Reviews

By Night in Chile by Roberto Bolaño

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msgtdameron's review

challenging fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This is a good work about a Priest Sebastian Larkin. But is he a Priest? He writes poetry, is a literary critic of both prose and poetry, attends literati soirees, holds mass, blesses the poor and rich, teaches at university, and private lessons to the elite, and travels to Europe to study and write a paper on how to keep old Cathedrals from crumbling. SO what is he is the focus of the book. Stylistically it has one problem, no chapters, paragraphs, or page breaks, but after 15 to 20 pages I adjusted and you will also. Good quick read.

dasbooch's review

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5.0

I found this a beautiful piece of literature. Not to give too much away, a priest and literary critic looks back on his life following the Pinochet regime and after being criticized by a young man for his past actions. It reflects on many aspects of Chilean life at that time including the importance of literature, the complicated balance between religion and modern culture and what it means to “collaborate”. I am sure it can have many different meanings to different people. Highly recommended.

year23's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? N/A
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

A fever dream, stream of consciousness exploration. Not for me - but I can see the incisiveness here in exploring some of the evils around the dictatorship intermixed with literary/artistic life musings.

thewilyfilipino's review against another edition

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challenging medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

jimmyfission's review

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dark funny mysterious reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This is a very odd stream of consciousness novel, following a priest, poet, and literary critic over the course of his life and involvement with the literary elite in Chile under Pinochet. Long sentences and unravelling thoughts drift back and forth across time, linking politics with literature and generational divide. Darkly funny, but always distant, By Night in Chile feels more like a fever dream than a coherent narrative, expressing the complicity and unwanted regret of artists who flourish under tyrannical regimes.