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labedzla's review
3.0
Decent. Not as much about the Pinochet regime as I would have liked, but it provokes some interesting psychological questions, mainly, "how would you react if you were in the shoes of each of the characters?"
Also, the writing is rather straightforward and blunt, which is how I like it, but it leaves little for the reader to infer on his or her own.
Also, the writing is rather straightforward and blunt, which is how I like it, but it leaves little for the reader to infer on his or her own.
abookishaffair's review
4.0
Alyson Richman weaves a tale of four intertwined characters. There is Octavio, handsome Chilean movie star who supports the ousted Socialist President Allende even after the President is killed to make way for the military General Pinochet. There is Salome, Octavio's wife who is kidnapped and brutalized by the Pinochet regime because of her husband's political beliefs. There is Samuel, who escaped to Sweden after fleeing Vichy France during WWII. And there is Kaija, a war refugee herself forced out of Finland as a child by the Russians.
I really thought that the book could focus a little more on some characters more than others and that it could cut out some of the background. The book goes extensively into the background of Salome and Octavio, which is not necessary for the overall tale of the book. The book also covers a lot of Kaija's childhood, which does not play a lot into the overall story as all.
I also thought the last part of the book seemed really rushed. Overall, I thought this was a good book. I am very interested in any sort of fiction (and non-fiction) books about Latin America so this was right down my alley.
I really thought that the book could focus a little more on some characters more than others and that it could cut out some of the background. The book goes extensively into the background of Salome and Octavio, which is not necessary for the overall tale of the book. The book also covers a lot of Kaija's childhood, which does not play a lot into the overall story as all.
I also thought the last part of the book seemed really rushed. Overall, I thought this was a good book. I am very interested in any sort of fiction (and non-fiction) books about Latin America so this was right down my alley.
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