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iriniv's review against another edition
challenging
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Βαρύ βιβλίο, φορτωμένο με πάρα πολλές πληροφορίες για τα πολιτικά πρόσωπα στον Άγιο Δομίνικο τις δεκαετίες της δικτατορίας. Πολύ ενημερωτικό και ιστορικό.
dom_jones's review against another edition
4.0
“Were they different times?…they were and they weren’t, thinks Urania. Something from those times is still in the air”
So close to being a perfect book - one of the best novels I’ve ever read, with a great blend of historical events and well-developed characters.
However, at times a bit hard to follow. Lots of related characters with long names popping in and out, and temporal shifts which make it a bit choppy. With this being said though, some of the pacing worked - it was cool to see events from the perspectives of different individuals.
Vargas Llosa does an excellent job in highlighting the moral complexities of characters like Turk, Egghead, and President Balaguer. Trujillo’s character was also extremely well developed - psychopathic, neurotic, and self-hating with disgustingly aggressive threads of chauvinism.
Also a nice choice to have the book climax with Urania’s rape rather than the political zenith of Trujillo’s assassination - to put victims and human consequences first was a good choice by the author.
So close to being a perfect book - one of the best novels I’ve ever read, with a great blend of historical events and well-developed characters.
However, at times a bit hard to follow. Lots of related characters with long names popping in and out, and temporal shifts which make it a bit choppy. With this being said though, some of the pacing worked - it was cool to see events from the perspectives of different individuals.
Vargas Llosa does an excellent job in highlighting the moral complexities of characters like Turk, Egghead, and President Balaguer. Trujillo’s character was also extremely well developed - psychopathic, neurotic, and self-hating with disgustingly aggressive threads of chauvinism.
Also a nice choice to have the book climax with Urania’s rape rather than the political zenith of Trujillo’s assassination - to put victims and human consequences first was a good choice by the author.
nigelbrown's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely wonderful book about a subject of which I knew nothing. The only downside was the amount of people mentioned, everyone in the room it seemed, and they all had four or five names. If you can remember who’s who, you’ll find this an amazing tale that comes together superbly with a touching if not horrific ending.
queercutie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Tragic. A hard read. Excellent writing and story telling. Urania’s story resonated with me. I was rooting for those involved in the assassination. I appreciated how the author highlighted how small this big man really was, especially at the end of his life
msmagoo502's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
zesty_lemon's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
fouad87's review against another edition
5.0
يوسا أفقدني النطق والقدرة على التعبير طوال صفحات الرواية. من شدة روعتها قريتها في شهر، كنت عايزها تخلص حالا ومكنتش عايزها تخلص أبدًا
martine_01's review against another edition
dark
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
breadandmushrooms's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0