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Dec 17, 2009

Michelle rated it:

It's Argentina week for me. I read this book last weekend, and saw my friends' documentary on the land grab involving Mapuche indians in Patagonia several days later. These two were mutually reinforcing. In the case of the dirty war, the shock was that we've forgotten so quickly; for the Mapuche, that we didn't know their houses were literally being ripped apart.

But I digress. This is a lovely story and a work of magical realism that tells the truth. The text is quite reserved -- tol More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Nov 13, 2011

Holly rated it:

Set in Buenos Aires in the mid to late 1970s when countless Argentinians disappeared w/o a trace into generals' prison cells where they were tortured and worse for vague crimes against nationalism and against the military based rule post Peron's death. When Carlos Rueda's journalist wife Cecilia is taken from him, he discovers a magical gift: an ability to see the fates of the "disappeareds."

Beautifully written story about the power of love to initiate change and the frust More...

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Jul 24, 2011

Elizabeth rated it:

I saw the film first starring Antonio Banderas and Emma Thompson. I was so blown away that I had to seek out the book that was the genesis for the movie. The book is amazing with all the symbolism and color that is woven into it. That is why the film was able to convey so much beauty despite the horrific subject matter. Carlos runs a Children's Theater and his wife Cecelia is an outspoken journalist. Buenos Aires is under the rule of a horrible dictatorship where people are literally plucked out More...

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Oct 29, 2010

Missjgray rated it:

One of the most compelling stories I have read in a long time. Some dark/macabre/truly horrifying bits, but totally made up for by the overall amazingness.

I literally had my hand over the last pages to not let myself skip ahead as I was finishing. All the way until the very last page or so, the story could have believably gone either way.

This story is about the triumph of imagination/vision/freedom over violence/force and fear. The oppressors cannot imagine a world without More...

2 comments like

Sep 25, 2010

Marguerite rated it:

This is the third example of desaparecido literature I've read. In addition to the moral outrage that fuels the genre, this novel uses magical realism to fight Argentina's "dirty war." The real violence used against journalists, intellectuals, critics of the military and random victims is more explicit here, which just make the character Carlos Rueda's use of the imagination as a weapon to end the violence more poignant, in a literal sense and as a symbol. Lawrence Thornton has a chara More...

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Nov 05, 2010

Missjgray rated it:

One of the most compelling stories I have read in a long time. Some dark/macabre/truly horrifying bits, but totally made up for by the overall amazingness.

I literally had my hand over the last pages to not let myself skip ahead as I was finishing. All the way until the very last page or so, the story could have believably gone either way.

This story is about the triumph of imagination/vision/freedom over violence/force and fear. The oppressors cannot imagine a world without More...

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Oct 28, 2009

Lilly rated it:

this was given to me years ago, and last night i finally picked it up, despite its not-compelling cover. i can't put it down.

--
(later)

So in the end, I really liked this book. It was engaging from page 1, but held the pace through the end.

On a personal note, it took me back to Buenos Aires, which I had the pleasure of living in for a short while many years ago. And it made me want to go back effective immediately. But it showed me a much sadder, mystica More...

6 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jan 20, 2011

Nathan rated it:

This novel is set in Argentina at the time of the "Dirty War" or Guerra Sucia. The story is follows Carlos, a man whose wife and daughter are kidnapped, who gains the ability to see through the eyes of victims of the military junta as well as have visions. This book has good, well-developed characters and an interesting story. The problem with the book is the editing. I found several errors while reading this novel and although they do not disturb the reading experience there is one pa More...

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May 09, 2011

Menaka rated it:

Thornton uses a fine tip silver pen to outline the dark cloud that hovered over Argentina for seven years during the Dirty War. He emphasizes the importance of an open mind and a hungry heart during seemingly hopeless times. Although his plot involves the mystical - the main character discovers prophetic abilities - there's never a moment when the events feel out of the realm of possibility. This may be due to the very real and sordid historical basis of the novel, as well as to the narrator's g More...

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Jun 20, 2009

Eun rated it:

It was hard for me to read this book. I understand the author's use of magic realism and clairvoyance to make the story poignant and haunting and ultimately, redeeming but even without these elements (which were very beautifully woven into the story), this book made me cry. I even had to put it down every once in a while. I can't begin to imagine how it feels to have a spouse, a daughter or son or any one close taken from you and know that they were being held against thier will, being tortured More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Apr 12, 2009

Ronny rated it:

Ini novel politik yang bagus sebenernya, bercerita ttg desaparecidos atau orang2 hilang selama pemerintahan rezim militer Argentina. Tapi Thornton berusaha memakai (memaksakan?) teknik realisme magis para penulis Amerika Latin yang menurut saya kurang dia kuasai dengan enak, shg ada bbrp bagian yang tampak maksa dan tidak alamiah. Jadi saya lebih menganjurkan membaca karya Isabel Allende De amor y de Sombras yang juga menelanjangi kasus desaparecidos dan rezim militer Argentina. More...

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Sep 24, 2007

Ruth rated it:

Stories can save you.

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Jul 26, 2011

Carol rated it:

A haunting story of the disappeared in Argentina, and a celebration of the power of imagination, words, prophetic vision to stand against violence and horrific evil. Walter Brueggemann mentions this book in his Prophetic Imagination, so I had to read it to see what he had in mind. The novel is compelling, sad, disturbing, and I find myself still wondering about its message: is it possible for nonviolent hope to stand against an evil regime? Is this wishful thinking, mystical fantasy, prophetic More...

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Sep 30, 2009

Suzanne rated it:

The first of Lawrence Thornton's trilogy about Argentina's "dirty war", "Imagining Argentina" is a nightmarish story of a children's theater director ,Carlos Rueda, whose outspoken wife and innocent daughter "disappear" during the period of right wing military rule following the ouster of Juan Peron's widow, Isabel Peron (1976-82).
Based on true stories of those who survived their abductions, Thornton weaves a tale using a "magical realism" style More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Sep 04, 2011

Bonnie G rated it:

I chose this book because I wanted to learn more about Argentina. I certainly learned more about the terrible time in the 1970s when the military made thousands of people "disappear." This story puts the horrible act within the confines of one character, Carlos, who can see in his imagination what has happened to family members of those who come to him for help. Sometimes they are found and sometimes lost. He also imagines a better day for Argentina. (which I think has come to pas More...

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Jan 27, 2010

Lisa rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

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Apr 07, 2009

Jennifer rated it:

Disappearances of hundreds (if not thousands) of Argentine civilians in the late 1970's is the theme of this book. The horrible torture and killing of men, women, and even children is horrifying and shocking. The main character, Carlos, suffers the kidnapping of his wife and daughter, yet helps many to find loved ones due to his ESP- he can see what happens to the lost and let the family know where they are, if they are still alive. This is an interesting novel, but hard to read and a bit fuzzy More...

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Sep 24, 2011

Tommy rated it:

Very interesting way of retelling the gov't crackdown in Argentina that resulted in many thousands of people being tortured, imprisoned and killed. I also love how the use of magical realism gives the positive lesson of how a state can control the lives and movements of their people but not their imaginations and memory. As long as these stay free, the people will eventually overcome. Great message!

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Jul 21, 2009

Marsha rated it:

This was my second time reading this book and I liked it just as much this time through. It is set in Argentina during the "Dirty War" in the late 1970s. There was a military takeover, and while the Generals were in power thousands of people disappeared: children, students, dissenters, journalists, professors, etc. The government didn't acknowledge those who disappeared and there was a climate of fear and repression. Those taken were tortured and usually killed.

This book i More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Oct 29, 2008

Will rated it:

This is a very rich book considering its modest length. It tells of Carlos Rueda, a writer, who has an unusual gift. He can see what has happened to disappeared people when asked by those close to them. His ability allows him to see that his wife, a political journalist, is still alive even after years as a captive of the generals. In a beautifully told tale, Thornton show us how the junta affected individual lives, families, communities. What is real and what is imagination? Using the magical r More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jul 22, 2011

JR rated it:

I first became aware of Argentina's 1970's politic strife through this wonderfully written book. Magical realism is used in a very effective way to describe the characters' nightmarish lives with disappearing relatives. Read it in the 1990's and its prose still(2011) evokes strong images of violence and spiritual perseverance.

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Nov 11, 2009

Sherry rated it:

This is probably one of my most favorite reads of all time because I learned about the "los desaprecidos" of Argentina told in a magical way that made it palatable. "The novel is about bearing witness and the ways of history itself."

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Apr 01, 2009

karen rated it:

Beautifully written and haunting account of a man who fights violent power with words. A personal account by an old friend to Carlos, the man who begins to see visions of 'the dissapeareds' and uses those visions to console the families of the lost. A tribute to the power of imagination, spirit and the unknown.

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Jul 11, 2008

Amber rated it:

This is one of those books that proves "don't judge a book by its cover." The title doesn't sound all that interesting nor does the description on the cover, but this book blew me away. It reminds me of Midnight's Children, in that it's set during a time of political unrest and one of the characters uses magical abilities to connect with others in order to cope with the turmoil around them. The writing was excellent. It was a good balance of beautiful words and captivating plot. And mo More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 01, 2011

Rachel rated it:

In same ways, this book was tough to get through because it the disturbing subject matter (the Disappeareds in Argentina), but this an a wonderful, if haunting work and well worth a read.

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Aug 04, 2010

Erinn rated it:

I read this for a class in college and was pleasantly surprised to enjoy a book that was required reading. It wasn't what I was expecting either, which in this case was also nice.

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Mar 17, 2010

julia rated it:

This is the first book I've read on this topic and the story of the disappearances in Argentina is something that absolutely needs to be retold. I definitely learned alot about what happened during that time and this was an inventive way of telling it. I know what happened was horrible and I'm not sure how I could have told it differently, yet I feel the book was oftentimes melodramatic. It wasn't the telling of the disappearances that was melodramatic, but the telling of the lives of the people More...

2 comments like

Jul 18, 2009

Susan rated it:

Novel of "los desaparecidos" in Argentina in the 1970's. Touching and sad but well written. I enjoyed the prose style of Lawrence Thornton and the topic is most interesting.

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Oct 22, 2010

moe rated it:

I found this book by accident and it's now a favorite. The magical realism (by a Canadian) novel mixed with facts on the disappeared in Argentina. Deserving of the many awards it has received.

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Jan 14, 2010

Moda rated it:

A beautiful and imaginative take on the Dirty War in Argentina, the Disappeareds, and the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo. Sad but worth it.
-Sylvie

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