FICTION

Varamo

by César Aira
New Directions, dist. by Norton. 2012. c.96p. tr. from Spanish by Chris Andrews. ISBN 9780811217415. pap. $12.95. F
COPY ISBN
Varamo, a fiftyish Panamanian bachelor civil servant, has just been paid 200 pesos in counterfeit currency and doesn't know what to do about it. So he wanders through the city of Colón, encountering numerous eccentrics, until he runs into three publishers in a café who urge him to write a book on his hobby, taxidermy. With no previous writing experience, he pens a poem, "The Song of the Virgin Boy," which ends up becoming one of the most celebrated masterpieces of Central American poetry. Instead of dealing with embalming, however, the poem is a re-creation of the events that happened earlier that day, pieced together from notes, an ironic apology of the writing craft.
VERDICT This delectable novella by prolific Argentine author Aira constantly pulls the reader's leg, heightening the absurdity in a playful, desultory style reminiscent of magic realism. At about the novel's midpoint, the author directly intervenes by discussing his theory of narratology, the fruit of which he claims is in the reader's hand. For those who like writing in the vein of García Márquez and other masters of 20th-century Latin American literature.
Reviewed by Lawrence Olszewski, OCLC Lib., Dublin, OH , Mar 15, 2012
Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

FICTION

Until Our Time Comes: A Novel of World War II Poland
by Miller, Nicole M
FICTION

Her Part To Play
by Erlingsson, Jenny
FICTION

The Song of Sourwood Mountain
by Gabhart, Ann H
FICTION

A Run at Love
by Shiloh, Toni
FICTION

Meet Me at the Starlight
by Hauck, Rachel

Mortal Leap
by Harris, MacDonald
More
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?