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jjayne's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
breadandmushrooms's review
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
hanntastic's review
4.0
Global Read 16: Argentina
This was a really moving and tense take on a dark period in Argentina's history. This is one of the best books I've read about the fear and tension of living under the threat of being disappeared. Gomez felt very true and understandable. I think it is better not to know a ton about the plot going into this book.
This was a really moving and tense take on a dark period in Argentina's history. This is one of the best books I've read about the fear and tension of living under the threat of being disappeared. Gomez felt very true and understandable. I think it is better not to know a ton about the plot going into this book.
namakurhea's review
4.0
"To resist, I thought. That was what it meant to survive: to resist. I took the book out of my briefcase. I stood in front of the class. Once more I read: On ne tue point les idées."
"77" by Guillermo Saccomanno. Winner of the 2008 Hammett Prize. Translated to English by Andrea G. Labinger, three times finalist of the PEN USA competition.
At the height of Videla's Argentina, the Government launched seven-year (1976-83) campaign against suspected dissidents and subversives, often known as the “Dirty War". Between 10,000 and 30,000 people were killed, including opponents of the government as well as innocent victims. Enter Gómez, a gay high-school literature teacher who tries to keep a low profile as, one by one, his friends and students begin to disappear.
For the longest time I wasn't so sure about this book.. But since it kept popping out here and there, I decided to read it hahah. Turns out I enjoyed this a lot!!
It's a story of life without closure. Imagine a colleague of yours who didn't come to work one day, and the day after, and the day after..until you realize they probably will never come back. Such is the dread and suspense I get from reading this book. I had a tough time reading books last week but I keep coming back to this because I can't wait to find out what happens next
"77" by Guillermo Saccomanno. Winner of the 2008 Hammett Prize. Translated to English by Andrea G. Labinger, three times finalist of the PEN USA competition.
At the height of Videla's Argentina, the Government launched seven-year (1976-83) campaign against suspected dissidents and subversives, often known as the “Dirty War". Between 10,000 and 30,000 people were killed, including opponents of the government as well as innocent victims. Enter Gómez, a gay high-school literature teacher who tries to keep a low profile as, one by one, his friends and students begin to disappear.
For the longest time I wasn't so sure about this book.. But since it kept popping out here and there, I decided to read it hahah. Turns out I enjoyed this a lot!!
It's a story of life without closure. Imagine a colleague of yours who didn't come to work one day, and the day after, and the day after..until you realize they probably will never come back. Such is the dread and suspense I get from reading this book. I had a tough time reading books last week but I keep coming back to this because I can't wait to find out what happens next
jaclyn_sixminutesforme's review
4.0
This was something very different to what I normally read, though the more I reflect on it the more the way that terror and paranoia are written reminds me so much of what Australian author Anna Funder does in STASILAND. There’s something compelling and disturbing about reading such candid accounts from characters that are simply struggling to exist.
Argentina under the political dictatorship, the disappearances, the shadow of fear that people lived under and distrust of everyone... this novel draws out so many of these themes in a very visceral (perfect word for this book, @markhaber!) way.
devrose's review
I got 43 pages into this book and realized that the reason I'm not reading so much this week is that I'm not motivated to read this book. The topic is interesting to me, but I don't feel that there is enough explanation at the beginning to explain the context of the raids. More, the style of narrator telling his story to someone else isn't working for me. I need quotation marks and I really don't need paragraphs that go on for four pages with no break
cjf's review
4.0
A novel of the Videla dictatorship told at arms length by Gómez, a gay high-school literature teacher, to an undisclosed listener. Gómez's dialogue of lost ("disappeared" or just plain lost) friends and students is tense, unsettling, and heartbreaking. Really good.
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