The Savage Detectives
Tags : books, literature, mexicanCategories : books |
The Savage Detectives is an original and challenging read. Roberto Bolano is supposedly one of the greatest writers to emerge from Latin America and if Latin America has a characteristic feel then I imagine this book captures it more than adequately – wild, chaotic, revolutionary… stands in stark contrast to the ordered philosophising of the Russian novel I read before it.
The novel loosely follows the story of the lives of two young poets, beginning in Mexico in the mid 70s and roaming far and wide. One of these poets is strongly based on the author himself so you find yourself wondering as you read just how much truth there might be mixed in with this fiction. It’s a challenging novel because it doesn’t really give a clear idea of where it’s going and what plot there is is presented by a large number of different narrators with different perspectives and who between them manage to leave considerable gaps in the story. Although the 2 principal characters can be seen as representing the “savage detectives” in the end I felt that the term detective could be even more fittingly applied to us as the reader trying to piece together this story, or to the silent, questioning author who compiles all the disparate voices and views represented here.
Because I felt like I was hanging on for dear life trying to keep a grasp on the plot remembering who’s who, the more pervasive themes of the story weren’t always clearly front and centre. Unlike the blatant philosophy of a Russian novel (although there is a little of that, although always from the characters’ perspective rather than any omniscient author) the deeper themes here are ones that are easier to view from the end of the story, taking a step back from the constant intimacy of the writing. And in this respect that’s a lot like real life too. But deeper themes are there, and The Savage Detectives touches upon friendship, the idealism and rebellion of youth and how they are tempered by age; love, relationships, art and literature. This is a book that I imagine would yield a lot from a second reading, when one is not so concerned with wondering where on earth it is going to go next. But my time will not permit a re-read any time soon.
It’s quite a raw book – plenty of violence, coarse language, drugs, sex and gratuitous poetry – so not for kiddies or people who are sensitive to such things. But if you can get past all that and you’re willing to go on a literary adventure then this might be worth reading for you. I say might, and present my recommendation with a disclaimer, because I can easily imagine many people not enjoying or actually hating this book, so don’t say I didn’t warn you. It’s not for everyone. For me though, it was a thoroughly worthwhile read, and I look forward to tackling Bolano’s magnum opus 2666 which is sitting on my shelf, later in the year, perhaps in my next Uni break.
