- Paperback: 90 pages
- Publisher: Melville House (Oct 7 2008)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 193363362X
- ISBN-13: 978-1933633626
- Product Dimensions: 12.7 x 0.5 x 17.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 113 g
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #388,304 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
Review
Praise for Alejandro Zambra's Bonsai
“One of the greatest literary events of recent years.”
—Alfonso Cortínez, Las Últimas Noticias
“An unclassifiable object of unusual beauty ... one of the best Chilean novels of recent times.”
—David Lacalle, Capital
"Bonsai is an appealing miniature, a novella that, despite its brevity, feels airy and full … an enjoyable, pleasantly surprising, and clever read."
—The Complete Review
"Bonsai won the Chilean Critics Award for best novel of the year in 2006…and it's easy to understand why."
—Jonathan Messinger, Time Out Chicago
"What is remarkable about Zambra’s novella is the space between ending and beginning—the progressive prose that relates a true story with emotional and artistic implications extending far beyond its 83 pages."
—Bookslut
"...the herald of a new wave of Chilean fiction."
—Marcela Valdes, The Nation
"Zambra flexes some serious artistic muscle...."
—Rain Taxi
"For such a small book to have such well-rendered characters is impressive and this, in the end, is what is essential to the novella. A good novella must impress you with its tiny size and the power of its language."
—The Phoenix (PA)
"undeniably fascinating...the kind of story that lingers in the mind for weeks after being read."
—The Quarterly Conversation
“One of the greatest literary events of recent years.”
—Alfonso Cortínez, Las Últimas Noticias
“An unclassifiable object of unusual beauty ... one of the best Chilean novels of recent times.”
—David Lacalle, Capital
"Bonsai is an appealing miniature, a novella that, despite its brevity, feels airy and full … an enjoyable, pleasantly surprising, and clever read."
—The Complete Review
"Bonsai won the Chilean Critics Award for best novel of the year in 2006…and it's easy to understand why."
—Jonathan Messinger, Time Out Chicago
"What is remarkable about Zambra’s novella is the space between ending and beginning—the progressive prose that relates a true story with emotional and artistic implications extending far beyond its 83 pages."
—Bookslut
"...the herald of a new wave of Chilean fiction."
—Marcela Valdes, The Nation
"Zambra flexes some serious artistic muscle...."
—Rain Taxi
"For such a small book to have such well-rendered characters is impressive and this, in the end, is what is essential to the novella. A good novella must impress you with its tiny size and the power of its language."
—The Phoenix (PA)
"undeniably fascinating...the kind of story that lingers in the mind for weeks after being read."
—The Quarterly Conversation
Product Description
Winner of Chile's Literary Critics' Award for Best Novel
"One of the greatest literary events of recent years."-Alfonso Cortínez, Las Últimas Noticias
"An unclassifiable object of unusual beauty . . . one of the best Chilean novels of recent times."-David Lacalle, Capital
Hailed as a great Latin American literary event, this stylistically innovative, elliptically told tale of a young man and his love who mysteriously disappears is, as the narrator tells us, "a simple story that becomes complicated."
Through both the distance and closeness of these young lovers, Alejandro Zambra brilliantly explores the relationship between art, love, and life. Bonsai is accessible yet profound-as one critic in Chile's Capital newspaper put it, "Brief as a sigh and forceful as a blow."
Alejandro Zambra is acclaimed as the greatest writer of Chile's younger generation. He is a poet and critic and currently teaches literature at the Diego Portales University in Santiago. Bonsai is his first novel. It was awarded Chile's Literary Critics' Award for Best Novel.
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Customer Reviews
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.7 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A haunting love story, Jan 29 2009
By Darryl R. Morris "Kidzdoc" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Bonsai (Paperback)
This novella, by the Chilean writer Alejandro Zambra, is his first novel after he published two books of poems, Useless Bay and Change. Bonsai won the Chilean Critics' Award for the Best Novel of the Year in 2006, and it is one of the 10 shortlisted books for the Best Translated Book of 2008 by Three Percent.
The main characters are two Chilean university students, Emilia and Julio, who become lovers after a drunken study session. They are inseparable, almost indistinguishable in their likes and dislikes, and their lovemaking sessions are preceded by excerpts from their favorite works of literature. Eventually they begin to drift apart, and Emilia soon disappears from Chile.
Anita, Emilia's old roommate and best friend since childhood, eventually tracks her down years later in Madrid, and makes a startling and disturbing discovery, which is hinted at in the opening paragraph of the book.
Emilia and Julio are lovingly painted, and even though you know what will eventually happen to Julia, it is still shocking and achingly sad, and the ending is heartbreaking.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A tour de force of poetic storytelling, Oct 10 2011
By Patto - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Bonsai (Paperback)
Alejandro Zambra is a Chilean poet whose first excursion into fiction (Bonsai) created a literary sensation. His poetic talent infuses every page of this little novel. The writing in English is so exquisite that the original Spanish must be really exquisite. Every sentence gives pleasure. The prose is subtle, suggestive, playful, steeped in irony. At the same time, Zamba is a good storyteller. And he's not shy about tangling with the great questions of life.
The story concerns two young people, Julio and Emilia, who have an intense physical relationship curiously influenced by the books they read. The psychology of their interactions is brilliantly portrayed. Lurking in the background is the fear that love may be an illusion.
And both Julio and Emilia have other dimensions and experiences outside their love for each other. These tidbits and vignettes interwoven with the main story are quite fascinating.
How does the bonsai fit in? It does appear, and I have theories about what it means, but you will too. Zambra's somewhat open-ended style invites a philosophical mood.
I wasn't always in my comfort zone as I read this book. But I think that's good. I'd definitely recommend Bonsai to readers who like edgy fiction and have a literary bent.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Novellas are back!, Jun 6 2011
By paxman - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Bonsai (Paperback)
THANK YOU for bringing back the modern-day novella, in a relevant format! I LOVE THIS BOOK! though slim, it is chock full of goodness. Each word is essential. Exquisitely done. A fine Work Of Art.
Listmania!
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