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btrz's review against another edition
dark
reflective
medium-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? Yes
4.0
capodoglio's review against another edition
2.0
Di Marías avevo già letto Mañana en la batalla piensa en mí, elogiato da più parti. Breve divertissement, in realtà offre alcuni spunti interessanti.
Sul set di Fun in Acapulco, Elvis richiede l’ausilio di un madrelingua spagnolo (di Spagna) per la sua pronuncia del castigliano. La vicenda è narrata in prima persona da quest’ultimo, tra la colorita fauna del set e l’entourage personale del Re. L’insaziabile desiderio di vita notturna di un iperattivo Elvis metterà in pericolo se stesso ed i suoi accompagnatori, in particolare il nostro narratore.
Marías torna quindi su di una figura secondaria, grigia (il protagonista di Mañana en la batalla piensa en mí era un negro, cioè un ghost writer) e lo inserisce questa volta in una situazione improbabile. La letteratura si alimenta degli interstizi della cultura popolare: il set di un film con Elvis Presley ed Ursula Andress. Ma le cose si fanno interessanti già a partire dall'ambientazione, dato che, come la stessa wikipedia spiega, Elvis non è mai stato ad Acapulco in vita sua...
(commento del 2006, recentemente riesumato)
Sul set di Fun in Acapulco, Elvis richiede l’ausilio di un madrelingua spagnolo (di Spagna) per la sua pronuncia del castigliano. La vicenda è narrata in prima persona da quest’ultimo, tra la colorita fauna del set e l’entourage personale del Re. L’insaziabile desiderio di vita notturna di un iperattivo Elvis metterà in pericolo se stesso ed i suoi accompagnatori, in particolare il nostro narratore.
Marías torna quindi su di una figura secondaria, grigia (il protagonista di Mañana en la batalla piensa en mí era un negro, cioè un ghost writer) e lo inserisce questa volta in una situazione improbabile. La letteratura si alimenta degli interstizi della cultura popolare: il set di un film con Elvis Presley ed Ursula Andress. Ma le cose si fanno interessanti già a partire dall'ambientazione, dato che, come la stessa wikipedia spiega, Elvis non è mai stato ad Acapulco in vita sua...
(commento del 2006, recentemente riesumato)
discomagpie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
I rated this book 5/5 stars on InsatiableBooksluts.com.
Review excerpt (from a Death Match post against [b:Varamo|341664|Varamo (Narrativas Hispanicas)|César Aira|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173894681s/341664.jpg|332032] by César Aira):
"Bad Nature is a day-in-the-life-gone-wrong tale that follows the narrator through the most life-changing day in his existence. ...“Roy Berry,” the name American coworkers gave the narrator to replace the hard-to-pronounce Ruibérriz, has been hired as a language coach for none other than Elvis Presley, who is to star in a film entitled Fun in Acapulco. Elvis, apparently, has decided that he wants a Spanish accent, a classy European accent, rather than a Mexican accent, and Elvis gets what Elvis wants. Roy, being from Spain, is tapped for the job, which includes six weeks in Acapulco alongside the King. This job sounds like heaven; unfortunately for Roy, things take a terribly wrong turn one night when a member of the Elvis entourage offends a Mexican gangster in a bar with some salacious (and hilarious) dancing. Roy is forced to translate the proceedings for both parties. The words 'fat f**got' may or may not come into play."
Read the full review at our site, and see who won the Death Match!
Review excerpt (from a Death Match post against [b:Varamo|341664|Varamo (Narrativas Hispanicas)|César Aira|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173894681s/341664.jpg|332032] by César Aira):
"Bad Nature is a day-in-the-life-gone-wrong tale that follows the narrator through the most life-changing day in his existence. ...“Roy Berry,” the name American coworkers gave the narrator to replace the hard-to-pronounce Ruibérriz, has been hired as a language coach for none other than Elvis Presley, who is to star in a film entitled Fun in Acapulco. Elvis, apparently, has decided that he wants a Spanish accent, a classy European accent, rather than a Mexican accent, and Elvis gets what Elvis wants. Roy, being from Spain, is tapped for the job, which includes six weeks in Acapulco alongside the King. This job sounds like heaven; unfortunately for Roy, things take a terribly wrong turn one night when a member of the Elvis entourage offends a Mexican gangster in a bar with some salacious (and hilarious) dancing. Roy is forced to translate the proceedings for both parties. The words 'fat f**got' may or may not come into play."
Read the full review at our site, and see who won the Death Match!
soulpopped's review
4.0
having just seen fun in acapulco, my friend suggested i read this. it's well-written and compelling, but somehow the real backstory (at least, according to the wiki) of what happened surrounding this shoot is even crazier than the fiction on display here.
wildcatrevival's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
christinejschmidt's review against another edition
3.0
I love me some Elvis, but this one left me wanting.
beth79's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.25
sbonifazi's review
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
knowledgelost's review
3.0
I do not know how I found this little gem, I would like to know who recommended it so I could personally thank them. Bad Nature, or With Elvis in Mexico is a short novella that tells the story of Ruibérriz de Torres who is brought in to translate for Elvis Presley who is in Mexico to film Fun in Acapulco. While in town, Elvis and his entourage, find themselves in a seedy bar where they get into a little trouble with a local kingpin.
Javier Marías has managed to create a punchy story that explores a complex life of a translator, on one hand he has a big famous singer/actor that the world idolises and adores but his entourage has got him into trouble with a crime lord that is feared in Acapulco. Ruibérriz de Torres is stuck in the middle unsure if he should be translating the words that could get everyone into a fight. Should he censor the words for either Elvis or the kingpin just to keep the peace? This novella explores the idea of translations and the second hand nature of words, in a very meta way since this novella was translated from the Spanish into English by Esther Allen. This is only fifty pages long, but manages to explore a complex issue in a very interesting way; I have not been able to stop thinking about the ideas found in Bad Nature, or With Elvis in Mexico.
Javier Marías has managed to create a punchy story that explores a complex life of a translator, on one hand he has a big famous singer/actor that the world idolises and adores but his entourage has got him into trouble with a crime lord that is feared in Acapulco. Ruibérriz de Torres is stuck in the middle unsure if he should be translating the words that could get everyone into a fight. Should he censor the words for either Elvis or the kingpin just to keep the peace? This novella explores the idea of translations and the second hand nature of words, in a very meta way since this novella was translated from the Spanish into English by Esther Allen. This is only fifty pages long, but manages to explore a complex issue in a very interesting way; I have not been able to stop thinking about the ideas found in Bad Nature, or With Elvis in Mexico.
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