— Vrea să ne belească, ţăranul.
— Da. Fir’ar al naibii!
— S-a sunat! strigă el, deja în picioare.
Tensiunea răbufni violent, ca o explozie. Cu toţii eram împietriţi: doctorul Abásalo rămăsese cu gura căscată. Se făcuse roşu la faţă şi strângea din pumni. Abia îşi mai revenise, ridicase o mână şi părea gata-gata să ne ţină o predică, dar chiar atunci se sună de-adevăratelea. Ieşirăm alergând într-o hărmălaie, înnebuniţi, întărâtaţi de croncănitul de corb al lui Amaya, care o luase înainte, întorcând băncile cu susul în jos.
Curtea interioară era zguduită de strigăte. Cei dintr-a patra şi dintr-a treia ieşiseră mai înainte şi se adunaseră într-un cerc mare, îmbulzindu-se pe sub praful ridicat. Aproape odată cu noi îşi făcură apariţia şi elevii de-a-ntâia şi de-a doua, aducând cu ei noi vorbe grele şi încă mai multă ură. Cercul se făcu şi mai mare. Indignarea era unanimă în rândul elevilor de gimnaziu. (Cei de la primară aveau o altă curte interioară, micuţă, cu mozaic albastru, în aripa din partea opusă a colegiului.)
— Vrea să ne belească, ţăranul.
— Da. Fir’ar al naibii!