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Latin American Trilogy: Book 1
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Description edit
This rambunctious first novel by the author of the bestselling Corelli's Mandolin is set in an impoverished, violent, yet ravishingly beautiful country somewhere in South America. When the haughty Dona Constanza decides to divert a river to fill her swimming pool, the consequences are at once... read more
Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit
Characters/People edit
- Aurelio the Indian: As a child he made his way to the Indian tribes in the jungle, and grew up with them. He is married to Carmen.
- Federico: 14 YO nephew of Juanito, son of Sergio. He joins up with Remedios' guerilla group. He loves Parlanchina
- Pedro Arevalo: Sorcerer
- Don Emmanuel: A wealthy landowner, who studied botany at Cambridge. He is close to the peasants, and intercedes on their behalf with Dona Costanza.
- Father Garcia: Add a description of this character.
- Dona Constanza: Wealthy, spoiled and haughty, she plans to divert the river to fill her swimming pool. Kidnapped by the guerillas.
- Capitan Rodrigo Figueras: The brutal and unbelievably stupid head of the military company sent to suppress the Communisits.
- Remedios: A little girl when the civil war began, she eventually joins and commands the guerillas.
- Ramirez: Army Chief
- Gonzago
- Hector
- Don Hugh: Wealthy English emigre and husband of Dona Constanza
- Capitan Papagato
- Josef
- Sergio
- Luis
- Tomas
- Misael
- Carmen
- Sanchis: Air Chief Marshall
- Rafael
- Francoise: Sick wife of Antoine
- Papacito: Parlanchina's name for Aurelio
- Regina Olsen: Norwegian citizen abducted by Colonel Asado and tortured
- Lee Enfield
- Dolores
- Maman
- Carlo Maria Fuerte
- Asado
- Consuelo
- Gloria
- Parlanchina: Adopted daughter of Aurelio and Carmen
- Don Ramon
- Galdos
- Cesar
- El Verdugo
- Chiriguana
- Fulgencio
- El Bano
Setting & Locations edit
- Valledupar
- Mula
- France
- United States
- New York
- Colombia
- Paris
- Sierra
- Asuncion
- Europe
- Argentina
- Buenos Aires
- Panama
- Bolivia
- Uruguay
- Usa
- Peru
First Sentence edit
It had been an auspicious week for Captian Rodrigo Jose Figueras.
Themes & Symbolism edit
- Political satire: Describes the machinations and manoueverings of those in power, including how they got there, with a satirical and critical eye. In this book actions and decisions are made and taken with some reference to similar occurences in real history, as opposed to created. No-one and nothing is sacred - military, church, government, the people.
- south American mythology: Describe this theme.
- Animism: Coutesy of google:1.The attribution of a living soul to plants, inanimate objects, and natural phenomena.2.The belief in a supernatural power that organizes and animates the material universe.
- Magic realism: Thank you google again:A literary or artistic genre in which realistic narrative or technique are combined with surreal elements of dream or fantasy.
- Meaning of Life: Subejective - even google agrees - I included it because there is a movement in this book toward suggesting what it is that is important in life - see page 277 - the paragraph which holds the sentence which conclusdes '...how precious is everything temporary and mundane.
Series & Lists edit
This is book 1 of 3 in Latin American Trilogy. (standard series)
Followed by Señor Vivo and the Coca Lord.
Authors & Contributors edit
- Louis de Bernières (Author)
First Edition edit
Original Language: English
Publisher: Add the publisher.
Country: Add the country of publication.
Publication Date: 1990
ISBN: Add the ISBN.
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Add the publisher.
Country: Add the country of publication.
Publication Date: 1990
ISBN: Add the ISBN.
Page Count: 384
Awards edit
- Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best First Book (1991: South Asia and Europe)
Classification edit
- Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
- Dewey: 823.914
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