Carlos Bluhm leads the good life in upper-class Lima: He attends social functions with his elegant wife, goes out drinking with his three best frie...
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Mar 13, 2011
Wisteria
rated it: 
Lima in 1986 is a pluralistic society of race, economics and social class. Carlos Bluhm, white, married and father of two sons, comes from money and lives in a mansion. Maria Fernandez, a marginalized member of the city is a Peruvian with dark-skin who lives in the slums. She struggles to survive by working two jobs. At night, Maria works in a tango bar, where she is hired to dance with the male customers. The salacious dance club is in a seedy section of the city and Carlos happens to be there
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Apr 20, 2010
Joyce
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Carlos Bluhm, a middle-aged Peruvian of German descent, comfortably married to Sophie and father of Rudy and Fritz, enjoys one-night sexual stands from time to time, and outings with his three friends. All come from Lima, from the same German descended background, all are solidly middle class, and all know that indigenous women--Indians--are good for one thing only--casual sex.[return][return]Until one night Carlos meets Maria, a 15 year old Indian girl in a tango bar, and his life is changed f
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Jun 09, 2011
Jeruen
rated it:
After finishing a not-so-enjoyable book, I picked this one up. I figured that since the last book I read was set in Russia, where all the scenery was cold, I decided to read this one, which was set in Lima.
So this book starts fast, and moves fast. Fast enough that I was able to finish it within three days. It tells the story of a 44-year-old man, Carlos Bluhm, a Peruvian of German descent, and his love affair with a 15-year-old chola, Juana Maria Fernandez. He meets her in a tango bar, More...
So this book starts fast, and moves fast. Fast enough that I was able to finish it within three days. It tells the story of a 44-year-old man, Carlos Bluhm, a Peruvian of German descent, and his love affair with a 15-year-old chola, Juana Maria Fernandez. He meets her in a tango bar, More...
Feb 05, 2009
Bookmarks Magazine
rated it:
In some respects, Lima Nightsis an age-old story about the usual doomed love affair. In others, the tale is not so typical: as Arana delves deep inside her characters to explore Peru's class, social, and generational tensions, an unpredictable story unfolds. While critics disagreed about the relative success of the first half of the novel (which takes place in 1986) versus the second (the present-day story), they concurred that Arana deftly limns the relationship between Carlos and Maria and the
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May 29, 2010
Mary
rated it:
Arana's style has a journalistic ease. Told in 3rd person mostly from Carlos Bluhm's perspective, but with shorter chapters from Maria's, Lima Nights is the story of two unlikely people falling for each other and the arc of their relationship over a twenty-year period. So many Peruvian themes lace this story: race, gender roles and classism. The roles of brujeria and western twentieth century thinking, as well as many wonderful nuances identify and codify the particularities of Lima life. A haun
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Apr 18, 2009
liz
rated it:
Interesting. Interesting, interesting, interesting. The first half reads like what I basically imagine is every man's fantasy - He meets a beautiful younger (MUCH younger) woman who really understands him, he loves her, and she actually loves him back, he risks (and loses) everything for her, but she loves him, and together they sail happily off into the sunset. I kept flipping back to look at the author photo - "Really? This was written by a woman? REALLY? I need to read her other bo
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Jul 27, 2009
Becky
rated it:
This book came to me from Elle Magazine and is defiantly not a book that I would pick up. However, that being said, once I got in about 70 pages, I was hooked and really wanted to know what happened with Carlos and Maria.
I had a hard time with the Spanish in this book, but it really added to the book. I just wish that I knew what was being said all the time. I found that I had to just read over it. I'm not familiar with customs and culture, but I found some things in this book to be More...
I had a hard time with the Spanish in this book, but it really added to the book. I just wish that I knew what was being said all the time. I found that I had to just read over it. I'm not familiar with customs and culture, but I found some things in this book to be More...
Dec 25, 2011
Laurie
rated it: 
The author does an excellent job conjuring a different time and society, set in Lima, Peru, but I had a hard time feeling sympathetic for the characters. All in all, I wouldn't recommend it, though likely because I was turned off by the fact that this older, married man was seducing a Lolita of 15, and the author tried to make it seem as though the child was equally responsible. A set of three racist, lecherous friends didn't make it more comfortable. The catalyst for the story just didn't fee
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Jan 18, 2010
Becky
rated it:
This book came to me from Elle Magazine and is defiantly not a book that I would pick up. However, that being said, once I got in about 70 pages, I was hooked and really wanted to know what happened with Carlos and Maria.
I had a hard time with the Spanish in this book, but it really added to the book. I just wish that I knew what was being said all the time. I found that I had to just read over it. I'm not familiar with customs and culture, but I found some things in this book to be More...
I had a hard time with the Spanish in this book, but it really added to the book. I just wish that I knew what was being said all the time. I found that I had to just read over it. I'm not familiar with customs and culture, but I found some things in this book to be More...
Oct 17, 2009
mark
rated it: 
LIMA NIGHTS (2009) by Marie Arana is a story about an unlikely and unlucky relationship between a forty-something German Peruvian man (white) and a Native (brown) sixteen year-old girl, who he first sees in a dance club in 1986. The story and the relationship span twenty years, to 2006. What we are given by the author is a passionate beginning and an ill-fated end. Nothing of the twenty years the couple spends together is told, and that works because it’s essentially a story about sexual attract
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Dec 04, 2010
Herzog
rated it:
This is not a book I would normally have read, but was recommended to me by a friend in anticipation of an upcoming trip to Peru. That said, it was engrossing, if somewhat uncomfortable. Carlos's motivation for his attraction to Maria in unclear (though that's part of the book's attraction). The 20 year jump to part 2, as well as the style itself, were well-executed. I'm not certain if the book gave me a great deal of insight into Peru, but it was an enjoyable read.
Mar 10, 2009
Natasha
rated it:
WHOA sexy sexy! But even more intriguing is the character study-who are these 2 people who overhaul their lives to be with each other and why do they do it? And it's not just about these immediate characters--it's really about identity and society, and Peruvian society in Lima in particular. Even after reading it to the end, I had an unsettled feeling, like I still didn't fully understand these people. Crazy!
Jul 14, 2009
Kimberly
rated it:
I found this book by chance at the public library. This story was great. The story is of Carlos(mid 50s) and his affair with 16 year old Maria. They are both from Lima but she is a "dark skinned Indian" -- a "chola" and he is not. This affair causes his wife to leave him with their children and HIS mother. To find out the rest, read this book. Hint: Be careful what you wish for -- you just might get it.
Jan 15, 2009
Bilbo
rated it:
This was a great story! The characters are believeable and superbly drawn, and the dialog crisp and natural. I've never been to Lima, but I could see every site in my mind as the action went on. This is a marvelous novel of forbidden love and the consequences of our actions...and because I love to dance the tango, it had a special resonance for me as I read Maria's comparison of the tango to making love. Don't miss this one!
Jul 12, 2009
Elizabeth
rated it:
I read this in about two hours. I liked the perspective changes, and yay for Germany and all, but I failed to see a point. And maybe that was the point. My mood at the end was not good, so that might have influenced my overall thoughts.
Not my favorite; do not read for an uplifiting time. This is not a romance.
Not my favorite; do not read for an uplifiting time. This is not a romance.
Jul 21, 2011
Jamie
rated it:
A interestibg account of a love affair. I liked it but feel like the author left some things unanswered about Carolos' relationship with Sophie. I did like seeing both the point of view of Maria and Carlos but at times the switching perspectives in the middle of a page became like a tennis match. Overall it was okay and quick read. It'll keep you interested.
May 17, 2011
Abby
rated it:
i had read so many good reviews of this and was wildly disappointed. the characters seemed to do random things for little or no reason, the plot elements came out of nowhere, and the context and description of lima itself was dull and unevocative. cannot at all recommend.
Sep 11, 2010
Barb
rated it:
man not staisfied with loving wife and family lusts after young native peruvian girl. story stinks, ending really stinks. would not recommend. also on a list of best of 2009, plan to discontinue picking from that list - did better choosing randomly from the library shelves.
Sep 02, 2010
Janine
rated it:
Picked this up as I had early plans of travelling to Peru this year. Pretty simple story: married man taking off with younger girl, sacrificing his marriage and the relationship to his sons. Author did a good job weaving some other aspects into this – poverty, race, classes, and spiritual beliefs.
Nov 10, 2009
Betsy
rated it:
I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about the book. I liked the foreign setting of Peru and really felt like I got a feel for the place. The love story was sad but it didn't really resonate for me once the book was finished. It's a super quick read.
Feb 12, 2009
Edith
rated it:
The atmosphere and feelings created in this book are absolutely fascinating. The story itself was very sad and poignant but I absolutely hated the ending. I can understand it but was not happy, none the less.
Dec 16, 2010
Andrea
rated it:
This was an ok read. I was hoping for more Peru descriptions. Basically a Peruvian male mid life crisis tale.
Andrea
www.greatthoughts.com
@gr8thoughts
Andrea
www.greatthoughts.com
@gr8thoughts
Feb 25, 2009
Kathyred
rated it:
I gave this a 3 because it is well written, but I didn't want to finish it. I just don't enjoy tales of adultery.
Jan 16, 2009
Danielle
rated it:
I really liked this! Whipped through it in less than 2 days. Can't wait to explore her other books.
Feb 11, 2011
S
rated it:
The novel started good but around the halfway point, the author applied the brakes. And unfortunately the brakes continued to slow the novel down until the end of the book.
Sep 10, 2009
Vicki Renee
rated it:
By turns funny, poignant and downright sad. Typical of real love.
May 02, 2009
Barbara
rated it:
An upper-class Peruvian man gives in to a midlife fling with a lower-class chola who has set her sights on him. Neither gets what they were looking for. Bittersweet, or maybe just bitter, but Marie Arana writes easily and well, and her stories are always worth the read.
