Reviews

Facsímil, by Alejandro Zambra

mollynelsonregan's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny informative lighthearted reflective relaxing sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

Sharp and idiosyncratic take on short stories and Chilean society. 

julesenglish's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A

2.0

snowbenton's review against another edition

5.0

The woman who runs my book club picked this book and asked us to just read it without looking up anything about it. I think that's definitely the best way to approach this book, so all I'm going to say is that it is strange and melancholy and sometimes funny and definitely worth the hour or so it will take to read.

chelseamartinez's review against another edition

4.0

Clever, in the good sense of the word.

enairabutcher's review against another edition

challenging informative slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.25

Mark the statement that best describes the book, in your opinion:

a) it explores Chilean culture
b) it explores parenthood
c) it explores childhood
d) it has no answers
e) it has all the answers
f) mind boggling
g) brilliant, no, fucking brilliant
h) III, IV, and IIIV
i) all of the above
j) I don’t know anymore

This book was one that, when I opened it, I knew I’d love it (I’m a bonafide form geek) or at least I hoped I would. The multiple choice format was confusing only for the first few pages. After that, I was able to go with it, not taking the answers very seriously, but trying to explore the meaning on a larger scale. 

Multiple Choice delivers. Even with the few number of words, I came away from this novel thinking about the school system, about testing and what it means to be analytical or intelligent; thinking about family and obligation, about religion and marriage. Zambra manages to do so much with so few words.

If you’re looking for an engaging, light, and clever read, Multiple Choice is for you. It can be read in an afternoon, but will make your brain spin long after you flip the final page. 

jess_segraves's review against another edition

4.0

Inventive and poetic. This book is very different, formatted into an exam, and I suspect others will try to emulate this in the future. You don't need to know anything about Chilean history or Pinochet's regime, but it doesn't hurt if you do.

elenamanolesp's review against another edition

3.0

3.5

bluenicorn's review against another edition

3.0

What a very unique book this was. I think that trying to explain it would be like trying to explain a collection of poems. The writing (and translating) was lovely and spare, and every page gave you room to give as much or little thought to it as you chose. I don't think it will work for my book group (a little too experimental in form), but for anyone looking for a short but meaningful book, this might be a good one.

jazsever's review against another edition

4.0

No es para nada lo que esperaba y me pareció magnífico. Una construcción de historias nunca vista. Me hizo reír y reflexionar.
Quiero leer más del autor.

_pickle_'s review against another edition

3.0

Fantastic play with the multiple choice form. You could read this book on a short train trip and be the much better for it. There's a lot of wit and reflection on both the individual and the role of narrative. For fans of meta-fiction.