A review by kaithrin
The Lost Steps by Alejo Carpentier

adventurous medium-paced

3.5

 5 stars for the writing but 2.5 stars for the story.

Carpentier's wordplay, and equally West's beautiful translation, were phenomenal. My personal favourite phrase was "nebulous menace" but there were too many brilliant words to count.

However, incredible vocabulary aside, the content was not nearly as enjoyable. 

The 'noble savage' concept is particularly irritating, along with the main character who - although married and travelling with an affair partner already - spends most of the book lusting after a 'simplistic' native woman (or criticising his affair partner's virtues with seemingly no self-reflection).

The misogyny and 'noble savage' vibes got old quick so although the prose was beautiful, it was a bit of a slog to get through. I enjoyed the ending though, a bit of poetic justice to it all.