Re-reading ‘Verdades’

Winter is at its peak in Buenos Aires. Being pregnant (now, it is official!), I have time to re-read my sister’s books. After several private messages about ‘Verdades’ (thank you all!), I decided to begin with this novel.

Gabriela got the renowned ‘Premio Literario Buenos Aires’ in 2000, notably for her powerful vision and style in ‘Verdades’. I should also say that her political way, deep and subtle, is really strong. She set the whole plot in an unexisting country (Tambia) but was very inspired by her trip to Central African Republic, as her readers know.

On the contrary to her, I never visited Africa but felt very close to the people and landscapes she described. I also felt quite frightened by the social threat of witchcraft in some African regions. It is beyond imagination. Actually, I felt in her novels some unconscious streams, showing parallels between witchcraft in Africa and dictatorship in Argentina.

Re-reading ‘Verdades’, I also realized I got the opportunity to travel to 2 great locations thanks to Gabriela: Antarctica and Paris. These are wonderful gifts from her. Maybe one day I will go to Africa as well.