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Arauco
Set in a land of earthquakes and towering volcanoes, weaving history with myth, Arauco tells of war, sorcery ... and a love demonstrating that a man can embrace what he was seeking to destroy. When in 1540 Pedro de Valdivia headed south from Peru to conquer lands and gold, he took with him his beautiful mistress, Inés de Suárez. With him also rode his secretary, Juan de Cardeña, whose hopeless love of Inés stems from the same romances that inspired the Quixote. Having crossed the Atacama Desert, the Spanish encounter the indomitable resistance of the Mapuche people.... For the first time, Arauco recreates the Spanish invasion of Chile from the native perspective as well, so that its pages include: Lautaro, the Mapuche youth who led his people to an epic victory; Ñamku, albino shaman; his enemy, the sorcerer Kurufil ... and Raytrayen, the Mapuche girl Juan de Cardeña comes to love....
698 pages, Paperback
First published November 28, 2012
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370 people want to read
About the author
John Caviglia
1 book30 followersJohn Caviglia was born in Chile, his father a chileno, his mother an adventurous gringa from Muncie, Indiana. His family moved to the United States when he was eight. He has been a professor of Spanish and Comparative literature, and over the years he has also taught pottery and martial arts. His present passions include reading and writing, cooking and organic gardening, photography, and the making of cedar strip canoes, in which he explores wilderness lakes with his wonderful wife, Barbara.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 1, 2017
Ñamku was thoughtful, chewing squash and poñu roasted over coal, ignoring the grilled degu. And when all were sighing with repletion he stood to speak. “None who are leaving will return. This I have seen.”
Lleflai exhaled…a shuddering relief.
“Now I know what I came here to learn. The mapu of the Pikunche has been laid waste by the war and kalkutun of lik winka, and the am of the dead outnumber the pellu of the living. I have seen their eyes like crowded stars. They do not speak, and yet they see us. The silent dead are here.”
Not even a gnat interrupted. But in the light entering through the smoke hole, motes of dust were trembling. Lleflai closed her eyes with fear.
“You only speak to the dead you love.”
Everyone was puzzled, but they expected to be puzzled by the machi. Still, he shocked them when he added, “I am no less blind than white.”
Disbelieving, Laku shook his head.
Ñamku ignored him. “You speak to those you love. You see those that you know…. Therefore, I cannot speak to lik winka, alive or dead. They cannot speak to me. I cannot see lik winka, alive or dead. And they do not see me. I have become many creatures, yet never one strange as a lik winka. They seem like che, and are not. They think they see me, and do not. They think they hear me, and do not. Perhaps they see, where I am blind. I do not think so.”
Ñamku held a hand palm up, as if to assess its emptiness, and there the bone che appeared. Lleflai blinded herself with her hair.
“Keshukrishtu,” Lautaro gasped, making a gesture against the evil eye. Raytrayen breathed, “The dead kalku that they eat!”
Ñamku went on. “When first I held the bone che I thought I was chosen for the new beginning. Now I know I was misled by ignorance and pride. Lik winka want to destroy the Mapuche, the Peweñche, the Williche, as they are destroying the Pikunche, and I am powerless to stop them. The thought has come to me that I was chosen, instead, to save your lives, that you might save the che…for there will be war with the lik winka. You, Lautaro, will fight for your people. But first you must see them as they are.”
Lautaro nodded, agreeing. The only problem was the waiting.
“Your task is more difficult, Raytrayen. You must talk to lik winka, and not from a distance. Now it is as if the lik winka are at the other bank of a great river deep in mist, which they intend to cross. Lautaro will defend our shore. You must swim through blindness toward theirs.” The machi paused, knowing the cruelty of his counsel.
Wide-eyed, Raytrayen said nothing, tempted to blurt that lik winka did not swim at all.
“At the middle of the river—where no che can live—you must talk to the lik winka. Then, you both must return to your own shores, each able to speak about the other.”
Ñamku did not voice his fear that Raytrayen might be tempted to stay there—having experienced the seduction of these strangers. They called, like the shompalwe of the night, luring the daughters of che to that death which was a change of soul. He was handing to Raytrayen not just the task, but also the attraction, he had once thought his.
To Laku he said, “As Lautaro must defend the shore and Raytrayen leave it to return, you must be the shore itself, a part of mapu. You may wonder how important it is to become what you already are, but I tell you that in the future nothing will be more important than for Mapuche to remain what the beginning made us. I fear this new beginning will create a path for us we did not choose ourselves, for if we do not destroy the lik winka, we must share mapu with them. Then their power—their difference—will attract other che as it attracted me. We must learn what lik winka are, not become them. And above all things we must not desire to be as they are!
"I have spoken.”
Saying farewell to Lautaro and Raytrayen, Ñamku did not add that to defeat lik winka the Mapuche might need knowledge that would destroy their souls.
5 stars
Lleflai exhaled…a shuddering relief.
“Now I know what I came here to learn. The mapu of the Pikunche has been laid waste by the war and kalkutun of lik winka, and the am of the dead outnumber the pellu of the living. I have seen their eyes like crowded stars. They do not speak, and yet they see us. The silent dead are here.”
Not even a gnat interrupted. But in the light entering through the smoke hole, motes of dust were trembling. Lleflai closed her eyes with fear.
“You only speak to the dead you love.”
Everyone was puzzled, but they expected to be puzzled by the machi. Still, he shocked them when he added, “I am no less blind than white.”
Disbelieving, Laku shook his head.
Ñamku ignored him. “You speak to those you love. You see those that you know…. Therefore, I cannot speak to lik winka, alive or dead. They cannot speak to me. I cannot see lik winka, alive or dead. And they do not see me. I have become many creatures, yet never one strange as a lik winka. They seem like che, and are not. They think they see me, and do not. They think they hear me, and do not. Perhaps they see, where I am blind. I do not think so.”
Ñamku held a hand palm up, as if to assess its emptiness, and there the bone che appeared. Lleflai blinded herself with her hair.
“Keshukrishtu,” Lautaro gasped, making a gesture against the evil eye. Raytrayen breathed, “The dead kalku that they eat!”
Ñamku went on. “When first I held the bone che I thought I was chosen for the new beginning. Now I know I was misled by ignorance and pride. Lik winka want to destroy the Mapuche, the Peweñche, the Williche, as they are destroying the Pikunche, and I am powerless to stop them. The thought has come to me that I was chosen, instead, to save your lives, that you might save the che…for there will be war with the lik winka. You, Lautaro, will fight for your people. But first you must see them as they are.”
Lautaro nodded, agreeing. The only problem was the waiting.
“Your task is more difficult, Raytrayen. You must talk to lik winka, and not from a distance. Now it is as if the lik winka are at the other bank of a great river deep in mist, which they intend to cross. Lautaro will defend our shore. You must swim through blindness toward theirs.” The machi paused, knowing the cruelty of his counsel.
Wide-eyed, Raytrayen said nothing, tempted to blurt that lik winka did not swim at all.
“At the middle of the river—where no che can live—you must talk to the lik winka. Then, you both must return to your own shores, each able to speak about the other.”
Ñamku did not voice his fear that Raytrayen might be tempted to stay there—having experienced the seduction of these strangers. They called, like the shompalwe of the night, luring the daughters of che to that death which was a change of soul. He was handing to Raytrayen not just the task, but also the attraction, he had once thought his.
To Laku he said, “As Lautaro must defend the shore and Raytrayen leave it to return, you must be the shore itself, a part of mapu. You may wonder how important it is to become what you already are, but I tell you that in the future nothing will be more important than for Mapuche to remain what the beginning made us. I fear this new beginning will create a path for us we did not choose ourselves, for if we do not destroy the lik winka, we must share mapu with them. Then their power—their difference—will attract other che as it attracted me. We must learn what lik winka are, not become them. And above all things we must not desire to be as they are!
"I have spoken.”
Saying farewell to Lautaro and Raytrayen, Ñamku did not add that to defeat lik winka the Mapuche might need knowledge that would destroy their souls.
5 stars
May 11, 2013
A fabulous shaggy beast of an epic novel.
I was won when Juan sets out on life under the influence of the romances of chivalry that turned Don Quixote’s brains – Amadis of Gaul, Orlando Furioso. Hey, I love those books myself; I’m glad they get a look-in as the culture of the times, even if, inevitably, their function is to contrast with the reality. Yes, as in Don Quixote. Still, I liked to have an innocent, idealistic main, on the Spanish side, but if you want more earthy sorts, there’s no shortage of them – beginning with Pedro, the aging swashbuckler who takes Juan to his garishly-costumed bosom.
Then on the Mapuche side I had Namku, a shaman of his people. He’s a shaman because he’s strange – an albino – and ‘weye’ too, that is, of the sexuality that was worse than the worst sin and blasphemy to the Spanish of the time. I rarely, or make that never since I can’t name any – see shamans that step from the pages of anthropology, not vaguely made up but as they exist/existed within their cultures. In himself Namku was worth three anthropology texts on the subject. Along with that I liked him and his story, and Lleflai, another outcast due to her face being melted in a fire, just to start on the large cast of Mapuche. It’s often the case that the more familiar side, the European, gets a more catchy story, but not the case here: the Mapuche story is every bit as thoroughly invented.
I’ve only talked about what snared my interest, because I read chivalric romances and anthropology on tribes. As I say, though, it’s a epic, that means ample, inclusive, and you’ll find quite other things of interest.
I’d better attempt general comments. In spite of the hideous events of the Spanish invasion, he gives you the opportunity to enjoy the high adventure the Spaniards thought it. As they swashbuckle their way into Chile and crack the grim/gallows jokes known to war, that you have to find hilarious at the time. Importantly, too, for me, there’s a kindness behind the whole. When we have Mendoza dogging natives, I need to be in a kind hand – that’s the author’s. There are nail-biting moments – a few when Mendoza’s off dogging – and don’t miss the Mapuche ball game that’s as thrilling as a battle. I was often glued to the page, and if I snoozed in Mapuche language lessons, that’s fine and right, that, to me, is epic – a word I don’t use in the debased sense. It’s written with wit and charm and frequent humour, which qualities endear a book to me. Deserves a second read – there’s so much here.
I was won when Juan sets out on life under the influence of the romances of chivalry that turned Don Quixote’s brains – Amadis of Gaul, Orlando Furioso. Hey, I love those books myself; I’m glad they get a look-in as the culture of the times, even if, inevitably, their function is to contrast with the reality. Yes, as in Don Quixote. Still, I liked to have an innocent, idealistic main, on the Spanish side, but if you want more earthy sorts, there’s no shortage of them – beginning with Pedro, the aging swashbuckler who takes Juan to his garishly-costumed bosom.
Then on the Mapuche side I had Namku, a shaman of his people. He’s a shaman because he’s strange – an albino – and ‘weye’ too, that is, of the sexuality that was worse than the worst sin and blasphemy to the Spanish of the time. I rarely, or make that never since I can’t name any – see shamans that step from the pages of anthropology, not vaguely made up but as they exist/existed within their cultures. In himself Namku was worth three anthropology texts on the subject. Along with that I liked him and his story, and Lleflai, another outcast due to her face being melted in a fire, just to start on the large cast of Mapuche. It’s often the case that the more familiar side, the European, gets a more catchy story, but not the case here: the Mapuche story is every bit as thoroughly invented.
I’ve only talked about what snared my interest, because I read chivalric romances and anthropology on tribes. As I say, though, it’s a epic, that means ample, inclusive, and you’ll find quite other things of interest.
I’d better attempt general comments. In spite of the hideous events of the Spanish invasion, he gives you the opportunity to enjoy the high adventure the Spaniards thought it. As they swashbuckle their way into Chile and crack the grim/gallows jokes known to war, that you have to find hilarious at the time. Importantly, too, for me, there’s a kindness behind the whole. When we have Mendoza dogging natives, I need to be in a kind hand – that’s the author’s. There are nail-biting moments – a few when Mendoza’s off dogging – and don’t miss the Mapuche ball game that’s as thrilling as a battle. I was often glued to the page, and if I snoozed in Mapuche language lessons, that’s fine and right, that, to me, is epic – a word I don’t use in the debased sense. It’s written with wit and charm and frequent humour, which qualities endear a book to me. Deserves a second read – there’s so much here.
October 3, 2013
This is one of these rare reads that catch you too thoroughly, make you dive in and LIVE the story. Aside from the wonderfully well researched history and the evidently deep understanding of both Spanish and Mapuche people cultural aspects, I suppose it is about the style, the way it's written. There is a magic there, in the style, the terrible drama and the basic way of dealing with it with light, earthly humor, side by side, in the fashion that makes you understand the drama much better, no see the human side of it and not only the statistics. The picture of general genocide of an entire continent (two continents!), but on the scale of a personal drama of each life. The author managed to do just that for me, with amazing vividness and clarity, as though by magic.
I have to admit, I picked "Arauco" with reservations. My deep involvement with Mesoamerican cultures and pre-contact history makes me wary of any stories involving the conquest. Arauco is set no where near my "specialty", so I knew only the general history of South America. But I do have difficulties with the subject of the conquest and conquistadors in general, so I had my qualms.
Well, all I can say is that I'm glad I did overcome those misgivings and did pick this book! Even though the first part of the story - delightfully written! - made me angry more times than not. Many times, while the Spanish made their way through Atacama desert, I wished this novel was written less vividly, made history less alive than it did.
Then the second part came - a wonderful surprise, especially in the end (I have to sit on my hands not to let out any spoilers).
I enjoyed this novel on so many levels! Historically it enriched me enormously. As the story it was so rich in real-life, colorful, diverse, dynamic characters from both sides of the conflict, it made me literally "live" it. Juan, Lautaro, Ines, Ratrayen, Namku, Pichikan, Pedro, Lleflai - they all made me live their story, struggle, cheer, grieve, despair, fight or seek to understand. 700 pages long and I here I am, wishing this novel was longer. Or had a sequel. Or better yet, a prequel. I wish the author would use his evidently deep knowledge of Mapuche's culture and history by setting another novel in earlier times, when to his claim Mapuche stopped invincible Incas as effectively as they did stop the later day Spanish war machine.
A highly HIGHLY recommended read!
I have to admit, I picked "Arauco" with reservations. My deep involvement with Mesoamerican cultures and pre-contact history makes me wary of any stories involving the conquest. Arauco is set no where near my "specialty", so I knew only the general history of South America. But I do have difficulties with the subject of the conquest and conquistadors in general, so I had my qualms.
Well, all I can say is that I'm glad I did overcome those misgivings and did pick this book! Even though the first part of the story - delightfully written! - made me angry more times than not. Many times, while the Spanish made their way through Atacama desert, I wished this novel was written less vividly, made history less alive than it did.
Then the second part came - a wonderful surprise, especially in the end (I have to sit on my hands not to let out any spoilers).
I enjoyed this novel on so many levels! Historically it enriched me enormously. As the story it was so rich in real-life, colorful, diverse, dynamic characters from both sides of the conflict, it made me literally "live" it. Juan, Lautaro, Ines, Ratrayen, Namku, Pichikan, Pedro, Lleflai - they all made me live their story, struggle, cheer, grieve, despair, fight or seek to understand. 700 pages long and I here I am, wishing this novel was longer. Or had a sequel. Or better yet, a prequel. I wish the author would use his evidently deep knowledge of Mapuche's culture and history by setting another novel in earlier times, when to his claim Mapuche stopped invincible Incas as effectively as they did stop the later day Spanish war machine.
A highly HIGHLY recommended read!
July 23, 2013
My favorite book of the summer has centered around conquistadores for whom brutality and beheadings were more acceptable than bathing. The epic novel Arauco gave me all I expect in good historical fiction by bringing alive the 16th century. The complex characters reminded me of the vulnerability of indigenous people around the world who have been colonized by stronger tribes. Since learning to live with "the alien" is still an issue for humankind, I appreciated the way the author frequently examined culture, religion and truth with a light touch of humor.
The first two chapters made it clear that the journey beginning in Spain in 1539 would not be a romantic tale even though the main character was immersed in chivalry and knighthood through one of his most treasured possessions, the book Amadis de Gaula. The challenges the conquistadores faced crossing ocean, desert and mountains were so graphically described, the novel often read like a movie. The personalities introduced in the Mapuche culture were equally compelling, so that when the two cultures converged, the reader was hooked.
Wisdom, bravery, integrity and love were juxtaposed with rigidity, cruelty and fear repeatedly by fascinating male and female characters on both sides of the conflict. The book was a reminder that personal relationships are the only hope for dealing with those we consider alien.
The first two chapters made it clear that the journey beginning in Spain in 1539 would not be a romantic tale even though the main character was immersed in chivalry and knighthood through one of his most treasured possessions, the book Amadis de Gaula. The challenges the conquistadores faced crossing ocean, desert and mountains were so graphically described, the novel often read like a movie. The personalities introduced in the Mapuche culture were equally compelling, so that when the two cultures converged, the reader was hooked.
Wisdom, bravery, integrity and love were juxtaposed with rigidity, cruelty and fear repeatedly by fascinating male and female characters on both sides of the conflict. The book was a reminder that personal relationships are the only hope for dealing with those we consider alien.
July 26, 2013
Auraco, a novel by John Caviglia, is a historical novel about the start of the Spanish invasion of Chile in the sixteenth century. It is a well written, very descriptive story about two cultures intersecting at the sharp edge.
The Spanish forces, the best in the world at the time, encounter incredible resistance from the native indians as they attempt their conquest of Chile. ( The war lasted 300 years! )
It is an adventure story about warriors and their warrior ways. and of the live of the people who live with them. Both the Spanish and Indian cultures are revealed in wonderful detail, and the characters come to life as human beings trying to live and adapt as their world changes around them. Juan de Cardena falls in love not once but twice, as he experiences and learns both the Spanish and Indian ways. The novel reads well and the sense of drama builds and continues to the end providing a very satisfying reading experience.
The Spanish forces, the best in the world at the time, encounter incredible resistance from the native indians as they attempt their conquest of Chile. ( The war lasted 300 years! )
It is an adventure story about warriors and their warrior ways. and of the live of the people who live with them. Both the Spanish and Indian cultures are revealed in wonderful detail, and the characters come to life as human beings trying to live and adapt as their world changes around them. Juan de Cardena falls in love not once but twice, as he experiences and learns both the Spanish and Indian ways. The novel reads well and the sense of drama builds and continues to the end providing a very satisfying reading experience.
February 22, 2016
The ULTIMATE historical novel. Wonderful imagination and writing skills coupled with deep historical knowledge and cultural understanding. The way the author transmits to the reader the profound incompatibility between the worldviews of the 16th century Spanish conquistadores and the Mapuche indians is fascinating. A shame this book has not been translated to spanish.
September 11, 2013
A powerful historical novel and a great read.
From the first pages of 'Arauco' on, you're in the hands of master story-teller John Caviglia as he brings to life the quintessential culture clash: Spanish conquistadors (male and female) vs the indigenous Mapuche in the 16th-century region we now call Chile. The worlds bridged by this extraordinary novel seem at first utterly irreconcilable as a magical, shamanic culture (with its own *language*, of course, with which the reader becomes more and more familiar) is invaded by outsiders in search of gold and glory. But nothing is ever quite what it seems. Let 'Arauco' surprise you, let it enchant you, heal you, and more. For 'Arauco' is also a story of love....
Highly recommended to those in search of the best in fiction.
Merged review:
A powerful historical novel and a great read.
From the first pages of 'Arauco' on, you're in the hands of master story-teller John Caviglia as he brings to life the quintessential culture clash: Spanish conquistadors (male and female) vs the indigenous Mapuche in the 16th-century region we now call Chile. The worlds bridged by this extraordinary novel seem at first utterly irreconcilable as a magical, shamanic culture (with its own *language*, of course, with which the reader becomes more and more familiar) is invaded by outsiders in search of gold and glory. But nothing is ever quite what it seems. Let 'Arauco' surprise you, let it enchant you, heal you, and more. For 'Arauco' is also a story of love....
Highly recommended to those in search of the best in fiction.
From the first pages of 'Arauco' on, you're in the hands of master story-teller John Caviglia as he brings to life the quintessential culture clash: Spanish conquistadors (male and female) vs the indigenous Mapuche in the 16th-century region we now call Chile. The worlds bridged by this extraordinary novel seem at first utterly irreconcilable as a magical, shamanic culture (with its own *language*, of course, with which the reader becomes more and more familiar) is invaded by outsiders in search of gold and glory. But nothing is ever quite what it seems. Let 'Arauco' surprise you, let it enchant you, heal you, and more. For 'Arauco' is also a story of love....
Highly recommended to those in search of the best in fiction.
Merged review:
A powerful historical novel and a great read.
From the first pages of 'Arauco' on, you're in the hands of master story-teller John Caviglia as he brings to life the quintessential culture clash: Spanish conquistadors (male and female) vs the indigenous Mapuche in the 16th-century region we now call Chile. The worlds bridged by this extraordinary novel seem at first utterly irreconcilable as a magical, shamanic culture (with its own *language*, of course, with which the reader becomes more and more familiar) is invaded by outsiders in search of gold and glory. But nothing is ever quite what it seems. Let 'Arauco' surprise you, let it enchant you, heal you, and more. For 'Arauco' is also a story of love....
Highly recommended to those in search of the best in fiction.
January 30, 2014
Masterfully written and totally engrossing, I found myself unable to put this book down. Even though it is a long novel I wanted it to go on longer as the world it conjures up is detailed and immersive. I felt myself transported back to those times in history and to that place in the long thin land now called Chile. Excellent characterisations and clearly exhaustive historical research combine with masterful storytelling to conjure a compelling vision of this clash of cultures that has been going on for hundreds of years. Five Stars!
October 8, 2020
Author Alliance link
Arauco: A Novel by John Caviglia is a work of historical fiction taking place during the Spanish conquest of South America from 1539-1553. Caviglia was born in Chile and, for the most part, raised in the United States. He has been a professor of Spanish and Comparative Literature, and he has also taught martial arts and pottery. Caviglia earned his BA in English and French Language and Literature from Wabash College and attended the University of Toulouse as a Fulbright scholar. Before earning his PhD in Comparative Literature from Indiana University, Bloomington, he studied English Literature at Yale.
As an undergraduate in history, I spend a great deal of time studying Latin America. My studies of Chile, for the most part, started with Bernardo O’Higgins, moved the “guano wars”, and ended with Pinochet. Arauco, begins well before this time and starts in 1539 before the conquest of Chile. The novel uses real history and relies on historical people for all the Spanish characters (with the exception of two minor characters). The Spanish characters of Pedro, Juan, and Ines provide an interesting contrast in the main story.
Pedro Gomez de San Benito, fits the mold of the warrior. He is the rough, tough, wine drinking, pork eating, womanizing man of uniform.
No one had ever fought Pedro and lived… save Jaun, who was his student in the knife, that subtle, arduous art.
Juan, raised by a priest, provides the innocent eyes to the story. Although an adult or near enough, he begins the story with a very simple outlook. His view reminded me of my outlook in Catholic grade school. He believed in miracles, devout, naive, but with a willingness to prove himself. Juan also knew how to read and write — a rarity for a conquistador. He seems to be the most interesting character to watch grow and develop in the book. His innocent outlook provides a sharp contrast to Pedro’s (and the other Spanish soldiers’ and leadership’s) view of the Indians. One can almost cast him as a detached witness in the story. He seems to look at the more human side of events and people rather than Spanish vs Mapuche Indians.
Ines de Suarez provides another role. She is the strong female character. She is an organizer, a nurse, and a moving force in Valdivia’s effort to invade what is now Chile. She was one of the original twelve to march south. Ines is a very strong character in a time when women had very little say. Juan looks up to her in much the same way he does to Pedro.
The Mapuche Indians are also represented in detail. Namku is the principal character for the Mapuche; he is a shaman. Here, too, is a huge difference between the two forces. The Mapuche mysticism compared to the Spanish Catholicism. When the people on both sides, meet some interesting questions of religion are played out. The Mapuche, to at times, seemed more advanced than the Spanish. They knew how to fix head wounds by relieving pressure; they also seemed to question and think independently than the dogmatic Spanish.
As much as anything, this is a book that compares two cultures and their beliefs without the expect good guys vs the bad guys. There are good and bad in the book and they exist on both sides. The Spanish are almost as absorbed in treachery against themselves as they are in war, but between the two cultures things seemed balanced. The farther a Spaniard got from Spain, the more their behavior took a turn for the worse, and Chile was about as far from Spain as one could get. The Indians seem to take pleasure in guerilla warfare, knowing that this is more successful than face to face confrontation against steel and gunpowder.
A word or two of warning for the reader. Caviglia uses many native words in the book. If you are reading this on a Kindle you may want to print the glossary from the author’s web page. There is a glossary at the end of the book, but it would be tedious jumping back and forth. This, however, should not be a problem with a paper copy of the book. Most of the Spanish is explained in the book and what is not can be readily translated by your Kindle. Secondly, this book is almost seven hundred pages. Make sure you allow yourself plenty of time. Although there is plenty of action and intrigue in the book, it will take longer than expected to read. For most readers, myself included, there is a great deal of unfamiliar information. There are two different cultures and languages to contend with and historical context and geography. None of the points I brought up take away from the reading, rather they enhance it.
Reading Arauco took me back to my undergraduate days. It has been some time since I read about Latin America in a historical sense. Although Arauco is a work of fiction, it is based on real people and events. There is much more balanced coverage between the two peoples than I let on in my review. Much of the history I learned was based on the Spanish so I naturally dug a little deeper into the history looking for some type of flaw or historical inaccuracy; I found none. Arauco is historical fiction with a serious focus on historical. A very well written and researched book. I don’t mean to be cliche with the reference, but this book would fit nicely next to Jennings’ Aztec on anyone’s bookshelf. Although I am very stingy with stars, Arauco: A Novel earns a very rare five star review.
Arauco: A Novel by John Caviglia is a work of historical fiction taking place during the Spanish conquest of South America from 1539-1553. Caviglia was born in Chile and, for the most part, raised in the United States. He has been a professor of Spanish and Comparative Literature, and he has also taught martial arts and pottery. Caviglia earned his BA in English and French Language and Literature from Wabash College and attended the University of Toulouse as a Fulbright scholar. Before earning his PhD in Comparative Literature from Indiana University, Bloomington, he studied English Literature at Yale.
As an undergraduate in history, I spend a great deal of time studying Latin America. My studies of Chile, for the most part, started with Bernardo O’Higgins, moved the “guano wars”, and ended with Pinochet. Arauco, begins well before this time and starts in 1539 before the conquest of Chile. The novel uses real history and relies on historical people for all the Spanish characters (with the exception of two minor characters). The Spanish characters of Pedro, Juan, and Ines provide an interesting contrast in the main story.
Pedro Gomez de San Benito, fits the mold of the warrior. He is the rough, tough, wine drinking, pork eating, womanizing man of uniform.
No one had ever fought Pedro and lived… save Jaun, who was his student in the knife, that subtle, arduous art.
Juan, raised by a priest, provides the innocent eyes to the story. Although an adult or near enough, he begins the story with a very simple outlook. His view reminded me of my outlook in Catholic grade school. He believed in miracles, devout, naive, but with a willingness to prove himself. Juan also knew how to read and write — a rarity for a conquistador. He seems to be the most interesting character to watch grow and develop in the book. His innocent outlook provides a sharp contrast to Pedro’s (and the other Spanish soldiers’ and leadership’s) view of the Indians. One can almost cast him as a detached witness in the story. He seems to look at the more human side of events and people rather than Spanish vs Mapuche Indians.
Ines de Suarez provides another role. She is the strong female character. She is an organizer, a nurse, and a moving force in Valdivia’s effort to invade what is now Chile. She was one of the original twelve to march south. Ines is a very strong character in a time when women had very little say. Juan looks up to her in much the same way he does to Pedro.
The Mapuche Indians are also represented in detail. Namku is the principal character for the Mapuche; he is a shaman. Here, too, is a huge difference between the two forces. The Mapuche mysticism compared to the Spanish Catholicism. When the people on both sides, meet some interesting questions of religion are played out. The Mapuche, to at times, seemed more advanced than the Spanish. They knew how to fix head wounds by relieving pressure; they also seemed to question and think independently than the dogmatic Spanish.
As much as anything, this is a book that compares two cultures and their beliefs without the expect good guys vs the bad guys. There are good and bad in the book and they exist on both sides. The Spanish are almost as absorbed in treachery against themselves as they are in war, but between the two cultures things seemed balanced. The farther a Spaniard got from Spain, the more their behavior took a turn for the worse, and Chile was about as far from Spain as one could get. The Indians seem to take pleasure in guerilla warfare, knowing that this is more successful than face to face confrontation against steel and gunpowder.
A word or two of warning for the reader. Caviglia uses many native words in the book. If you are reading this on a Kindle you may want to print the glossary from the author’s web page. There is a glossary at the end of the book, but it would be tedious jumping back and forth. This, however, should not be a problem with a paper copy of the book. Most of the Spanish is explained in the book and what is not can be readily translated by your Kindle. Secondly, this book is almost seven hundred pages. Make sure you allow yourself plenty of time. Although there is plenty of action and intrigue in the book, it will take longer than expected to read. For most readers, myself included, there is a great deal of unfamiliar information. There are two different cultures and languages to contend with and historical context and geography. None of the points I brought up take away from the reading, rather they enhance it.
Reading Arauco took me back to my undergraduate days. It has been some time since I read about Latin America in a historical sense. Although Arauco is a work of fiction, it is based on real people and events. There is much more balanced coverage between the two peoples than I let on in my review. Much of the history I learned was based on the Spanish so I naturally dug a little deeper into the history looking for some type of flaw or historical inaccuracy; I found none. Arauco is historical fiction with a serious focus on historical. A very well written and researched book. I don’t mean to be cliche with the reference, but this book would fit nicely next to Jennings’ Aztec on anyone’s bookshelf. Although I am very stingy with stars, Arauco: A Novel earns a very rare five star review.
June 11, 2014
My Synopsis:Two cultures clash in this detailed saga about Spaniard Pedro de Valdivia’s initial 1540 expedition to Chile. Valdivia later became Chile’s first governor through a series of brutal events. This historical fiction explores many known figures from Chile’s history from both the indigenous Mapuche and the invading Spanish, creating a dichotomic retelling that adds rich depth and feeling to the narrative.
Juan de Cardeña, a young Spaniard enthralled with epic romances found on the pages of his beloved books, learns that these seemingly exotic and heroic adventures are really full of death, pestilence, peril, and immoral behavior. He has choices to make about himself and those individuals that he loves and has been committed to follow, particularly after he meets and befriends a Mapuche girl named Raytrayen. Influential shaman Namku, from whose perspective the Mapuche story is mostly told, raised Raytrayen. He sees the importance of having a bridging force between the two opposing cultures.
My Review: Many different stories and lives are explored within Arauco, yet the different storylines never get confusing. On top of the plethora of characters, the descriptive text itself is educational and informative with literary and historical references throughout. Because of the depth and breadth used by Caviglia, this novel should be enjoyed at a slow savoring pace. See the rest of my sponsored review via the link at my website.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received Arauco free through San Francisco Book Review and was paid for my work. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own and no one else’s. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Juan de Cardeña, a young Spaniard enthralled with epic romances found on the pages of his beloved books, learns that these seemingly exotic and heroic adventures are really full of death, pestilence, peril, and immoral behavior. He has choices to make about himself and those individuals that he loves and has been committed to follow, particularly after he meets and befriends a Mapuche girl named Raytrayen. Influential shaman Namku, from whose perspective the Mapuche story is mostly told, raised Raytrayen. He sees the importance of having a bridging force between the two opposing cultures.
My Review: Many different stories and lives are explored within Arauco, yet the different storylines never get confusing. On top of the plethora of characters, the descriptive text itself is educational and informative with literary and historical references throughout. Because of the depth and breadth used by Caviglia, this novel should be enjoyed at a slow savoring pace. See the rest of my sponsored review via the link at my website.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received Arauco free through San Francisco Book Review and was paid for my work. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own and no one else’s. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
August 5, 2025
Arauco by John Caviglia is a sprawling historical tale of the Spanish attempt to conquer Chile and the resistance by the Mapuche.
It’s noteworthy for giving equal attention to the Mapuche as well as the Spanish perspective, the conquistados as well as the conquistadores.
And young Juan, brought up on chivalric legend discovers war is not such a grand thing. He is redeemed from the barbarity in which he is being tutored by a love that crosses cultures.
It’s noteworthy for giving equal attention to the Mapuche as well as the Spanish perspective, the conquistados as well as the conquistadores.
And young Juan, brought up on chivalric legend discovers war is not such a grand thing. He is redeemed from the barbarity in which he is being tutored by a love that crosses cultures.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews