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lunaseline's review against another edition
3.0
Jag känner mig alltid lite bortkommen när jag läser sydamerikansk litteratur. Det är som att jag inte riktigt känner igen språket, fast jag läser i översättning. Och lite är det nog just det - språket; jag har bara lite skolspanska i bagaget och kan inte riktigt känna alla subtila toner eller stilskillnader som säkert finns. Men sen är det - såklart - också något mer kulturellt. Länderna och människorna är liksom lite annorlunda än de världar (yttre och inre) jag är mer bevandrad i.
Med det sagt: i just den här boken ger det sig ganska snabbt. Ämnet är makt och minnen, anseende och ansvar. Ganska universellt, med andra ord. Och - även det universellt, tyvärr - när sådana ämnen berörs är det en man som berättar, med en mans perspektiv. Nu är satirtecknaren Mallarino en bra huvudkaraktär - och hans hustru får också utrymme att vara en verklig, intressant person - men lite trist är det ju.
Boken är dock inte trist; ämnet känns lite eget och slutet (som dyker upp ganska snabbt - det är en kort sak det här) är bra. Och - jag erkänner: när jag läser böcker som gör mig lite bortkommen känner jag mig alltid lite extra duktig efteråt. (Och går tillbaka till mina svenska/anglosaxiska världar med lite bättre samvete...)
Med det sagt: i just den här boken ger det sig ganska snabbt. Ämnet är makt och minnen, anseende och ansvar. Ganska universellt, med andra ord. Och - även det universellt, tyvärr - när sådana ämnen berörs är det en man som berättar, med en mans perspektiv. Nu är satirtecknaren Mallarino en bra huvudkaraktär - och hans hustru får också utrymme att vara en verklig, intressant person - men lite trist är det ju.
Boken är dock inte trist; ämnet känns lite eget och slutet (som dyker upp ganska snabbt - det är en kort sak det här) är bra. Och - jag erkänner: när jag läser böcker som gör mig lite bortkommen känner jag mig alltid lite extra duktig efteråt. (Och går tillbaka till mina svenska/anglosaxiska världar med lite bättre samvete...)
saraireads's review against another edition
4.0
Beautiful translation, I wanted to read certain passages over and over. The ending frustrated me at first, but after thinking about Mallarino and who he is as a character (and narrator), the ending makes perfect sense.
amjammi's review against another edition
4.0
It's 2017 and I'm watching men's reputations crumble left and right. Interesting commentary on the subject, even if I ultimately disagree with the conclusion.
jfaberrit's review against another edition
3.0
Reputations is about 2/3 of a great book. The prose is great, even in translation, the story that develops interesting and multifaceted, but in the end it doesn't really take it anywhere. I could care less that the ending is less than conclusive, but it felt like the auhtor finished up before really getting his thoughts completely sorted out. Another issue I have with it, and other novels of the kind, is that simply writing a novel about big ideas (reputations, identity, integrity) is perfectly fine, but "raising questions" about them is something of a dodge -- whether by telling or showing, it helps if the book has more to say about them once the questions have been asked.
martine_01's review against another edition
reflective
slow-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
3.25
johndiconsiglio's review against another edition
3.0
Saramago never topped Blindness. Coetzee never bested Disgrace. So it’s probably unfair to expect every Vásquez book to be as brilliant as The Sound of Things Falling. But even minor works by the great Colombian novelist are a treat. A political cartoonist besotted with his own power discovers he may have made a terrible mistake & ruined lives with his pen & ink. A slim book that’s heavy on ideas—fact & fiction, memory & truth, who gets to say what really happened. Lotta questions. Don’t expect answers.
boltonmi's review against another edition
4.0
A story of unintended consequences, pride and regret. A quick read still rich with meaning.
ruthnessly's review against another edition
2.0
Several of these passages were really lovely. Some of this was really great writing. I've wanted to read some Vasquez for a while and I found this scrolling through my kindle. I'm glad I finally did something I've vaguely thought about for a while!
That said, I really didn't take to this book that well -- like I said, some of the writing is lovely. I feel like it's a very rich setting. This isn't very long, but it is a good set up and it feels almost luxurious. There's a depth to the writing and a certainty which can summon years of work, of a life, pretty easily. The actual topic of this book I HAD NO IDEA ABOUT and wasn't aware of until after halfway through. It is, btw, sexual assault. It's also told from a male's POV, which was a little on the nose for me considering recent news items but hey. I guess I unwittingly picked something that could be a little timely.
I liked some of this much more than others. I liked the build up. I liked the setting. Some of the less focused paragraphs were gorgeous, when the words spread out from this particular setting and these particular characters to a more macro sense of the world. That was great! There were a number of odd scenes I didn't like or didn't care for. I don't really want to read much about. I feel a bit strange about this book. There's a persistent sense of concern with memory, as well as reputation -- I think the importance of it and the elusive nature of it is central to this book. But...I just felt cold. The disconnect was too broad for me. I wish I could figure out why, but I'm struggling with it! Nonetheless, I think this was fine, but not that enjoyable.
That said, I really didn't take to this book that well -- like I said, some of the writing is lovely. I feel like it's a very rich setting. This isn't very long, but it is a good set up and it feels almost luxurious. There's a depth to the writing and a certainty which can summon years of work, of a life, pretty easily. The actual topic of this book I HAD NO IDEA ABOUT and wasn't aware of until after halfway through. It is, btw, sexual assault. It's also told from a male's POV, which was a little on the nose for me considering recent news items but hey. I guess I unwittingly picked something that could be a little timely.
I liked some of this much more than others. I liked the build up. I liked the setting. Some of the less focused paragraphs were gorgeous, when the words spread out from this particular setting and these particular characters to a more macro sense of the world. That was great! There were a number of odd scenes I didn't like or didn't care for. I don't really want to read much about. I feel a bit strange about this book. There's a persistent sense of concern with memory, as well as reputation -- I think the importance of it and the elusive nature of it is central to this book. But...I just felt cold. The disconnect was too broad for me. I wish I could figure out why, but I'm struggling with it! Nonetheless, I think this was fine, but not that enjoyable.
kybrz's review against another edition
3.0
Would certainly be interesting to live in a world where political cartoons had the damaging effect they clearly could have in past eras. Loved this short novel about how reputations are built and torn down, and how time can warp memories.