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Book Reviewed by:Told with gripping intensity, It Would be Night in Caracas chronicles one woman's desperate battle to survive amid the dangerous, sometimes deadly, turbulence of modern Venezuela and the lengths she must go to secure her future.
In Caracas, Venezuela, Adelaida Falcon stands over an open grave. Alone, except for harried undertakers, she buries her mother–the only family Adelaida has ever known.
Numb with grief, Adelaida returns to the apartment they shared. Outside the window that she tapes shut every night―to prevent the tear gas raining down on protesters in the streets from seeping in. When looters masquerading as revolutionaries take over her apartment, Adelaida resists and is beaten up. It is the beginning of a fight for survival in a country that has disintegrated into violence and anarchy, where citizens are increasingly pitted against each other. But as fate would have it, Adelaida is given a gruesome choice that could secure her escape.
Filled with riveting twists and turns, and told in a powerful, urgent voice, It Would Be Night in Caracas is a chilling reminder of how quickly the world we know can crumble.
It Would Be Night in Caracas offers provocative reading for book groups and will appeal to fans of contemporary Latin American fiction. Sainz Borgo's clear, poetic prose and richly textured account of Venezuelan history deliver a remarkable panorama of a country, a city, and a life on the verge of violent change. High stakes combined with a series of dramatic reversals in fortune propel the novel to a satisfying, if unexpected, conclusion...continued
Full Review
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(Reviewed by Karen Lewis).
In the novel It Would Be Night in Caracas, protagonist Adelaida endures food scarcity in Venezuela's capital city, Caracas, while recalling favorite foods from happier times. Venezuela—situated along the Caribbean Sea in South America —is home to a vibrant blend of culinary traditions. The country's cuisine has European, African, and indigenous influences that make it irresistible. As with much of Latin America, maize (corn) is a staple of the country. Other popular local crops include plantains, coconut, avocado, mango, guava, citrus, and passion fruit. A few of the nation's most prominent ingredients and dishes include the following:
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Fernando Aramburu
The voice of a conscience…Dry, concise, direct, with an extraordinary stirring force…Sainz Borgo's novel is simply masterful.
