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coffeewithcut's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
5.0
I have so much to say about the wonders of this novel, so many praises to sing to it (and to Señor Fuentes as well). To this day, "The Death of Artemio Cruz" is considered one of the most significant achievements in Latin American literature. Rightfully so. It is regarded as a classic for a reason.
Artemio Cruz, a 71-year-old newspaper mogul, businessman, and one of the most influential political figures in Mexico, is dying. On his deathbed and surrounded by his family, he immerses himself in a torrent of memories and reflects on his life. Born from a violent event, raised in absolute poverty, and apprenticed to a blacksmith, young Artemio embraced the ideals of the Mexican Revolution, and his revolutionary participation sparked a chain of events that propelled him to the very top. The flashbacks in the book introduce the reader to glimpses into the life of this powerful yet morally ambiguous man whose journey parallels the evolution of modern Mexico, from the ideals of the Mexican Revolution to the political and social decay that followed. Cruz is the prototype of a man emerging from the new generation forged in the fire of the Revolution, whose personality is shaped by ambition, betrayal, and the compromises he makes to amass all that wealth and power.
Artemio is certainly not the textbook definition of a lovable character but his magic lies in the realisation that he does not necessarily wish to be liked; he only demands respect. Fuentes infuses the flashbacks with a visceral feel, and even when Cruz reflects on the choices in his life and questions their correctness, he remains largely unapologetic. It is his story, his alone; he lets you glimpse it but does not seek your absolution. This makes him a lifelike, realistic character — he stands before you, a man of flesh and bones, not expecting forgiveness or understanding. It is Artemio himself who needs to forgive himself and make peace with all he did. The further you progress through his memories and the more he lets you see, the more compassion you find for the man, and the more you understand the motivations and decisions that shape his life.
At its core, the novel is a meditation on both political and personal power that reflects on what a person is willing to sacrifice in its name, and how far they can go to keep it. It presents Artemio as a product of a turbulent historical period during which revolutionary ideals are abandoned in the sheer violence of war and gradually replaced by personal gain. His life story is also a metaphor for the disillusionment that often follows revolution, as ideals are sacrificed to the realities of greed and corruption. He is imbued with complexity, both a victim and a perpetrator of the very system he helps create — he is both the victim and the perpetrator, the rebel and the conformist.
"The Death of Artemio Cruz" is both a personal odyssey and a historical reckoning, and on its 307 pages, it offers a depth of the universe itself. It is complex and layered, explores an individual as much as it explores a nation, and stands for both criticism and observation of what it means to be human in a world where you sometimes have to compromise your morality to survive. It was a life-changing experience, one that completely changed my perception of what makes a literary piece masterful.
Thank you, Carlos Fuentes and Artemio Cruz, for turning my life upside down in the best ways possible.
Artemio Cruz, a 71-year-old newspaper mogul, businessman, and one of the most influential political figures in Mexico, is dying. On his deathbed and surrounded by his family, he immerses himself in a torrent of memories and reflects on his life. Born from a violent event, raised in absolute poverty, and apprenticed to a blacksmith, young Artemio embraced the ideals of the Mexican Revolution, and his revolutionary participation sparked a chain of events that propelled him to the very top. The flashbacks in the book introduce the reader to glimpses into the life of this powerful yet morally ambiguous man whose journey parallels the evolution of modern Mexico, from the ideals of the Mexican Revolution to the political and social decay that followed. Cruz is the prototype of a man emerging from the new generation forged in the fire of the Revolution, whose personality is shaped by ambition, betrayal, and the compromises he makes to amass all that wealth and power.
Artemio is certainly not the textbook definition of a lovable character but his magic lies in the realisation that he does not necessarily wish to be liked; he only demands respect. Fuentes infuses the flashbacks with a visceral feel, and even when Cruz reflects on the choices in his life and questions their correctness, he remains largely unapologetic. It is his story, his alone; he lets you glimpse it but does not seek your absolution. This makes him a lifelike, realistic character — he stands before you, a man of flesh and bones, not expecting forgiveness or understanding. It is Artemio himself who needs to forgive himself and make peace with all he did. The further you progress through his memories and the more he lets you see, the more compassion you find for the man, and the more you understand the motivations and decisions that shape his life.
At its core, the novel is a meditation on both political and personal power that reflects on what a person is willing to sacrifice in its name, and how far they can go to keep it. It presents Artemio as a product of a turbulent historical period during which revolutionary ideals are abandoned in the sheer violence of war and gradually replaced by personal gain. His life story is also a metaphor for the disillusionment that often follows revolution, as ideals are sacrificed to the realities of greed and corruption. He is imbued with complexity, both a victim and a perpetrator of the very system he helps create — he is both the victim and the perpetrator, the rebel and the conformist.
"The Death of Artemio Cruz" is both a personal odyssey and a historical reckoning, and on its 307 pages, it offers a depth of the universe itself. It is complex and layered, explores an individual as much as it explores a nation, and stands for both criticism and observation of what it means to be human in a world where you sometimes have to compromise your morality to survive. It was a life-changing experience, one that completely changed my perception of what makes a literary piece masterful.
Thank you, Carlos Fuentes and Artemio Cruz, for turning my life upside down in the best ways possible.
erickabdz's review against another edition
1.0
Nunca has podido pensar en blanco y negro, en buenos y malos, en Dios y Diablo: admite que siempre, aun cuando parecía lo contrario, has encontrado en lo negro el germen, el reflejo de su opuesto: tu propia crueldad, cuando has sido cruel, ¿no estaba teñida de cierta ternura? Sabes que todo extremo contiene su propia oposición: la crueldad la ternura, la cobardía el valor, la vida la muerte: de alguna manera —casi inconscientemente, por ser quien eres, de donde eres y lo que has vivido— sabes esto y por eso nunca te podrás parecer a ellos, que no lo saben. ¿Te molesta? Sí, no es cómodo, es molesto, es mucho más cómodo decir: aquí está el bien y aquí está el mal. El mal. Tú nunca podrás designarlo. Acaso porque, más desamparados, no queremos que se pierda esa zona intermedia, ambigua, entre la luz y la sombra: esa zona donde podemos encontrar el perdón. Donde tú lo podrás encontrar. ¿Quién no será capaz, en un solo momento de su vida —como tú— de encarnar al mismo tiempo el bien y el mal, de dejarse conducir al mismo tiempo por dos hilos misteriosos, de color distinto, que parten del mismo ovillo para que después el hilo blanco ascienda y el negro descienda y, a pesar de todo, los dos vuelvan a encontrarse entre tus mismos dedos?
Uf. Me ha costado darle estrellas a este libro; por su solo valor literario, merecería al menos unas tres o cuatro estrellas. No es de extrañar que a tanta gente le guste tanto -la narración me pareció, aunque en partes demasiado florida, exquisita y original. La presentación ni se diga, utilizando primera, segunda y tercera persona en intervalos durante toda la novela. Le aplaudo su valor técnico, y sus aportaciones al retratar un evento histórico del que, aunque estaba informada, jamás le presté la atención y dedicación que merecía.
Con todo esto quiero decir: aprecio todo el valor de este libro, y aún así no me ha gustado nada. Goodreads, al fin y al cabo, me pregunta si me gustó o no, así que soy honesta y digo que no. No me gustaron los personajes, especialmente ningún tipo de representación de las mujeres de la historia (algo que no es de sorprender para el año que fue escrito, pero aún así poco perdonable a mi parecer). La narración me confundió bastante y me pareció sumamente exagerada en varios puntos. Así que, mal que me pese, este es un clásico que no me arrepentería haberme saltado.
Tú… mueres… has muerto… moriré.
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kaiguerrero's review against another edition
5.0
Sublime. Cruz ahonda en lo "mexicano", en la historia de México-del hombre- con un toque de existencialismo satrtiano sobre la capacidad de elección del hombre. Todo ello con una estructura narrativa arriesgada, pero que funciona a la perfección: el sujeto se disocia en distintas capas del subconsciente. Es simplemente maravilloso.
claresip's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
faintgirl's review against another edition
3.0
Hmmm... there were moments that this book was okay. The moments where you got to know Artemio the man, the moments of insecurity, they were alright. But mostly, I spent the entire time waiting for the title to come true. I seem to describe a lot of Central American literature as a fever dream, but this one literally is.
I think to get the most out of this one, I needed a little more history.
I think to get the most out of this one, I needed a little more history.
aeoliandeductress's review against another edition
1.0
Read for class, hated it, will add more later
fragost's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
elysehdez19's review against another edition
5.0
Carlos Fuentes lo hizo de nuevo. Desde que leí Aura supe que Fuentes no es como cualquier otro escritor. Con "La Muerte de Artemio Cruz" lo he comprobado nuevamente. Ese narrador heterodiegético que te dice las cosas como en forma de instructivo se vuelve a hacer presente y de pronto mediante los recuerdos de Artemio Cruz vives la historia de su vida, los momentos que vivió al lado de sus amantes, su época de revolucionario...Todo hasta llegar al punto donde aparentemente todo debe comenzar ¿o terminar?
Con tres novelas leídas de Fuentes puedo asegurar que sin duda es unos de mis escritores mexicanos favoritos, sé que lo siguiente que lea de él no me decepcionará. Su prosa el algo que me tiene hipnotizada. No puedo describirlo y no quiero engrandecerlo pero ... Él sí se lo merece
Con tres novelas leídas de Fuentes puedo asegurar que sin duda es unos de mis escritores mexicanos favoritos, sé que lo siguiente que lea de él no me decepcionará. Su prosa el algo que me tiene hipnotizada. No puedo describirlo y no quiero engrandecerlo pero ... Él sí se lo merece
ivan2215's review against another edition
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0