'Pedro Paramo' by Juan Rulfo follows the story of Juan Preciado as he embarks on a journey to the town of Comala to find his father, Pedro Paramo, as his dying mother's final wish. Upon reaching Comala, Juan discovers a haunting and surreal town filled with ghosts and memories of the past. The narrative unfolds in a non-linear manner, with various characters narrating their perspectives and experiences, blurring the lines between the living and the dead. is described as a precursor to Magical Realist novels, exploring themes of death, memory, and the cultural landscape of rural Mexico.
Rulfo's writing style in 'Pedro Paramo' is often praised for its surreal and dreamlike quality, with abrupt shifts in time and perspective that enhance the novel's eerie and disturbing effect. The narrative is filled with haunting imagery and vivid descriptions, creating a sense of unease and mystery as the reader navigates through the fragmented storytelling and complex characters. Despite the challenging nature of the plot and structure, the book is commended for its beauty, symbolism, and the depth of its exploration of Latin American culture and literature.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Contains themes of death, violence, and corruption, which may be upsetting to some readers.
Has Romance?
While romance is not the central focus, the novel contains significant elements of romantic longing and tragic love, especially surrounding Pedro Paramo's obsession with Susana San Juan.
From The Publisher:
A masterpiece of the surreal, this stunning novel from Mexico depicts a man's strange quest for his heritage. Beseeched by his dying mother to locate his father, Pedro P"ramo, whom they fled from years ago, Juan Preciado sets out for Comala. Comala is a town alive with whispers and shadows-a place seemingly populated only by memory and hallucinations. Built on the tyranny of the P"ramo family, its barren and broken-down streets echo the voices of tormented spirits sharing the secrets of the past.
First published to both critical and popular acclaim in 1955, Pedro P"ramo represented a distinct break with earlier, largely 'realist" novels from Latin America. Rulfo's entrancing mixture of vivid sensory images, violent passions, and inexplicable sorcery-a style that has come to be known as 'magical realism"-has exerted a profound influence on subsequent Latin American writers, from Jos' Donoso and Carlos Fuentes to Mario Vargas Llosa and Gabriel Garcia M"rquez.
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Want To Read (45) | |
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1 comment(s)
No tengo ni idea de que es lo que acabo de leer.
Pero me ha gustado.
En un articulo del telegraph dicen ¨leer este libro es como abrir una caja con los susurros de la gente que anteriormente ha abierto la caja¨
Extrañamente esta descripción le encaja bastante bien.
What can you read after
Pedro Paramo?
About the Author:
Juan Rulfo was a Mexican writer, screenwriter, and photographer, and is best known for two literary works, El Llano en llamas (1953), a collection of short stories, and the 1955 novel Pedro Páramo.
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