|
|
Suzanne
Rating:
Review
This tale starts out well enough, with good writing, and interesting backdrops of vibrant cities from around the world – Lima and Paris, to begin with. The main character, Ricardo, is an easygoing translator who surrounds himself with interesting people, and therefore his life is interesting through them, even though he himself doesn't occupy the limelight of whatever's going on. A Peruvian by birth, he quickly accomplishes his goal of moving to Paris and forever living as an expatriate. But Ricardo has got himself mired in an emotionally masochistic relationship with an icy woman he christens "the bad girl", and just can't wrest himself from her pull. This started out flirty but soon became a turnoff. The bad girl, who goes from man to man and changes her name accordingly throughout the story, has a nasty power-hungry streak that obliterates everything else in her life, and lends the book an ugly turn about halfway through. This book was enjoyable in some ways, but I'd recommend Mario Vargas Llosa's earlier book, Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter, over this one any day.
Best Line:
"As soon as I heard the voice of the bad girl saying 'Hello, hello,', I hung up." (pg. 144)
Kim
Rating:
Review
Narrator Ricardo Somocurio is a teenager in 1950s Peru when he first meets and falls in love with Lily, who is near his age and recently from Chile. Or so she says. When a mini scandal erupts, Lily disappears, only to resurface more than 10 years later in Paris as Arlette, a revolutionary-in-training. Ricardo is still mad for Lily/Arlette, spending all of his money on her and showering her with unreciprocated love. Lily/Arlette again leaves Ricardo's life rather abruptly, and reappears three years later as a diplomat's wife. This obsessive and highly dysfunctional dance between Ricardo and his bad girl continues throughout the years, much to my discontent. I couldn't wait for this story to be over. I found Ricardo to be pathetic in his devotion, and Lily/Arlette was pure evil, devoid of any good human qualities. I'm sorry I wasted several days of a fabulous Mexican vacation on these two corrupt souls.
Best Line:
"You'll never live quietly with me, I warn you."
|
|
