Reviews

Like This Afternoon Forever by Jaime Manrique

illustriousnewt's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

mariadesp's review against another edition

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4.0

I liked the story, the deep love and connection the two protagonists shared and I got to learn about the political context of modern Colombia which was very interesting 

corkspork's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Very interesting and not at all what I expected

senqin's review

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5.0

But if God is love, he tried to reassure himself, then He understands.


★★★★★

I started this book before going to bed, stayed up all through the night finishing it, and then attempted to write this review through the tears. There are no words adequate enough to express the emotional state I've been left in - “hollowed out,” “devastated,” “lost” don’t really encapsulate it and all sound a bit too…dramatic? Regardless, this is one of the most profound and downright depressing stories I’ve ever read. There is so much brutality and bleakness, but also so many moments of beauty. The characterization in particular here is also just phenomenal. There is no black and white morality, no saints and demons, just humans with all their capacity for good and evil.

As expected from the synopsis, Like This Afternoon Forever does grapple significantly with the concept of religion (specifically Catholicism) among MANY other things like poverty, homosexuality, and the Colombian civil war. However, you really don’t have to be familiar with it to appreciate the story. I have never been a religious person, but still found the themes depicted, the struggles encountered, and the questions raised to be "universal" and incredibly thought provoking.

In the acknowledgement, the author confides that he started, and struggled with, writing this story after the death of his longtime partner. When I saw that statement, all of a sudden I understood the palpable sense of overwhelming grief that seems to permeate the entirety of the book. It absolutely baffles me why Jaime Manrique isn’t swimming in awards and accolades and that this was really just a random borrow from the library for me. I can’t even wholeheartedly recommend Like This Afternoon Forever because it is once again an extremely difficult read, but it’s definitely one that needs to be experienced if you are able to. It will stay with you forever.

Just…wow.

— ♩♫♩ ~ A Pile of Dust

morganash99's review

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

kbilodeau114's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • 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

4.0

saskiahill's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.75

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schwarzer_elch's review

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4.0

Este libro me cautivó a nivel temático, mas no a nivel narrativo.

Creo que su importancia reside en la gran cantidad de maneras en la que explora los desafíos sociales de Colombia: la homosexualidad, la religión, las guerrillas, la identidad nacional, etc. De hecho, brinda una perspectiva interesante de la unión de todas estas variantes y eso fue lo que me motivó a seguir leyéndolo. Sin embargo, no llegué a conectar del todo con sus personajes ni con la historia en sí.

He aprendido mucho (muchísimo), sí. Y me ha abierto los ojos a perspectivas que no hubiera imaginado antes, especialmente, en el ámbito religioso, el cual se ve reflejado en las posturas opuestas que defienden Ignacio y Lucas, los dos protagonistas de la historia. Hubo muchas frases que despertaron un remolino de dudas y cuestionamientos en mi cabeza que realmente agradezco mucho.

Y aunque eso es algo que disfruté muchísimo y que considero que es el punto fuerte del libro, creo que también es su punto débil, pues son tantas las dudas y los enfrentamientos internos de los personajes que, al final, estos terminan por absorber por completo la historia.

¿Lo recomiendo? Por supuesto que sí, es un título que le dará muchas vueltas de tuerca al lector. Y, de hecho, creo que es un libro necesario de leer, pero si esperan una novela que recordarán para siempre como historia, esta no es la mejor opción.

Como nota aparte, debo decir que leí el libro en inglés, idioma que, si mal no recuerdo, es el idioma original de publicación. Para los que quieren aventurarse, me parece que, con un nivel de conocimiento intermedio de inglés, pueden lograrlo sin mayor complicaciones.

s0laris's review

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5.0

How cruel that in death we will not be together as we were in life
I needed this type of catharsis right now.

mrosenberger97's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25