Cantoras in Around the World in 80 Books

Sep 25, 2020 Nadine in NY Jones rated it liked it

Shelves: era-mid-20th-c, wouldnt-normally-read, fiction, literary-schmiterary, historical-fiction, beach-cover

2.5 stars

There's a lot to like here, but it's not really my kind of book. Robertis is weaving the story with words, big words, flowy words, decorative words, lots of words, but I want the words to be utilitarian. I want a plain shaker sweater, but this is a multicolored tapestry of words. (NOTE: I wrote this line BEFORE I got to the part of the book where the women "made a tapestry of sound." I guess I was prescient.) Sometimes the words got in the way of the story. A friend asked me how I l ...more

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Jan 16, 2022 Colleen Chi-Girl rated it it was amazing

Shelves: women-centered, audiobooks, feminism, 2022, faves, lgbtqia, south-america

5*****

Usually towards the end of most audiobooks, unless they are both AMAZINGLY written and narrated, I am ready for it to be done. On average those audios last anywhere from 6-10 hours. I was blown away by this novel, beautifully narrated by the author, Carolina De Robertis, and couldn't believe it was over in 14 hours - lol.

What I found fascinating was the story of 5 young women during the 1970's, ages 16 to early 20's or so, who escape their town of Montevideo to spend a week together on a d 5*****

Usually towards the end of most audiobooks, unless they are both AMAZINGLY written and narrated, I am ready for it to be done. On average those audios last anywhere from 6-10 hours. I was blown away by this novel, beautifully narrated by the author, Carolina De Robertis, and couldn't believe it was over in 14 hours - lol.

What I found fascinating was the story of 5 young women during the 1970's, ages 16 to early 20's or so, who escape their town of Montevideo to spend a week together on a deserted beach in Uruguay. No hotels or bathrooms, and - no people to be disgusted by them or to arrest them, for they are lesbians.

They begin to trust each other and enjoy a week in the remains of what was a small house, no roof, windows, etc., just the beautiful ocean to play in, in the village of Cabo Poloniato, with fishermen a town away, who mind their own business. They name themselves the Cantoras, "women who sing".

It feels like a coming-of-age story for these women: Rrrro-mina (roll your R's), Flaca, Malena, Anita and Paz/Baz, are young, closeted, and finally free to be themselves for a week...to be with people like them, or to be with someone without fear of incrimination or a death sentence. If you remember, Uruguay in the 70's was ruled by a military dictatorship that was violent and exacting. You did something wrong....you disappeared never to be found again. That, of course, included homosexuals.

The 5 women return each year to their small period of paradise and freedom. Eventually they scrape together enough money to purchase the small fishing house and they return to it each year, sometimes bringing a friend, but always acknowledging the special bond of the original 5. We hear about what has transpired in their still secretive, closeted lives as they come together for their reunions. Picture a kind of all girl BIG CHILL atmosphere on a much, much cheaper budget, drinking yerba maté in the mornings, whiskey in the evening, and grilling fish on the beach. These brave friends become family.

The women all have their own stories, work and family lives, some sadder, some better, than others. They meet for 30 years with much to share, just as in the hetero world, changing partners, hurting lovers, and finding love. Who better than to be honest and write about an aging group of lesbians, but a lesbian - lol.

De Robertis’ writing is rich, poetic, and just beautiful! It's my first book by this author and I was happy to find a book with strong, lesbian, women celebrating and living their lives, in as normal a way as anyone possibly can under such constricts. I think it's a book that anyone can enjoy and learn from, which shows people being people, and the humanity and respect all people deserve. There are some classic quotes that will, I'm sure, surface over the years, and I love that De Robertis narrated this herself.

Read it! ...more

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