I would say my engagement with this novel fluctuated. As the fictional Cercas states to Bolano (fun little cameo by the way), “It’s a story with real events and characters. A true tale” (192), though the lecture video renders it clear that this novel is definitely partly fictionalised. The parts I found the most engaging were the ones relaying the narrator’s process of writing the novel; I like getting to know characters through first person accounts. Conchi, for instance, only appears in the first and last parts of the book, yet is arguably one of the more interesting characters, and definitely has one of the biggest personalities.

This novel has so many moving parts, I got lost in the middle. It’s very dense with history, which is not my strong suit. I had to backtrack multiple times just to figure out what was going on. This isn’t a novel I think I would have ever selected to read in my own time, but I’m ultimately grateful this class is pushing me out of my comfort zone and forcing me to digest a wide array of literature.

The section that stood out to me the most is the one where Miralles appears; it adds a layer of mystery as readers wonder, who is this man? And could he be the soldier that spared Mazas’ life? As the narrator explored this possibility, while striking up a friendship with prominent novelist Bolano in the meanwhile, I felt like I was on this journey with him. When Bolano describes Miralles “dancing very close, very seriously, in silence, barefoot on the grass, wrapped in the unreal light of the moon” (189) with Luz, it was almost as if I was right there with him, lingering behind that trailer. Moreover, Miralles’ comments on what makes an individual a hero are haunting (eg. “Heroes are only heroes when they die or get killed. The real heroes are born out of war and die in war. There are no living heroes, young man. They’re all dead. Dead, dead, dead” [233]). This unapologetic show of emotion is perhaps the most powerful moment in the novel. At least, it was for me. Despite the novel’s structure being confusing at times, it never took away from my enjoyment of the especially valuable occasions of character introspection and development. And Miralles not providing all the answers the narrator seeks, yet still functioning as the missing piece in the building blocks of the larger story, is a rather fitting way of closing the novel.

Which character or part of the novel stood out to you? What/who did you resonate with the most?