Publishers Weekly
This satire of contemporary Mexican society by the celebrated late Mexican novelist and critic centers on Adam Gorozpe, a well-connected Mexico City lawyer and businessman. He is married to Priscila Holguin, the daughter of a wealthy bakery magnate with whom the couple resides. Adam also keeps a mistress named “L” and with her feels happy and relaxed, in complete opposition to how he feels with his wife. His brother-in-law, Abelardo, wants to be a writer, which angers Abelardo’s father. However, Abelardo is granted an audience with the great poet Maximino Sol, who urges him to join Sol’s camp if he wants his work noticed. Instead, Abelardo gets work writing soap operas. Elsewhere in the city, an 11-year-old named the Boy-God has started to preach at a busy intersection and, much to Adam’s chagrin, the newly sprouted shantytowns have been dubbed “Gorozpevilles.” Adam Gongora, a high-ranking official, has begun to abuse his power, drawing the ire of namesake Gorozpe. But Gongora’s interest in Priscila sets in motion events that test Gorozpe to the limit. This is a minor work by a major author, but Fuentes’s humor and keen eye make it quite rewarding. (Dec.)
From the Publisher
Starred Review. "Fuentes does not cease to amaze. This latest work is an uproariously comic novel that deals head on with many of the gravest issues of 21st-century Mexico... The reader marvels throughout that the author of this fiercely perspicacious and laugh-out-loud funny novel is in his eighties: Fuentes's familiar wit and breadth of experience are here in spades, but he also packs a high-velocity edginess worthy of a writer a third his age." - Library Journal
Library Journal - Audio
Adam Gorozpe, a successful Mexico City lawyer who married into wealth, finds himself and his own life fascinating. His musings focus on himself, his wife, his in-laws, his mistress, and the nemesis—Mexico's chief of public security, also named Adam—who is cuckolding him. There's political intrigue as the other Adam attempts to dethrone our narrator; there's the gloom of drugs, violence, and corruption in his despoiled country; there are mysteriously significant comets; and there are hints of an anatomical anomaly on his own body. These tidbits, related via Adam's energetic running mental commentary, comprise the plot, encouraging listeners to stick with it by nudging them to wonder what's next, what it all can mean. Some reviewers have described the work as comic, but satire or fable are more apt characterizations. Published in Spanish in 2009, this was the last novel by Fuentes, one of Mexico's most highly regarded writers. American Audie Award winner Robert Fass uses vocal depth and texture to become Adam, making the listener forget the presence of an actor. VERDICT Translated by E. Shaskan Bumas and Alejandro Branger, this program is recommended for fans of literary writing who appreciate glimpses into contemporary Mexico's troubled culture.—Judith Robinson, Univ. at Buffalo
FEBRUARY 2013 - AudioFile
This tale harkens back to the biblical story of Adam, the snake, and the problem of evil. Robert Fass handles the narration capably despite the long and complex structure of the sentences. While his pace can become slightly monotonous over time, this may be an inherent quality of the text itself. The ironic tone underlying the main character's thoughts is one of the signature features of Fass's narration. He varies the emphasis of certain words to bring across the intended sarcasm. Still, overall, the story is slow to develop, making it difficult for the listener to stay interested. M.R. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine
