Reviews

Affections by Rodrigo Hasbún

mexicanfood8's review against another edition

slow-paced

2.75

mirisch's review against another edition

adventurous slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

linguaphile412's review

reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Cancer, Death, Murder, Genocide, War, Torture, Violence, Gun violence, Addiction, and Death of parent

olivesoup's review

3.0

Interesting characters and I enjoyed experiencing the family from each of the sisters’ perspectives as the narration switched… buuut I felt like I barely got to know them with how bare-bones each chapter was? Also confused by the ending?

ahoran's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

livywiley's review against another edition

adventurous reflective fast-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? It's complicated

3.0

this was quite an interesting story but it definitely lacked a bit bc of its length and trying to cover multiple characters. learned quite a bit tho.

danricco's review against another edition

3.0

É um livro bom, não é ruim. Bem ok

msaari's review against another edition

3.0

A story told in vignettes. Hans Ertl, Leni Riefenstahl's trusted cameraman, has moved into Bolivia and lives there for the exploration, while being a poor father for his three daughters Monika, Heidi and Trixi. Monika, known for killing the man who ordered Che Guevara's hands to be cut off, becomes the main character in this novel, with her activism in the Bolivian rebellion. Heidi is more conservative, while Trixi, the youngest of the three, just observes.

A short novel, beautifully written, perhaps a bit difficult to figure out.

lauren_endnotes's review

4.0

“You feel too close to yourself, and from there everything looks blurred.”
.
From AFFECTIONS by Rodrigo Hasbún, translated from the Spanish by Sophie Hughes, 2004/2016.

#ReadtheWorld21

masu_reads's review against another edition

3.0

Eine nicht zu verachtende Anzahl ehemaliger Nazis ging nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg nach Südamerika – so auch Hans Ertl, Kameramann, der mit Leni Riefenstahl zusammen arbeitete und Propagandavideos für das Dritte Reich drehte.

Hans Ertls Tochter Monika wurde später in Südamerika zur linken Freiheitskämpferin an der Seite von Che Guevara – Die Affekte zeichnet die Familiengeschichte der Ertls, insbesondere der drei Töchter, in Südamerika nach, will aber explizit keine Biografie sein. Hans Ertl, der Kameramann, wird zum abenteuerlustigen Träumer stilisiert, der eigentlich nur ununterbrochen auf Expeditionen gehen möchte. Seine drei Töchter: die älteste wird zur Revolutionärin, über sie erfahren wir noch am meisten, allerdings werden die Beweggründe und politischen Realitäten in Bolivien völlig außer Acht gelassen. Die zweite Tochter raucht viel, die dritte zieht nach München (viel mehr erfährt man aus dem Buch nicht).

Das Buch ist kurz und inhaltlich sowie stilistisch sparsam – so sparsam, dass man sich nach der Lektüre doch fragen muss, was genau jetzt hängen bleiben soll.