Martín Adán (1908–1985)

As somebody who doesn't like poetry, it was probably a mistake for me to read the only novel by a renowned poet.

The Cardboard House is a tenuously-linked series of vignettes where the author recalls his life in Peru as a child. There is virtually no narrative structure to this novel, and the characters are very lightly drawn. Adan is far more interested in draping his characters in gorgeous and flowery descriptions than he is in giving them any real depth or having them do anything of note.

The overall effect is of a shower of florid prose which is at times simply ridiculous, affected, prolix and in love with its own cleverness. It was tedious and I couldn't wait to finish it.

… (mere)

La casa de cartón es una novela breve, escrita en prosa lírica que se ha convertido en un clásico de las letras peruanas. El relato es sustancialmente diferente a todo lo que se había hecho en prosa en el Perú hasta ese momento. Una pequeña obra maestra de ironía, finura de observación e invención verbal. Narra las experiencias de un adolescente, durante un verano en el balneario de Barranco. Casi carente de trama narrativa, el libro está formado más que nada por las descripciones que este adolescente realiza, en su paseo diario, de las casas, las calles y los habitantes del balneario.… (mere)

A remarkable "first book" written by an eighteen year-old kid. I have trouble believing he did not have help either with the original publisher or translator of the time. The distinguished and mature sophistication exhibited was unbelievable for a kid that age and my bull-shit radar was smoking from being over-worked. Nonetheless, credit is due this beautiful work. Reading like a long prose poem the images were dreamlike and lyrical, however there was no character or event I ever connected with. There was plenty of place (setting) in the poem and its raw beauty was stupendous.

Hannah Alpert-Abrams has written a review of the novel which can be found here:

http://www.full-stop.net/2012/11/21/reviews/hannah-alpert-abrams/the-cardboard-h...

It is possible I shan't have much more to say on the matter other than this rating above and my previous reading progress reports.… (mere)