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Karen S. (Allston, MA)
Such a promising stoy line, but.....
I love historical fiction and Argentina's Dirty War has generated several books I have loved and that taught me a lot about this era. This book is about a love story, the aftermath of the Dirty War, and some useful to know history about the Dirty War. The characters were easy to like and the storytelling moved along at a good pace.
So…. Why only a "good-average" review? Somehow, this just was not a book I felt I must recommend to friends who like historic fiction, or the ones that are students of political activism South America. A story about big events has to make tradeoffs unless it plans to be a very long
…more book, but a bit more depth on some characters and the general state of Argentina could have illuminated the struggles of the main characters in a compelling way. For example, I found the treatment of the mothers of the disappeared on the plaza to be oddly cavalier-- they are little more than a prop in this story.
Overall, a fine read—and it would probably be a "good beach read" for people who like historical fiction. (less)As a fan of historical fiction, this book provided me with a powerful account of the Dirty War in Argentina and is definitely worth reading if you are interested in learning about this period of time in our world's history. The author has written an informative, compelling narrative about the repression, violence and cover-up which defined the period of time from 1976- 1983.
I was particularly moved after learning of the emergence of the Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo, which to this day, 40 years later continues to fight for justice for approximately 30,000 people who "disappeared" at the hands of the brutal military
…more dictatorship during this time.
The story of the protagonist- Paloma Larrea and her determination to find her true identity is written in a heartfelt and compelling manner which drew me in at the very onset of this novel. I was able to connect with several of the other characters whose struggles were quite palpable. These pivotal characters are perhaps representative of thousands of individuals who continue to struggle and strive for the truth about missing loved ones. This is story needs to be told and Andrea Yaryura Clark is adept at capturing readers with a deeply touching and emotionally charged account of the many faces of humanity and the lives of those impacted by this brutal period of time. (less)The story line in the book is very compelling. The way the reader is transported from one time period to the other with connecting characters helped to keep your attention and the history I was not well educated in was very interesting
The 1998 main character, however, was hard for me to enjoy. Her carelessness made me frustrated and the way she disregarded most everyone's concern for her made her very unlikable. Although it wasn't a happy ending for all, it was wrapped up a little too quickly and left quite a number of questions unanswered.
Sharon P. (San Diego, CA)
Good story but not compelling
While the story could be fantastic, I felt was only average. I love historical fiction and I'm reasonable familiar with the Dirty War, have relatives in and from Argentina, so the subject matter was of great interest to me. However, the story never really grabbed me. I'm not fond of romantic stories in general, so perhaps I was put off by the interwoven story of Santiago and Valentina, so I found myself skimming some of that part of the book. Perhaps I couldn't connect with the characters. Regardless, I love the idea but not the execution.
Ginny H. (Troutdale, OR)
True Crime Story
This is a cross between fact and fiction. It's an account of a university student, Zoe Nolan, who left a party and went missing. Years later writer Evelyn Mitchell tries to dig into the mystery and enlists the help of Joseph Knox to assist. It was a clever twist for the author to write himself into the book.
Molly B. (Longmont, CO)
Easy to read, but…
I am interested in this complex and brutal time in Argentina's history, so I was looking forward to reading this novel. It was certainly readable, but I prefer some subtlety in what I read. The romantic relationships were presented in extremes, as if the author had to hit us over the head with what the characters were feeling, and those feelings were unrealistically black and white. No complexity or nuance, no grey area. So, then looking at it as a yarn, or historical fiction, and ignoring the juvenile treatment of the characters' emotions, it was an entertaining read. It made the 3 star category, barely,
…more because I admire anyone's ability to actually write a book, and Ms Clark clearly worked hard on the research and plot line. If only the characters were even a little bit believable… (less)This easily-readable historical fiction novel covers the era of Juan Peron's re-installation as President of Argentina in the mid-70's and the ensuing era presided over by his widow Isabel and the military dictatorship. Written with an omnipotent narrator in the 70's and first person singular in the "present" (being the late 1990's), the book tells the story of some of those who who tried to resist the government's repressive regime and the affects on the next generation. The historical information is interesting and new to me, adding to the book's appeal, but, for me, the multiple, in-depth love stories
…more cluttered up a good drama. As Valentina's romances with Santiago and Maximo drive the story, they would have been enough. The ending was a total disappointment, only highlighting the navel-gazing selfishness of Paloma, the "present-day" protagonist. The historical information and the resistance fighter's tales make the story. This book may best appeal to those of a younger set. (less)I had trouble rating this book. I appreciated the historical background of Argentina's Dirty War. This is not a time period I knew much about and the book inspired me to read more. Therefore, that was a 5.
However, I was unable to connect with the characters in the book which, for me, is essential. The complete lack of communication in any of the relationships caused the characters to be shallow and the story line frustrating. That rating was a 1. Therefore I rated the book a 3.
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