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Rating: 
Summary: Jungle or Andes? Mixed soup of Latin American folklore...
Review: De Bernieres once again sets up his narration in a "ficticious" village in the "Andean Jungle" of South America. Though, if you know of the author's teaching experience in Colombia, and the many "cues" he purposedly gives (in the shape of climatic and geographic features as well as in the expression of the life style of the people involved), it won't be difficult to point out the afore mentioned Latin American country as the "cauldron" the writer will use to freely (=carelessly, non-knowingly) pour his recollection of ancient "gentile" (=pre-Hispanic, pre-Catholic) stories, traditions, myths he must have heard (and subsequently written down to be used later) during his infatuation with the "New World" (as that part of the world is often called due to the lateness to be captured into formal "civilization"). However, even when you know it's purely fictional, there's always something that won't let you swallow it smoothly when, for instance, you find indigenous Quechua, Aymara, and modern Mexican symbolic presence all mixed in one colorful but rather odd and at times tasteless concoction. The magical and the real don't blend so smartly and their transition hardly ever occurs naturally; things just happen and we have to accept them as such without a chance of thinking or criticizing it (due to the risk of giving up reading at all). The main character isn't just one individual but the collectivity of the village that plays the role of the body wherein a handful of extraordinary men and women will compete to outstand as its prominent members in isolated chapters. The language used is simple and easy to read (that is if you're familiar with Spanish sayings and expressions; otherwise you'll miss the witty and sometimes maningful names De Bernieres plays with in this book). What the author tries -and at times succeeds- to depict (not perfectly as stated before) is the way of living and thinking of the people of any Bolivarian (area comprised by Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia) small town; something that will give an idea to the reader of why a young, resource-rich, energetic, spiritual sub-continent has difficulty in "emerging from the pit". Though, of course, a more complex view in this topic is required, I have to admit. The prose is fluid intra- but not so inter- chapters; the genius of the writer is shown in short self-contained not necessarily connected descriptions which at times can get you to feel the emotions he's forcefully inviting you to be part of. If you need something to read while you commute on the train/bus (as I have to) or just need something to read by bits while catching sleep every night (in the same fashion as a 30-minute weekly soap opera), this book will do. If you need something more acurate (though still fictional) and compelling, you'd better stick to native South American writers such as Gabo (GGM) or Marito (MVLl) who are more able of painting real landscapes using fantastic brushes (or viceversa). Probably, now that I think it again, your ignorance of Latin American culture could play in your favor and make you enjoy this book as it happened to me (not a strict connoisseur of Mediterranean matters) when I read Captain Corelli's...
Rating: 
Summary: Well wrote
Review: I am new to Louis De Bernieres. I've read only two of his books, but recommend his work strongly. The characters seem real and the writing is well done - plain in a good way. The overall impression for me is one of honest writing, which could almost have been depressing or preachy, except for the strength of the characters, and yes it is a funny book.
Rating: 
Summary: Such a disappointment
Review: I read the first two books in this series which were fantastic and then I got to this one. It is terrible and a real disapointment.
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