binstonbirchill's review against another edition
5.0
I came across this work when searching for books similar to A Brief History of Seven Killings. Conversation in the Cathedral is also a lengthy book dealing with weighty issues set in a historical context and written by a brilliant author.
Coming in with no familiarity with 1950s Peru wasn’t really a problem. There’s a lot of characters, endless government officials of varying importance, friends and family of our two interlocutors from the Cathedral (a bar) but even with all of that I never felt lost as to who characters were and where they stood (except when you’re supposed to unsure within the context of the story). Llosa does a great job of controlling the chaos, and he does create a lot of chaos with his stylistic choices.
Which brings me to why I loved this book and what sets it above a normal historical fiction novel. Throughout the book, most heavily in section one, we have multiple narratives and conversations taking place, often three or four, at the same time and with no delineation better them. Line by line and paragraph by paragraph we are constantly being swung back and forth between multiple scenes from the past taking place at different times while sometimes including the same characters, all the while our eponymous Conversation in the Cathedral is dripped in bit by bit. It’s brilliant and one of the most enjoyable and rewarding reading experiences I’ve had. Trying to hold three separate rapid fire conversations in your head is challenging but worth the effort.
The later 2/3 of the novel cuts back on the chaos of form but that’s when the historical events take over. There are great characters and through their eyes we get a very compelling picture of power and corruption in 1950s Peru. Highly recommend this if you’re up for a challenging informative read.
Coming in with no familiarity with 1950s Peru wasn’t really a problem. There’s a lot of characters, endless government officials of varying importance, friends and family of our two interlocutors from the Cathedral (a bar) but even with all of that I never felt lost as to who characters were and where they stood (except when you’re supposed to unsure within the context of the story). Llosa does a great job of controlling the chaos, and he does create a lot of chaos with his stylistic choices.
Which brings me to why I loved this book and what sets it above a normal historical fiction novel. Throughout the book, most heavily in section one, we have multiple narratives and conversations taking place, often three or four, at the same time and with no delineation better them. Line by line and paragraph by paragraph we are constantly being swung back and forth between multiple scenes from the past taking place at different times while sometimes including the same characters, all the while our eponymous Conversation in the Cathedral is dripped in bit by bit. It’s brilliant and one of the most enjoyable and rewarding reading experiences I’ve had. Trying to hold three separate rapid fire conversations in your head is challenging but worth the effort.
The later 2/3 of the novel cuts back on the chaos of form but that’s when the historical events take over. There are great characters and through their eyes we get a very compelling picture of power and corruption in 1950s Peru. Highly recommend this if you’re up for a challenging informative read.
ngominh's review against another edition
5.0
Cuốn sách với thời lượng khủng và cũng đòi hỏi người đọc một sự tập trung gần như cao độ với đám mây vô số nhân vật và khoảng dài thời gian trong này. Với Trò chuyện trong quán La Catedral, Llosa đã viết nên bi kịch rất thường thấy của Mỹ Latin, về một thời đoạn đảo điên với những mưu toan chước quyền của chế độ độc tài, của những thân phận nhỏ nhoi, của những mảnh đời trong tầng lớp xã hội Peru phóng dụ. Với cách xây dựng hội thoại đan xen thuộc nhiều khoảng thời gian tách nhau, của 2 hay đôi khi 3 tuyến câu truyện lồng ghép; 4 phần là 4 kết cấu khác nhau, từ đam xen không cách đoạn đến phân đoạn chi tiết... Một cuốn sách dữ dội, táo tợn và lạnh tanh.
schnauzermum's review against another edition
4.0
A challenging, but rewarding read. The conversation of the title takes place one night in the bar La Catedral between a young journalist and his father’s former chauffeur. The politics of Peru in the 1950s is compellingly described in the fragmented narrative. I felt it was over-long, and I probably need to read it again some time.
sebastianoblass's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
hobfox's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
graciosareis's review against another edition
5.0
Cinco estrelas. Complexo mas genial.
Primeiro estranha-se, depois entranha-se. Este foi o meu sentimento ao ler este romance. Escrita truncada, diálogos entrelaçados, histórias cruzadas, múltiplas personagens, uso indiscriminado dos discursos direto, indireto e indireto livre que confundem completamente o leitor. Porém, à medida que se avança na narrativa, vamos compreendendo as personagens e o enredo e vamos ficando, cada vez mais, conquistados pela mestria do autor.
A conversa que acontece no café Catedral marca o reencontro de Santiago (Zavalita) e Ambrósio e serve de fio condutor ao longo de toda a narrativa. Ficamos assim a conhecer a vida destas personagens e dos seus familiares, amigos, colegas de trabalho, entre muitas outras, bem como um pouco da história do Peru dos anos cinquenta, época de divisão política, de corrupção e de repressão.
Primeiro estranha-se, depois entranha-se. Este foi o meu sentimento ao ler este romance. Escrita truncada, diálogos entrelaçados, histórias cruzadas, múltiplas personagens, uso indiscriminado dos discursos direto, indireto e indireto livre que confundem completamente o leitor. Porém, à medida que se avança na narrativa, vamos compreendendo as personagens e o enredo e vamos ficando, cada vez mais, conquistados pela mestria do autor.
A conversa que acontece no café Catedral marca o reencontro de Santiago (Zavalita) e Ambrósio e serve de fio condutor ao longo de toda a narrativa. Ficamos assim a conhecer a vida destas personagens e dos seus familiares, amigos, colegas de trabalho, entre muitas outras, bem como um pouco da história do Peru dos anos cinquenta, época de divisão política, de corrupção e de repressão.
gianlucafiore's review against another edition
5.0
I am tempted to create a bookshelf only for books like Conversacion en la Catedral named 'masterpieces'. So much better than most of the books I read.
Perhaps I will write a proper review later. Or not. Books like this I feel that I have 'ittle to nothing to say that hasn't already been expressed about them.
Perhaps I will write a proper review later. Or not. Books like this I feel that I have 'ittle to nothing to say that hasn't already been expressed about them.
mango246's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25