Tomás Eloy Martínez (1934–2010)

Man, this was a weird read. It's sort of semi-historical fiction, focused on Evita's embalmed corpse and the people obsessed with the body and the person. It's somewhat disjointed and plotless. I kept coming back to it, though. There's a hint of Pynchon in the puzzles, conspiracies, and attempt to put order onto a chaotic world. The publishers put a Gabriel Garcia Marquez quote on the front, clearly trying to lure in fans of his style of magical realism. I dunno if that's quite what I'd call this book. I think it's about the mystical and constructed quality of history and of who we make ourselves into and who we are made.… (more)

This book from 1001 Books You Must read before You Die by author Tomas Eloy Martinez, Argentina author and translated by Helen Lane is the story of Eva Peron (after her death). I do not know much about Eva Peron. I never watched the play or movies. This story is full of magical realism but it is also very long and mostly a struggle to read. She was a saint to the common person of Argentina, she rose from poverty to be the wife of Peron. She died young. The story is written as a journalistic investigation into what happened to Eva after her death. It's a whole lot of story about a corpse and how soldiers fell for her but hated her even in her death. Plot is a bit over long. Characterization is that of Eva, Eva's people closest to her such as family but mostly it is about those involved after her death. Perhaps my not knowing Eva, not knowing the history of Argentina all affect my ability to enjoy this novel.… (more)