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丕亘丿丕毓 賲賵乇賱
This is an alternate cover edition for 9789643805517
亘賵乇禺爻 丕亘丿丕毓 賲賵乇賱 乇丕 蹖讴 賳賲賵賳賴鈥屰� 芦讴丕賲賱禄 賵 賲毓丕氐乇 跇丕賳乇 賮丕賳鬲夭蹖 禺賵丕賳丿賴.
亘賵乇禺爻 丕亘丿丕毓 賲賵乇賱 乇丕 蹖讴 賳賲賵賳賴鈥屰� 芦讴丕賲賱禄 賵 賲毓丕氐乇 跇丕賳乇 賮丕賳鬲夭蹖 禺賵丕賳丿賴.
149 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1940
769 people are currently reading
48102 people want to read
About the author
Adolfo Bioy Casares
227听books830听followersAdolfo Vicente Perfecto Bioy Casares (1914-1999) was born in Buenos Aires, the child of wealthy parents. He began to write in the early Thirties, and his stories appeared in the influential magazine Sur, through which he met his wife, the painter and writer Silvina Ocampo, as well Jorge Luis Borges, who was to become his mentor, friend, and collaborator. In 1940, after writing several novice works, Bioy published the novella The Invention of Morel, the first of his books to satisfy him, and the first in which he hit his characteristic note of uncanny and unexpectedly harrowing humor. Later publications include stories and novels, among them A Plan for Escape, A Dream of Heroes, and Asleep in the Sun. Bioy also collaborated with Borges on an Anthology of Fantastic Literature and a series of satirical sketches written under the pseudonym of H. Bustos Domecq.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,388 reviews
April 12, 2024
OUTSTANDING!
A fugitive man arrives to a mysterious island around Polynesia, and deeply falls in love at first sight with a beautiful lovely lady, Faustine. But there鈥檚 something wrong, she doesn鈥檛 seem to notice or care about anything he does or says; in fact, everyone on the island completely ignores him. They all seem to be in some sort of trance. How can that be? Is everyone bewitched, or is he?
An unforgettable little novella worth its weight in gold. Marvelous conception, extraordinary captivating delivery, and a mind blowing ending. I wish I could say more but anything else may possibly spoil it so I鈥檓 just going to keep my mouth shut and let you all discover it by yourselves. You can thank me later.
My memory isa bit a lot hazy but I鈥檓 positive I read this sometime in school, and one of those few exceptions of forced reading where I actually didn鈥檛 hate it. This amazing little story has stuck with me for decades ever since, and never likely to go away. A novel that even Garcia Marquez, Borges and Cortazar, among others, declared a masterpiece. So you know, you don鈥檛 even need to take my word for it. Highly Recommendable!
-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[1940] [103p] [Fiction] [4.5] [Highly Recommendable]
-----------------------------------------------
鈽呪槄鈽呪槄鈽� The Invention of Morel [4.5]
鈽呪槄鈽呪槅鈽� Historias desaforadas [2.5]
鈽呪槄鈽嗏槅鈽� Breve diccionario del argentino exquisito [2.5]
鈽呪槄鈽嗏槅鈽� El lado de la sombra [1.5]
-----------------------------------------------
隆滨狈颁搁贰滨叠尝贰!
Un hombre fugitivo llega a una misteriosa isla cerca de la Polinesia, y se enamora perdidamente a primera vista de una hermosa y adorable se帽orita, Faustine. Pero algo est谩 mal, ella no parece notar o importarle nada de lo que 茅l dice o hace; de hecho, todos en la isla parecen ignorarlo completamente. Todos parecen estar bajo una especie de trance. 驴C贸mo puede ser posible? 驴Est谩n todos embrujados, o 茅l?
Una inolvidable novela corta que vale su peso en oro. Fant谩stica concepci贸n, extraordinariamente cautivadora narraci贸n, y un final que vuela la mente. Desear铆a poder decir m谩s pero cualquier otra cosa que diga posiblemente podr铆a estropearlo as铆 que s贸lo voy a mantener mi boca cerrada y dejar que ustedes lo descubran por s铆 solos. Pueden agradecerme despu茅s.
Mi memoria esun poco muy confusa pero estoy casi seguro que le铆 esto en alg煤n momento en el colegio, y una de muy contadas excepciones en que no odi茅 esa lectura forzada. Esta genial peque帽a historia ha permanecido conmigo por d茅cadas desde entonces, y muy probable que nunca me abandone. Una novela que incluso Garc铆a M谩rquez, Borges y Cort谩zar, entre otros, declararon una obra maestra. As铆 que ya saben, ni siquiera tienen que confiar en mi palabra sobre eso. 隆Altamente Recomendable!
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[1940] [103p] [Ficci贸n] [4.5] [Altamente Recomendable]
-----------------------------------------------
A fugitive man arrives to a mysterious island around Polynesia, and deeply falls in love at first sight with a beautiful lovely lady, Faustine. But there鈥檚 something wrong, she doesn鈥檛 seem to notice or care about anything he does or says; in fact, everyone on the island completely ignores him. They all seem to be in some sort of trance. How can that be? Is everyone bewitched, or is he?
An unforgettable little novella worth its weight in gold. Marvelous conception, extraordinary captivating delivery, and a mind blowing ending. I wish I could say more but anything else may possibly spoil it so I鈥檓 just going to keep my mouth shut and let you all discover it by yourselves. You can thank me later.
My memory is
-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[1940] [103p] [Fiction] [4.5] [Highly Recommendable]
-----------------------------------------------
鈽呪槄鈽呪槄鈽� The Invention of Morel [4.5]
鈽呪槄鈽呪槅鈽� Historias desaforadas [2.5]
鈽呪槄鈽嗏槅鈽� Breve diccionario del argentino exquisito [2.5]
鈽呪槄鈽嗏槅鈽� El lado de la sombra [1.5]
-----------------------------------------------
隆滨狈颁搁贰滨叠尝贰!
Un hombre fugitivo llega a una misteriosa isla cerca de la Polinesia, y se enamora perdidamente a primera vista de una hermosa y adorable se帽orita, Faustine. Pero algo est谩 mal, ella no parece notar o importarle nada de lo que 茅l dice o hace; de hecho, todos en la isla parecen ignorarlo completamente. Todos parecen estar bajo una especie de trance. 驴C贸mo puede ser posible? 驴Est谩n todos embrujados, o 茅l?
Una inolvidable novela corta que vale su peso en oro. Fant谩stica concepci贸n, extraordinariamente cautivadora narraci贸n, y un final que vuela la mente. Desear铆a poder decir m谩s pero cualquier otra cosa que diga posiblemente podr铆a estropearlo as铆 que s贸lo voy a mantener mi boca cerrada y dejar que ustedes lo descubran por s铆 solos. Pueden agradecerme despu茅s.
Mi memoria es
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[1940] [103p] [Ficci贸n] [4.5] [Altamente Recomendable]
-----------------------------------------------
September 8, 2022
The Invention of Morel was adjudged a perfect work by Jorge Luis Borges, the author鈥檚 mentor/friend/frequent collaborator. Anybody familiar with the essays and short fiction of Borges can appreciate what it means for one of the great masters of world literature to make such a pronouncement. Perhaps Borges鈥� appraisal reflects, in part, how Adolfo Bioy Casares shares much of his own aesthetic and literary sensibilities since, after all, they collaborated on twelve books.
More specifically, here are some obvious similarities between the writing of the two authors:
鈥� The Invention of Morel is only one hundred pages, not too much longer than a number of Borges鈥檚 longer tales.
鈥� Similar to stories like The Circular Ruin, The Aleph and many other Borges tales, The Invention of Morel deals with multiple levels of so called reality.
鈥� The language and writing is elegant. Bloy Casares' short novel is akin to Borges' writing in Doctor Brodie鈥檚 Report and The Book of Sand, where Borges let go of his more ornate, baroque style.
SPOILER WARNING - This is a short novel. You might want to read my review AFTER you've read the book.
Anyway, for the purpose of this review, I will take a specific focus: the relationship between the novel and the author鈥檚 and our own experience of film and television.
The 1920s were the heyday of silent films. The first commercially successful sound film, The Jazz Singer, was released in 1929. Black and White 1940s TV was as raw as raw can be 鈥� just look at those 1949 TV shows on You Tube. In 1940, the year of publication for The Invention of Morel, ideas about what would become TV where "in the air"; what really had a grip on people鈥檚 imagination in the 1920s and 1930s was film, first silent film then film with sound.
So, one can imagine a sensitive, imaginative literary artist like Adolfo Bioy Casares (born 1914) experiencing silent film in the 1920s as a boy and then sound films as a teenager and young man. One thing that makes The Invention of Morel so compelling is just how much of what the narrator and others in the novel experience is parallel to a world saturated with films and TV.
Below are a number of quotes from the novel coupled with my reflections:
鈥淭hey are at the top of the hill, while I am far below. From here they look like a race of giants .鈥� (page 12) ---------- Darn, if this wasn鈥檛 my exact experience when I went to my first movie. I was so overwhelmed by the race of giants 鈥榰p there鈥� on the screen, I fled from the theater minutes after the movie started.
鈥淚 saw the same room duplicated eight times in eight directions as if it were reflected in mirror.鈥� (page 18) ---------- Again, darn. I recall my almost disbelief when, as a kid, I saw the same image repeated a dozen times when I first saw all those TVs turned to the same station in a department store. There was something freaky about the exact movement and image repeated on all those sets.
鈥淚 went back to see her the next afternoon, and the next. She was there, and her presence began to take on the quality of a miracle.鈥� (page 25) ---------- How many teenagers, young men and women and even older adults have fallen in love with a movie star and go back to the movies to see their loved one the next night and the next?
鈥淲ords and movements of Faustine and the bearded man coincided with those of a week ago. The atrocious eternal return.鈥� (page 41) ---------- In a way, isn鈥檛 that the world of movies 鈥� the same exact people doing exactly the same thing night after night up there on the screen. Live theater doesn't even come close to the movie鈥檚 eternal return.
鈥淗orrified by Faustine, who was so close to me, actually might be on another planet.鈥� (page 53) ---------- How many men and women who have fallen in love with a star in a film or a TV show where they are so close they can press their hands against the star鈥檚 face (the TV screen) come to realize their emotions and feelings are for a being a universe away, far beyond their actual touch?
鈥溾€淭ea for Two鈥� and 鈥淰alencia鈥� persisted until after dawn.鈥� (page 62) ---------- Most appropriate! Films and TV thrive on easy-to-remember songs and jingles.
鈥淚 began to search for waves and vibrations that had previously been unattainable, to devise instruments to receive and transmit them.鈥� (page 69). ---------- It is as if the author tuned into the collective unconscious desire in 1940 to expand film in different ways, one way being what would become TV.
鈥� I was certain that my images of persons would lack consciousness of themselves (like the characters in a motion picture).鈥� (page 70) ---------- This is part of a nearly four pages of Morel's internal dialogue. There is a lot here. One reflection: how many people have sacrificed their flesh-and-blood existential reality to make it as a star up there on the silver screen? What happens to the soul of the people in a city like Los Angeles, for example, when the city is taken over by an entire industry dedicated to producing films and shows populated by stars?
I recall a quote from the main character in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance when he goes into a roadside diner and can鈥檛 get the waitress鈥檚 attention because she is watching TV. He says, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 exist since I鈥檓 not on TV.鈥�
Adolfo Bioy Casares (1914-1999)
April 21, 2022
The Invention of Morel is a very specific tale on the nature of time and our perception of it.
An outcast is beached on a small island where he finds some deserted edifices, tortured by solitude he is in despair鈥� But suddenly everything changes鈥�
He hides and starts tracking these people daily and slowly he becomes obsessed with a beautiful woman鈥�
He attempts to contact her but she doesn鈥檛 see him, for her he simply doesn鈥檛 exist鈥� He tries to resolve the mystery and gradually he learns that all those he observes are captives of the past鈥� The talented inventor managed to catch a voluminous span of time so that the happy days of his love could repeat endlessly, again and again.
Time is caught but it takes its toll鈥�
Neither beginning nor end 鈥� time is an eternal enigma.
An outcast is beached on a small island where he finds some deserted edifices, tortured by solitude he is in despair鈥� But suddenly everything changes鈥�
When I was finally able to sleep, it was very late. The music and the shouting woke me up a few hours later. I have not slept soundly since my escape; I am sure that if a ship, a plane, or any other form of transportation had arrived, I would have heard it. And yet suddenly, unaccountably, on this oppressive summerlike night, the grassy hillside has become crowded with people who dance, stroll up and down, and swim in the pool, as if this were a summer resort鈥�
He hides and starts tracking these people daily and slowly he becomes obsessed with a beautiful woman鈥�
She watches the sunset every afternoon; from my hiding place I watch her. Yesterday, and again today, I discovered that my nights and days wait for this hour. The woman, with a gypsy鈥檚 sensuality and a large, bright-colored scarf on her head, is a ridiculous figure.
He attempts to contact her but she doesn鈥檛 see him, for her he simply doesn鈥檛 exist鈥� He tries to resolve the mystery and gradually he learns that all those he observes are captives of the past鈥� The talented inventor managed to catch a voluminous span of time so that the happy days of his love could repeat endlessly, again and again.
Time is caught but it takes its toll鈥�
The two suns and the two moons: Since the week is repeated all through the year, some suns and moons do not coincide (and people complain of the cold when the weather on the island is warm, and swim in fetid water and dance in a thicket or during a storm). And if the whole island were submerged 鈥� except for the machines and projectors 鈥� the images, the museum, and the island itself would still be visible.
Neither beginning nor end 鈥� time is an eternal enigma.
December 7, 2024
Review in English (Spanish below)
Read both in English and Spanish. Translated from Spanish by Ruth Simms.
It is hard to write about this short novel without spoiling anything, but I will try. The narrator, a nameless convict, hides in a secluded and uninhabited island. On the island there is an abandoned manor where he sleeps. One day he is no longer alone, a group of visitors banish him to the marshes. Due to the many privations he has to suffer, he becomes ill, and begins to question his sanity and reality. He also become desperately infatuated by one of the mysterious visitors, a woman who likes to watch the sunset every day from the same spot. A large part of the novel attraction comes from mystery surrounding the island and its visitors so I do not recommend to try to find out too much about the plot.
Borges considered the novel as perfectly plotted. I would not go that far but I agree it was carefully constructed. The writing was quite atmospheric and claustrophobic, as it should have been. My only problem was with the translation. I could not check the whole book, but I observed some differences in meaning between the Spanish and English version, like the translator din not understand very well what the author was trying to say. If the discordance was on purpose, I still think it sounded better in the original language.
Rese帽a en espa帽ol
Leido tanto en ingl茅s como en espa帽ol. Traducido del espa帽ol por Ruth Simms.
Es dif铆cil escribir sobre esta novela corta sin divulgar nada, pero lo intentar茅. El narrador, un preso sin nombre, se esconde en una isla deshabitada. En la isla hay una mansi贸n abandonada donde duerme. Un d铆a ya no est谩 solo, un grupo de visitantes lo destierra a las marismas. Debido a las muchas privaciones que tiene que sufrir, se enferma y comienza a cuestionar su cordura y su realidad. Tambi茅n se enamora desesperadamente de uno de los misteriosos visitantes, una mujer a la que le gusta ver la puesta de sol todos los d铆as desde el mismo lugar. Gran parte del atraction de la novela proviene del misterio que rodea a la isla y a sus visitantes por lo que no recomiendo intentar averiguar demasiado sobre la trama.
Borges consider贸 la novela perfectamente tramada. No ir铆a tan lejos, pero estoy de acuerdo en que fue cuidadosamente construida. La escritura era bastante atmosf茅rica y claustrof贸bica, como deber铆a haber sido. Mi 煤nico problema fue con la traducci贸n. No pude revisar todo el libro, pero observ茅 algunas diferencias de significado entre la versi贸n en espa帽ol y en ingl茅s, como que el traductor no entendi贸 muy bien lo que el autor estaba tratando de decir. Si la discordancia fue a prop贸sito, sigo pensando que sonaba mejor en el idioma original.
Read both in English and Spanish. Translated from Spanish by Ruth Simms.
It is hard to write about this short novel without spoiling anything, but I will try. The narrator, a nameless convict, hides in a secluded and uninhabited island. On the island there is an abandoned manor where he sleeps. One day he is no longer alone, a group of visitors banish him to the marshes. Due to the many privations he has to suffer, he becomes ill, and begins to question his sanity and reality. He also become desperately infatuated by one of the mysterious visitors, a woman who likes to watch the sunset every day from the same spot. A large part of the novel attraction comes from mystery surrounding the island and its visitors so I do not recommend to try to find out too much about the plot.
Borges considered the novel as perfectly plotted. I would not go that far but I agree it was carefully constructed. The writing was quite atmospheric and claustrophobic, as it should have been. My only problem was with the translation. I could not check the whole book, but I observed some differences in meaning between the Spanish and English version, like the translator din not understand very well what the author was trying to say. If the discordance was on purpose, I still think it sounded better in the original language.
Rese帽a en espa帽ol
Leido tanto en ingl茅s como en espa帽ol. Traducido del espa帽ol por Ruth Simms.
Es dif铆cil escribir sobre esta novela corta sin divulgar nada, pero lo intentar茅. El narrador, un preso sin nombre, se esconde en una isla deshabitada. En la isla hay una mansi贸n abandonada donde duerme. Un d铆a ya no est谩 solo, un grupo de visitantes lo destierra a las marismas. Debido a las muchas privaciones que tiene que sufrir, se enferma y comienza a cuestionar su cordura y su realidad. Tambi茅n se enamora desesperadamente de uno de los misteriosos visitantes, una mujer a la que le gusta ver la puesta de sol todos los d铆as desde el mismo lugar. Gran parte del atraction de la novela proviene del misterio que rodea a la isla y a sus visitantes por lo que no recomiendo intentar averiguar demasiado sobre la trama.
Borges consider贸 la novela perfectamente tramada. No ir铆a tan lejos, pero estoy de acuerdo en que fue cuidadosamente construida. La escritura era bastante atmosf茅rica y claustrof贸bica, como deber铆a haber sido. Mi 煤nico problema fue con la traducci贸n. No pude revisar todo el libro, pero observ茅 algunas diferencias de significado entre la versi贸n en espa帽ol y en ingl茅s, como que el traductor no entendi贸 muy bien lo que el autor estaba tratando de decir. Si la discordancia fue a prop贸sito, sigo pensando que sonaba mejor en el idioma original.
February 15, 2020
The Invention of Morel is a romantic classic in which passion triumphs over convention, a surrealist classic in which imagination triumphs over reality, a science fiction classic in which technology triumphs over time, and a mystery story whose fantastic resolution always plays fair with the reader.
Is corporeality necessary for human personality? Is community possible even in isolation? Can love survive death and--perhaps what is worse--complete indifference? Bioy Casares novel addresses all of these questions.
Not bad for a little book not quite one hundred pages long.
September 25, 2023
鈥�I do not believe that a dream should necessarily be taken for reality, or reality for madness.鈥�
How often we feel like an island, alone in a world and beleaguered by the crashing waves of change, responsibility and heartache eroding our soil. presents us a chilling and empathetic tale of love and loneliness, molding the 鈥榙iary of a man stranded on an island鈥� literary trope into a fantastical and exciting exploration into the human heart. While the sci-fi elements are engaging and intriguing, it is the beat of the human heart drumming out a rhythm of angst and anxiety that takes center stage and pulls the fantasy elements along while making them still feel fresh decades later. The sting of unrequited love and the human desire to cheat death form a beautiful landscape for discussions of immortality and escape through Bioy Casares deft churning of plot and revelation.
The diary writer of The Invention of Morel is both literally, emotionally and psychologically stranded on an island. Escaping a lifetime sentence for an unmentioned crime, he seeks refuge on an island feared for its legends of death and disease amongst what seems like an abandoned vacation resort. The shadowy life sentence hangs over his every move, and when strangers suddenly populate the island, he fears it is an elaborate plot to bring him to justice. The refusal to even hint at his crimes is one of the many mysteries of the novella that Bioy Casares employs to keep the screw of tension turned tight and add a veil of unreliability to the story鈥攆or which is benefits and adds color to an otherwise drab plot鹿.
鈥�It is useless to try to keep the whole body alive.鈥�
The story of the Invention is fascinating, but it is not the invention but the morality within it鈥檚 creation that is most satisfying. This is a story of love, of being denied love and of desiring to capture the feeling of love for all eternity. Death is the great fear of mortality, and Bioy Casares offers a wild window into attempts to prove the notion that love conquers all, even death in this case. Inspired by a fixation with actress , Invention explores the depths and depravity of unrequited love, focusing in on the infatuation one can feel for a character in a film or novel. In fits of infatuation, one may act in ways that seems irrational or uncharacteristic from the outside, and the narrator here is a perfect demonstration of the frustration and desperation of a one-sided love affair, even if one is in love with the idea of a person rather than the actual person. This calls to mind the assassination attempt on US President Ronald Reagan by in an attempt to get the attention of and impress actress . The technique of the diary is engaging as it allows the reader to occupy the writer鈥檚 headspace, leading towards an empathetic validation of his actions instead of a more cold and removed perspective.
The slow unveiling of the plot under intense tones of stress is one of Inventions greatest strengths. This book is difficult to set down as the intensity of the mystery rages at a slow boil. Events take shape like the silhouettes of strangers sauntering out of a mist, and much is left unseen to trouble the reader like icebergs on a dark night at sea. While we are never told of the crime, there is an illuminating passage during the climactic final pages that chronicles the political struggles of the narrators homeland, slyly incorporating a message of feeling isolated by your own country during times of political strife. This seems in keeping with the political undertones of Latin American literature and adds an anchor to history for an otherwise weightless novella.
championed Invention of Morel as a 鈥榩erfect鈥� novel, a claim sure to raise a few critical eyebrows. Undeniably, the story could have easily been expanded upon and encompassed the reader in a vaster field of themes and insights into the moral implications of the novel; luckily we have the early seasons of LOST to build a world on the thin strands of ideas in this novel. Morel manages to be nearly perfect for what it is as a novella鈥攖o have cut it to a short story would cheapen it and I suspect expanding on it would give a bloated feel鈥攁nd strikes a sharp blow of singular emotive power by focusing on the pains of impossible love and letting the vast possibilities of the fantastic sci-fi backdrop serve mostly as a conduit for the discussions of solitude in life and love. There is a wider story and plot that could easily be taken to extraordinary places by authors intent more on the impressiveness of plot, but caressing the human heart behind this tale seems a more valuable experience. There is a high price for immortality, and what better to live on for eternity than the feelings of love. For all intensive purposes, Bioy Casares The Invention of Morel lives up to the challenge of immortality and has earned its keep among reissues and Latin American canonization.
4/5
鈥�To be on an island inhabited by artificial ghosts was the most unbearable of nightmares鈥攖o be in love with one of those images was worse than being in love with a ghost (perhaps we always want the person we love to have the existence of a ghost).鈥�
鹿 Octavio Paz praised the novella as a world where 鈥�not only do we traverse a realm of shadows, we ourselves are shadows鈥�. Everything is shadowy and unsure in the anxious tension that drives Invention. The Editor character that appears in the footnotes adds a further layer to toy with the ideas of authenticity though their role is primarily to highlight inconsistencies and mistakes. Another interesting aspect of the Editor character is that it assumes the document has been found and that there is a whole further story of discovery to be had out of sight from the reader; there is another chapter to the Invention that we will never know and this heightens the joy.
How often we feel like an island, alone in a world and beleaguered by the crashing waves of change, responsibility and heartache eroding our soil. presents us a chilling and empathetic tale of love and loneliness, molding the 鈥榙iary of a man stranded on an island鈥� literary trope into a fantastical and exciting exploration into the human heart. While the sci-fi elements are engaging and intriguing, it is the beat of the human heart drumming out a rhythm of angst and anxiety that takes center stage and pulls the fantasy elements along while making them still feel fresh decades later. The sting of unrequited love and the human desire to cheat death form a beautiful landscape for discussions of immortality and escape through Bioy Casares deft churning of plot and revelation.
The diary writer of The Invention of Morel is both literally, emotionally and psychologically stranded on an island. Escaping a lifetime sentence for an unmentioned crime, he seeks refuge on an island feared for its legends of death and disease amongst what seems like an abandoned vacation resort. The shadowy life sentence hangs over his every move, and when strangers suddenly populate the island, he fears it is an elaborate plot to bring him to justice. The refusal to even hint at his crimes is one of the many mysteries of the novella that Bioy Casares employs to keep the screw of tension turned tight and add a veil of unreliability to the story鈥攆or which is benefits and adds color to an otherwise drab plot鹿.
鈥�It is useless to try to keep the whole body alive.鈥�
The story of the Invention is fascinating, but it is not the invention but the morality within it鈥檚 creation that is most satisfying. This is a story of love, of being denied love and of desiring to capture the feeling of love for all eternity. Death is the great fear of mortality, and Bioy Casares offers a wild window into attempts to prove the notion that love conquers all, even death in this case. Inspired by a fixation with actress , Invention explores the depths and depravity of unrequited love, focusing in on the infatuation one can feel for a character in a film or novel. In fits of infatuation, one may act in ways that seems irrational or uncharacteristic from the outside, and the narrator here is a perfect demonstration of the frustration and desperation of a one-sided love affair, even if one is in love with the idea of a person rather than the actual person. This calls to mind the assassination attempt on US President Ronald Reagan by in an attempt to get the attention of and impress actress . The technique of the diary is engaging as it allows the reader to occupy the writer鈥檚 headspace, leading towards an empathetic validation of his actions instead of a more cold and removed perspective.
The slow unveiling of the plot under intense tones of stress is one of Inventions greatest strengths. This book is difficult to set down as the intensity of the mystery rages at a slow boil. Events take shape like the silhouettes of strangers sauntering out of a mist, and much is left unseen to trouble the reader like icebergs on a dark night at sea. While we are never told of the crime, there is an illuminating passage during the climactic final pages that chronicles the political struggles of the narrators homeland, slyly incorporating a message of feeling isolated by your own country during times of political strife. This seems in keeping with the political undertones of Latin American literature and adds an anchor to history for an otherwise weightless novella.
championed Invention of Morel as a 鈥榩erfect鈥� novel, a claim sure to raise a few critical eyebrows. Undeniably, the story could have easily been expanded upon and encompassed the reader in a vaster field of themes and insights into the moral implications of the novel; luckily we have the early seasons of LOST to build a world on the thin strands of ideas in this novel. Morel manages to be nearly perfect for what it is as a novella鈥攖o have cut it to a short story would cheapen it and I suspect expanding on it would give a bloated feel鈥攁nd strikes a sharp blow of singular emotive power by focusing on the pains of impossible love and letting the vast possibilities of the fantastic sci-fi backdrop serve mostly as a conduit for the discussions of solitude in life and love. There is a wider story and plot that could easily be taken to extraordinary places by authors intent more on the impressiveness of plot, but caressing the human heart behind this tale seems a more valuable experience. There is a high price for immortality, and what better to live on for eternity than the feelings of love. For all intensive purposes, Bioy Casares The Invention of Morel lives up to the challenge of immortality and has earned its keep among reissues and Latin American canonization.
4/5
鈥�To be on an island inhabited by artificial ghosts was the most unbearable of nightmares鈥攖o be in love with one of those images was worse than being in love with a ghost (perhaps we always want the person we love to have the existence of a ghost).鈥�
鹿 Octavio Paz praised the novella as a world where 鈥�not only do we traverse a realm of shadows, we ourselves are shadows鈥�. Everything is shadowy and unsure in the anxious tension that drives Invention. The Editor character that appears in the footnotes adds a further layer to toy with the ideas of authenticity though their role is primarily to highlight inconsistencies and mistakes. Another interesting aspect of the Editor character is that it assumes the document has been found and that there is a whole further story of discovery to be had out of sight from the reader; there is another chapter to the Invention that we will never know and this heightens the joy.
March 1, 2019
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芦螤喂蟽蟿蔚蠉蠅 蟺蠅蟼 蠂维谓慰蠀渭蔚 蟿畏谓 伪胃伪谓伪蟽委伪 纬喂伪蟿委 未蔚谓 苇蠂蔚喂 蔚尉蔚位喂蠂胃蔚委 畏 伪谓蟿委蟽蟿伪蟽萎 渭伪蟼 蟽蟿慰 胃维谓伪蟿慰路 慰喂 蟿蔚位蔚喂慰蟺慰喂萎蟽蔚喂蟼 蟿畏蟼 蔚蟺喂渭苇谓慰蠀谓 蟽蟿畏谓 蟺蟻蠅蟿伪蟻蠂喂魏萎, 蟿畏 蟽蟿慰喂蠂蔚喂蠋未畏 喂未苇伪: 谓伪 未喂伪蟿畏蟻萎蟽慰蠀渭蔚 味蠅谓蟿伪谓蠈 慰位蠈魏位畏蟻慰 蟿慰 蟽蠋渭伪. 螛伪 '蟺蟻蔚蟺蔚 谓伪 蔚蟺喂味畏蟿慰蠉渭蔚 蟿畏 未喂伪蟿萎蟻畏蟽畏 伪蠀蟿慰蠉 蟺慰蠀 蔚谓未喂伪蠁苇蟻蔚喂 蟿畏 蟽蠀谓蔚委未畏蟽畏禄.
螚 渭蟺伪位维谓蟿伪 蟿蠅谓 伪喂蟽胃萎蟽蔚蠅谓 魏伪喂 蟿蠅谓 蟺伪蟻伪喂蟽胃萎蟽蔚蠅谓.
螆谓伪 伪蟻喂蟽蟿慰蠉蟻纬畏渭伪. 螆谓伪蟼 蟺蟻慰蠁畏蟿喂魏蠈蟼 蔚蠁喂维位蟿畏蟼 纬喂伪 蟿畏谓 伪谓胃蟻蠋蟺喂谓畏 蠀蟺蠈蟽蟿伪蟽畏. 螘蟺喂蟽蟿畏渭慰谓喂魏蠈 胃蟻委位蔚蟻,渭伪蠉蟻慰,蠁蟻喂魏喂伪蟽蟿喂魏蠈,伪谓伪蟿蟻喂蠂喂伪蟽蟿喂魏蠈 魏伪喂 渭伪魏维尾蟻喂慰 蠈谓蔚喂蟻慰 渭苇蟽伪 蟽蟿畏谓 慰谓蔚喂蟻喂魏萎 蟺蟻伪纬渭伪蟿喂魏蠈蟿畏蟿伪. 螤伪蟻维未慰尉慰 渭蔚 蠈位畏 蟿畏 蟽畏渭伪蟽委伪 蟿畏蟼 蠀蟺蠈谓慰喂伪蟼 魏伪喂 蟿畏蟼 蟺伪蟻维谓慰喂伪蟼,伪位位伪 魏伪喂 渭蔚 蠈位慰 蟿慰 渭蔚纬伪位蔚委慰 蟿畏蟼 蟿蔚位蔚喂蠈蟿畏蟿伪蟼 渭喂伪蟼 蟺伪谓蟿慰未蠉谓伪渭畏蟼 蔚喂魏蠈谓伪蟼 蟺慰蠀 蟽蠀渭渭蔚蟿苇蠂蔚喂蟼 蔚蟿蟽喂 魏喂 伪位位喂蠋蟼.
危蠀渭渭蔚蟿苇蠂慰蠀谓 蠈位慰喂 蠈蟽慰喂 味慰蠀谓...
螣 萎蟻蠅伪蟼 渭伪蟼,苇谓伪蟼 魏蠀谓畏纬畏渭苇谓慰蟼 未蟻伪蟺苇蟿畏蟼 伪蟺慰蠁伪蟽委味蔚喂 谓伪 蟺伪蔚喂 蟽蔚 苇谓伪 苇蟻畏渭慰 魏伪蟿伪蟻伪渭苇谓慰 谓畏蟽委 蠈蟺慰蠀 蟺伪蟻伪渭慰谓蔚蠉蔚喂 渭喂伪 蠁蟻喂蠂蟿萎 伪蟻蟻蠋蟽蟿喂伪. 韦慰 伪谓胃蟻蠋蟺喂谓慰 蟽蠋渭伪 魏伪蟿伪蟻蟻苇蔚喂 伪蟺慰 蔚尉蠅 蟺蟻慰蟼 蟿伪 渭苇蟽伪. 围维谓蔚喂蟼 渭伪位位喂维,未苇蟻渭伪,蠈蟻伪蟽畏 魏伪喂 蔚蠂蔚喂蟼 蟺蟻慰蟽未蠈魏喂渭慰 味蠅萎蟼 未蠀慰 蔚尾未慰渭维未蔚蟼.
螤伪蟻蠈位伪 伪蠀蟿伪 伪蟺慰蠁伪蟽委味蔚喂 谓伪 蟺伪蔚喂 纬喂伪 谓伪 纬位喂蟿蠋蟽蔚喂 伪蟺慰 蟿畏谓 伪蟺蔚位蟺喂蟽委伪 蟿畏蟼 魏伪蟿伪未委魏畏蟼 蟽蔚 胃维谓伪蟿慰.
桅蟿维谓慰谓蟿伪蟼 魏伪喂 渭蔚蟿维 伪蟺慰 蟺慰位位苇蟼 未蠀蟽魏慰位委蔚蟼 魏伪喂 魏伪魏慰蠀蠂委蔚蟼 伪谓蟿喂位伪渭尾维谓蔚蟿伪喂 蠈蟿喂 蟽蟿慰 谓畏蟽委 蟺慰蠀 蔚蟺苇位蔚尉蔚 谓伪 味萎蟽蔚喂- 蟽蔚 伪蠀蟿蠈谓 蟿慰谓 魏伪蟿伪蟻伪渭苇谓慰 蟿蠈蟺慰 蠀蟺维蟻蠂慰蠀谓 苇谓伪 渭慰蠀蟽蔚委慰, 蔚谓伪 蟺伪蟻蔚 魏魏位萎蟽喂 魏伪喂 渭喂伪 蟺喂蟽委谓伪- 尾蟻委蟽魏慰谓蟿伪喂 魏伪喂 维位位慰喂 维谓胃蟻蠅蟺慰喂, 伪谓维渭蔚蟽伪 蟿慰蠀蟼 魏伪喂 渭喂伪 纬蠀谓伪委魏伪,畏 桅慰蟽蟿委谓,蟿畏谓 慰蟺慰委伪 魏伪喂 蔚蟻蠅蟿蔚蠉蔚蟿伪喂 蟺伪蟻维蠁慰蟻伪.
螝伪谓蔚委蟼 蟿慰蠀蟼 未蔚谓 渭蟺慰蟻蔚委 谓伪 未蔚喂 蟿慰谓 魏伪蟿维魏慰蟺慰 魏伪喂 伪蟺蔚位蟺喂蟽渭苇谓慰 萎蟻蠅伪 渭伪蟼, 慰蠉蟿蔚 畏 纬蠀谓伪委魏伪 蟺慰蠀 蟽蠂蔚未蠈谓 伪尉喂慰胃蟻萎谓畏蟿伪 纬慰谓伪蟿委味蔚喂 渭蟺蟻慰蟽蟿维 蟿畏蟼 魏伪喂 蟿畏蟼 蔚尉慰渭慰位慰纬蔚委蟿伪喂 蟿慰谓 苇蟻蠅蟿伪 蟿慰蠀.
螌位伪 伪蠀蟿维 渭苇蟽伪 蟽蟿慰 胃慰位蠅渭苇谓慰 蟿慰蠀 渭蠀伪位蠈 蟺伪委蟻谓慰蠀谓 伪魏蟻伪委蔚蟼 未喂伪蟽蟿维蟽蔚喂蟼 魏伪喂 蟺蟻慰蟽蟺伪胃蠋谓蟿伪蟼 谓伪 蟿伪 蔚尉畏纬萎蟽蔚喂 胃蔚蠅蟻蔚委 蟺蠅蟼 苇蠂蔚喂 蟺伪蟻伪喂蟽胃萎蟽蔚喂蟼 伪蟺慰 魏维蟺慰喂伪 蟽蟺维谓喂伪 伪蟻蟻蠋蟽蟿喂伪 萎 蟺蠅蟼 蠈位慰喂 蔚喂谓伪喂 蟺位维蟽渭伪蟿伪 蔚尉蠅纬萎喂谓伪 魏伪喂 伪谓萎魏慰蠀谓 蟽蔚 维位位慰谓 蠂蠅蟻慰蠂蟻蠈谓慰.
螚 伪位萎胃蔚喂伪 伪蟺慰魏伪位蠉蟺蟿蔚蟿伪喂 伪蟻纬维 魏伪喂 尾伪蟽伪谓喂蟽蟿喂魏维. 螞伪蟿蟻蔚蠉蔚喂 蟿畏谓 桅慰蟽蟿委谓,蠈渭蠅蟼 未蔚谓 蠀蟺维蟻蠂蔚喂 蟿蟻蠈蟺慰蟼 谓伪 蟿畏谓 蟺蟻慰蟽蔚纬纬委蟽蔚喂.
螣 渭蠈谓慰蟼 蟿蟻蠈蟺慰蟼 蔚喂谓伪喂 畏 "蔚蠁蔚蠉蟻蔚蟽畏 蟿慰蠀 螠慰蟻苇位". 螝伪喂 魏维蟺慰蠀 蔚未蠅 蟿慰 伪蟻喂蟽蟿慰蠉蟻纬畏渭伪 伪蠀蟿蠈 纬委谓蔚蟿伪喂 魏蟻伪蠀纬伪位苇伪 蟽蠀谓伪喂蟽胃畏渭伪蟿喂魏蠈 魏伪喂 蔚尉伪蟽蠁伪位委味蔚喂 蟿畏谓 伪纬维蟺畏 蟽蟿畏谓 伪喂蠅谓喂蠈蟿畏蟿伪.
"违蟺慰尾维位位蠅 渭喂伪 蟺伪蟻维魏位畏蟽畏: 螒蟼 渭伪蟼 伪谓伪味畏蟿萎蟽蔚喂, 蟿畏谓 桅慰蟽蟿委谓 魏喂 蔚渭苇谓伪,伪蟼 渭' 伪蠁畏蟽蔚喂 谓伪 渭蟺蠅 蟽蟿慰蠀蟼 慰蠀蟻伪谓慰蠉蟼 蟿畏蟼 蟽蠀谓蔚委未畏蟽畏蟼 蟿畏蟼. 螛伪 '谓伪喂 渭喂伪 蟺蟻维尉畏 蔚蠀蟽蟺位伪蠂谓喂魏萎".
螝伪位萎 伪谓维纬谓蠅蟽畏!
螤慰位位慰蠉蟼 伪蟽蟺伪蟽渭慰蠉蟼!
螒蟺慰 蟿伪 魏伪位蠉蟿蔚蟻伪 尾喂尾位委伪 蟺慰蠀 纬蟻维蠁蟿畏魏伪谓 蟺慰蟿苇!
螖螜螒螔螒危韦螘 韦螣!!
螘蟺喂尾维位位蔚蟿伪喂!!馃挴馃挴馃洃猸曪笍馃洃馃挴馃挴
芦螤喂蟽蟿蔚蠉蠅 蟺蠅蟼 蠂维谓慰蠀渭蔚 蟿畏谓 伪胃伪谓伪蟽委伪 纬喂伪蟿委 未蔚谓 苇蠂蔚喂 蔚尉蔚位喂蠂胃蔚委 畏 伪谓蟿委蟽蟿伪蟽萎 渭伪蟼 蟽蟿慰 胃维谓伪蟿慰路 慰喂 蟿蔚位蔚喂慰蟺慰喂萎蟽蔚喂蟼 蟿畏蟼 蔚蟺喂渭苇谓慰蠀谓 蟽蟿畏谓 蟺蟻蠅蟿伪蟻蠂喂魏萎, 蟿畏 蟽蟿慰喂蠂蔚喂蠋未畏 喂未苇伪: 谓伪 未喂伪蟿畏蟻萎蟽慰蠀渭蔚 味蠅谓蟿伪谓蠈 慰位蠈魏位畏蟻慰 蟿慰 蟽蠋渭伪. 螛伪 '蟺蟻蔚蟺蔚 谓伪 蔚蟺喂味畏蟿慰蠉渭蔚 蟿畏 未喂伪蟿萎蟻畏蟽畏 伪蠀蟿慰蠉 蟺慰蠀 蔚谓未喂伪蠁苇蟻蔚喂 蟿畏 蟽蠀谓蔚委未畏蟽畏禄.
螚 渭蟺伪位维谓蟿伪 蟿蠅谓 伪喂蟽胃萎蟽蔚蠅谓 魏伪喂 蟿蠅谓 蟺伪蟻伪喂蟽胃萎蟽蔚蠅谓.
螆谓伪 伪蟻喂蟽蟿慰蠉蟻纬畏渭伪. 螆谓伪蟼 蟺蟻慰蠁畏蟿喂魏蠈蟼 蔚蠁喂维位蟿畏蟼 纬喂伪 蟿畏谓 伪谓胃蟻蠋蟺喂谓畏 蠀蟺蠈蟽蟿伪蟽畏. 螘蟺喂蟽蟿畏渭慰谓喂魏蠈 胃蟻委位蔚蟻,渭伪蠉蟻慰,蠁蟻喂魏喂伪蟽蟿喂魏蠈,伪谓伪蟿蟻喂蠂喂伪蟽蟿喂魏蠈 魏伪喂 渭伪魏维尾蟻喂慰 蠈谓蔚喂蟻慰 渭苇蟽伪 蟽蟿畏谓 慰谓蔚喂蟻喂魏萎 蟺蟻伪纬渭伪蟿喂魏蠈蟿畏蟿伪. 螤伪蟻维未慰尉慰 渭蔚 蠈位畏 蟿畏 蟽畏渭伪蟽委伪 蟿畏蟼 蠀蟺蠈谓慰喂伪蟼 魏伪喂 蟿畏蟼 蟺伪蟻维谓慰喂伪蟼,伪位位伪 魏伪喂 渭蔚 蠈位慰 蟿慰 渭蔚纬伪位蔚委慰 蟿畏蟼 蟿蔚位蔚喂蠈蟿畏蟿伪蟼 渭喂伪蟼 蟺伪谓蟿慰未蠉谓伪渭畏蟼 蔚喂魏蠈谓伪蟼 蟺慰蠀 蟽蠀渭渭蔚蟿苇蠂蔚喂蟼 蔚蟿蟽喂 魏喂 伪位位喂蠋蟼.
危蠀渭渭蔚蟿苇蠂慰蠀谓 蠈位慰喂 蠈蟽慰喂 味慰蠀谓...
螣 萎蟻蠅伪蟼 渭伪蟼,苇谓伪蟼 魏蠀谓畏纬畏渭苇谓慰蟼 未蟻伪蟺苇蟿畏蟼 伪蟺慰蠁伪蟽委味蔚喂 谓伪 蟺伪蔚喂 蟽蔚 苇谓伪 苇蟻畏渭慰 魏伪蟿伪蟻伪渭苇谓慰 谓畏蟽委 蠈蟺慰蠀 蟺伪蟻伪渭慰谓蔚蠉蔚喂 渭喂伪 蠁蟻喂蠂蟿萎 伪蟻蟻蠋蟽蟿喂伪. 韦慰 伪谓胃蟻蠋蟺喂谓慰 蟽蠋渭伪 魏伪蟿伪蟻蟻苇蔚喂 伪蟺慰 蔚尉蠅 蟺蟻慰蟼 蟿伪 渭苇蟽伪. 围维谓蔚喂蟼 渭伪位位喂维,未苇蟻渭伪,蠈蟻伪蟽畏 魏伪喂 蔚蠂蔚喂蟼 蟺蟻慰蟽未蠈魏喂渭慰 味蠅萎蟼 未蠀慰 蔚尾未慰渭维未蔚蟼.
螤伪蟻蠈位伪 伪蠀蟿伪 伪蟺慰蠁伪蟽委味蔚喂 谓伪 蟺伪蔚喂 纬喂伪 谓伪 纬位喂蟿蠋蟽蔚喂 伪蟺慰 蟿畏谓 伪蟺蔚位蟺喂蟽委伪 蟿畏蟼 魏伪蟿伪未委魏畏蟼 蟽蔚 胃维谓伪蟿慰.
桅蟿维谓慰谓蟿伪蟼 魏伪喂 渭蔚蟿维 伪蟺慰 蟺慰位位苇蟼 未蠀蟽魏慰位委蔚蟼 魏伪喂 魏伪魏慰蠀蠂委蔚蟼 伪谓蟿喂位伪渭尾维谓蔚蟿伪喂 蠈蟿喂 蟽蟿慰 谓畏蟽委 蟺慰蠀 蔚蟺苇位蔚尉蔚 谓伪 味萎蟽蔚喂- 蟽蔚 伪蠀蟿蠈谓 蟿慰谓 魏伪蟿伪蟻伪渭苇谓慰 蟿蠈蟺慰 蠀蟺维蟻蠂慰蠀谓 苇谓伪 渭慰蠀蟽蔚委慰, 蔚谓伪 蟺伪蟻蔚 魏魏位萎蟽喂 魏伪喂 渭喂伪 蟺喂蟽委谓伪- 尾蟻委蟽魏慰谓蟿伪喂 魏伪喂 维位位慰喂 维谓胃蟻蠅蟺慰喂, 伪谓维渭蔚蟽伪 蟿慰蠀蟼 魏伪喂 渭喂伪 纬蠀谓伪委魏伪,畏 桅慰蟽蟿委谓,蟿畏谓 慰蟺慰委伪 魏伪喂 蔚蟻蠅蟿蔚蠉蔚蟿伪喂 蟺伪蟻维蠁慰蟻伪.
螝伪谓蔚委蟼 蟿慰蠀蟼 未蔚谓 渭蟺慰蟻蔚委 谓伪 未蔚喂 蟿慰谓 魏伪蟿维魏慰蟺慰 魏伪喂 伪蟺蔚位蟺喂蟽渭苇谓慰 萎蟻蠅伪 渭伪蟼, 慰蠉蟿蔚 畏 纬蠀谓伪委魏伪 蟺慰蠀 蟽蠂蔚未蠈谓 伪尉喂慰胃蟻萎谓畏蟿伪 纬慰谓伪蟿委味蔚喂 渭蟺蟻慰蟽蟿维 蟿畏蟼 魏伪喂 蟿畏蟼 蔚尉慰渭慰位慰纬蔚委蟿伪喂 蟿慰谓 苇蟻蠅蟿伪 蟿慰蠀.
螌位伪 伪蠀蟿维 渭苇蟽伪 蟽蟿慰 胃慰位蠅渭苇谓慰 蟿慰蠀 渭蠀伪位蠈 蟺伪委蟻谓慰蠀谓 伪魏蟻伪委蔚蟼 未喂伪蟽蟿维蟽蔚喂蟼 魏伪喂 蟺蟻慰蟽蟺伪胃蠋谓蟿伪蟼 谓伪 蟿伪 蔚尉畏纬萎蟽蔚喂 胃蔚蠅蟻蔚委 蟺蠅蟼 苇蠂蔚喂 蟺伪蟻伪喂蟽胃萎蟽蔚喂蟼 伪蟺慰 魏维蟺慰喂伪 蟽蟺维谓喂伪 伪蟻蟻蠋蟽蟿喂伪 萎 蟺蠅蟼 蠈位慰喂 蔚喂谓伪喂 蟺位维蟽渭伪蟿伪 蔚尉蠅纬萎喂谓伪 魏伪喂 伪谓萎魏慰蠀谓 蟽蔚 维位位慰谓 蠂蠅蟻慰蠂蟻蠈谓慰.
螚 伪位萎胃蔚喂伪 伪蟺慰魏伪位蠉蟺蟿蔚蟿伪喂 伪蟻纬维 魏伪喂 尾伪蟽伪谓喂蟽蟿喂魏维. 螞伪蟿蟻蔚蠉蔚喂 蟿畏谓 桅慰蟽蟿委谓,蠈渭蠅蟼 未蔚谓 蠀蟺维蟻蠂蔚喂 蟿蟻蠈蟺慰蟼 谓伪 蟿畏谓 蟺蟻慰蟽蔚纬纬委蟽蔚喂.
螣 渭蠈谓慰蟼 蟿蟻蠈蟺慰蟼 蔚喂谓伪喂 畏 "蔚蠁蔚蠉蟻蔚蟽畏 蟿慰蠀 螠慰蟻苇位". 螝伪喂 魏维蟺慰蠀 蔚未蠅 蟿慰 伪蟻喂蟽蟿慰蠉蟻纬畏渭伪 伪蠀蟿蠈 纬委谓蔚蟿伪喂 魏蟻伪蠀纬伪位苇伪 蟽蠀谓伪喂蟽胃畏渭伪蟿喂魏蠈 魏伪喂 蔚尉伪蟽蠁伪位委味蔚喂 蟿畏谓 伪纬维蟺畏 蟽蟿畏谓 伪喂蠅谓喂蠈蟿畏蟿伪.
"违蟺慰尾维位位蠅 渭喂伪 蟺伪蟻维魏位畏蟽畏: 螒蟼 渭伪蟼 伪谓伪味畏蟿萎蟽蔚喂, 蟿畏谓 桅慰蟽蟿委谓 魏喂 蔚渭苇谓伪,伪蟼 渭' 伪蠁畏蟽蔚喂 谓伪 渭蟺蠅 蟽蟿慰蠀蟼 慰蠀蟻伪谓慰蠉蟼 蟿畏蟼 蟽蠀谓蔚委未畏蟽畏蟼 蟿畏蟼. 螛伪 '谓伪喂 渭喂伪 蟺蟻维尉畏 蔚蠀蟽蟺位伪蠂谓喂魏萎".
螝伪位萎 伪谓维纬谓蠅蟽畏!
螤慰位位慰蠉蟼 伪蟽蟺伪蟽渭慰蠉蟼!
螒蟺慰 蟿伪 魏伪位蠉蟿蔚蟻伪 尾喂尾位委伪 蟺慰蠀 纬蟻维蠁蟿畏魏伪谓 蟺慰蟿苇!
螖螜螒螔螒危韦螘 韦螣!!
螘蟺喂尾维位位蔚蟿伪喂!!馃挴馃挴馃洃猸曪笍馃洃馃挴馃挴
September 22, 2024
He realized that death would not be such a disaster for the others, because in exchange for a life of uncertain length, he would give them immortality with their best friends.
It was a pleasant Sunday morning, and my eyes were beaming with the light of joy while scanning the books on my shelves. The organs of my visual sensations chanced upon the little beauty wrapped around in beautifully designed cover, the source of delight was the radiating, The Invention of Morel by Adolfo Bioy Casares. I had been in a docile relationship with the book for quite some time now, our association was so old that I tried my level best to bring up the remembrances of the book from the deep cervices of my memory, but it was a futile attempt since I could not remember anything, was it because of accelerating ageing or was it normal? Nonetheless, it proved to be a blessing in disguise as I could dip my literary senses in the heavenly sea of words.
At the outset, the book appears to be an innocuous novella which I picked up with the intent to finish it within the same day though I finished it as per the plan but the questions the book raised kept me pondering upon it for hours. What appears to be simple story tuned out to be amalgamation of various genres. The story starts with a fugitive, stuck on a lonely, treacherous island somewhere on earth to evade the Venezuelan authorities. He starts to maintain a journal which we read as he writes. He somehow manages to devise sufficient ways and means to carve out an existence unmindful of other people on the planet. The cobbled up and sculpted serenity of his world is disrupted by some unknown visitors to the island, the narrator faces an existential challenge as he does not have the luxury to develop relationships with people. However, as it often happens, the vigorous and fierce emotion of love gets hold of his cerebral muscles and he develops an intense fascination towards one of the tourists- Faustine, her beauty mesmerizes him and outwits his logic.
The purposeless life of the narrator suddenly discerns an outlandish purpose to be with the embodiment of beauty and grace- Faustine. He tries with the best of his abilities to strike up a conversation with her, but it appears as if she is deaf and blind to his actions and feelings, as if his existence is just an apparition and the fire of nothingness scorches his being. The carefully crafted life of the narrator goes for a toss, the narrator gathers himself up and somehow convinces himself of the authenticity of his life. It pops up another intriguing but devastating question- what about the invaders of the island, his beloved Faustine then? Who are they, who are oblivious to his existence, do they live in different dimensions or are they from another planet or universe since once he observes two sun and two moons while watching Faustine.
The bearded man kept on walking toward Faustine, and if I had not moved in time he would have walked right into me.
At this point, the literary senses of the reader are flooded with multiple possibilities that the invaders could be the artist鈥檚 progenies of science fiction, or the narrator might be having some sort of delusional imaginations as we often see people who live in oblivion tend to do. There could be other bizarre explanations too, the invaders could be simulations of a universe operated by a supreme being, the question also keeps on haunting humanity that our universe could be simulation of some colossal universe or multiverse. What if these invaders are projections of some kind but aren鈥檛 we all so? The questions of being and nothingness rise to the challenge of the probing eyes of the reader, he is being compelled to think about his own existence as if its authentic or not. The author brilliantly throws these unsettling inquiries to the reader and eventually proposes a credible solution with elements of fantasy fused in it.
The seemingly straightforward love story turns out to be a soul- stirring tale of morality of human existence, built upon the ever-present, ceaseless solitude and loneliness of humanity. The age-old desire of humanity to be immortal always stretches the fabric of morality and the book is no exception to it. Although the solution provided in the book to the dilemma of immortality is ingenious and credible, but conundrum of righteousness pokes you right into your heart with searing questions of being and nothingness. And if we become immortal, then what good the borrowed stint of extended existence will bring to humanity or life in general. We know the entire cosmos is like a superorganism wherein life works in cohesion with the universe, so won鈥檛 it disturb the coherence of the universe.
As for Borges, the fantastic literature offers a vide range of opportunities to Bioy than the boring and destitute realism. Since in fantastic literature, so much could be achieved through reasoned imagination, wherein the boundaries of reality may be stretched through the spree of imagination riding upon logic and reason, only to define new boundaries. The line drawing the distinction between reality and fantasy becomes redundant here, for what is reality essentially, isn鈥檛 it the already imagined possibility or isn鈥檛 the fantasy the extended reality. Love is one of themes the author works upon, however, the love in the world of Bioy is endangered and sophisticated human emotion which takes the shape of obsession through the narrator's courageous maneuvers. These endeavors of the narrator are destined to bring catastrophic outcomes.
I am not so worried about the dangers I am facing- I am most concerned about the mistake I made- it cand deprive me of the woman forever.
source
The book questions the basic problems of consciousness, deceit, truth and perception, it questions the basic nature of truth as to what it is essentially, is it the amalgamation of our experiences or something inherent in nature which may stand on its own. It further challenges our understanding of what we consider objectively true, are in essence just our experiences which means the reality exists in our mind and thereby is subjective. And therefore, our morality and ethics can鈥檛 be objective, hence it proposes that human consciousness evolves through experiences. It also poses an intriguing thought here that what if our consciousness follows some sort of pattern and the cycle repeats itself just like the cosmological model of universe proposed by Roger Penrose; but doesn't it also suggest that all our progress, what we have achieved till now will take dip in the well of nothingness and essentially means nothing. Perhaps the wisdom lies here to think objectively and the dawn of enlightenment touches the human soul in this very understanding that the universe works in coherence with law of nature and may rises again to plunge again then to rise again and the process goes on and on, with us or without us.
I believe we lose immortality because we have not conquered our opposition to death, we keep insisting on the primary, rudimentary idea: that the whole body should be kept alive. We should seek to preserve only the part that has to do with consciousness.
It was a pleasant Sunday morning, and my eyes were beaming with the light of joy while scanning the books on my shelves. The organs of my visual sensations chanced upon the little beauty wrapped around in beautifully designed cover, the source of delight was the radiating, The Invention of Morel by Adolfo Bioy Casares. I had been in a docile relationship with the book for quite some time now, our association was so old that I tried my level best to bring up the remembrances of the book from the deep cervices of my memory, but it was a futile attempt since I could not remember anything, was it because of accelerating ageing or was it normal? Nonetheless, it proved to be a blessing in disguise as I could dip my literary senses in the heavenly sea of words.
At the outset, the book appears to be an innocuous novella which I picked up with the intent to finish it within the same day though I finished it as per the plan but the questions the book raised kept me pondering upon it for hours. What appears to be simple story tuned out to be amalgamation of various genres. The story starts with a fugitive, stuck on a lonely, treacherous island somewhere on earth to evade the Venezuelan authorities. He starts to maintain a journal which we read as he writes. He somehow manages to devise sufficient ways and means to carve out an existence unmindful of other people on the planet. The cobbled up and sculpted serenity of his world is disrupted by some unknown visitors to the island, the narrator faces an existential challenge as he does not have the luxury to develop relationships with people. However, as it often happens, the vigorous and fierce emotion of love gets hold of his cerebral muscles and he develops an intense fascination towards one of the tourists- Faustine, her beauty mesmerizes him and outwits his logic.
The purposeless life of the narrator suddenly discerns an outlandish purpose to be with the embodiment of beauty and grace- Faustine. He tries with the best of his abilities to strike up a conversation with her, but it appears as if she is deaf and blind to his actions and feelings, as if his existence is just an apparition and the fire of nothingness scorches his being. The carefully crafted life of the narrator goes for a toss, the narrator gathers himself up and somehow convinces himself of the authenticity of his life. It pops up another intriguing but devastating question- what about the invaders of the island, his beloved Faustine then? Who are they, who are oblivious to his existence, do they live in different dimensions or are they from another planet or universe since once he observes two sun and two moons while watching Faustine.
The bearded man kept on walking toward Faustine, and if I had not moved in time he would have walked right into me.
At this point, the literary senses of the reader are flooded with multiple possibilities that the invaders could be the artist鈥檚 progenies of science fiction, or the narrator might be having some sort of delusional imaginations as we often see people who live in oblivion tend to do. There could be other bizarre explanations too, the invaders could be simulations of a universe operated by a supreme being, the question also keeps on haunting humanity that our universe could be simulation of some colossal universe or multiverse. What if these invaders are projections of some kind but aren鈥檛 we all so? The questions of being and nothingness rise to the challenge of the probing eyes of the reader, he is being compelled to think about his own existence as if its authentic or not. The author brilliantly throws these unsettling inquiries to the reader and eventually proposes a credible solution with elements of fantasy fused in it.
The seemingly straightforward love story turns out to be a soul- stirring tale of morality of human existence, built upon the ever-present, ceaseless solitude and loneliness of humanity. The age-old desire of humanity to be immortal always stretches the fabric of morality and the book is no exception to it. Although the solution provided in the book to the dilemma of immortality is ingenious and credible, but conundrum of righteousness pokes you right into your heart with searing questions of being and nothingness. And if we become immortal, then what good the borrowed stint of extended existence will bring to humanity or life in general. We know the entire cosmos is like a superorganism wherein life works in cohesion with the universe, so won鈥檛 it disturb the coherence of the universe.
As for Borges, the fantastic literature offers a vide range of opportunities to Bioy than the boring and destitute realism. Since in fantastic literature, so much could be achieved through reasoned imagination, wherein the boundaries of reality may be stretched through the spree of imagination riding upon logic and reason, only to define new boundaries. The line drawing the distinction between reality and fantasy becomes redundant here, for what is reality essentially, isn鈥檛 it the already imagined possibility or isn鈥檛 the fantasy the extended reality. Love is one of themes the author works upon, however, the love in the world of Bioy is endangered and sophisticated human emotion which takes the shape of obsession through the narrator's courageous maneuvers. These endeavors of the narrator are destined to bring catastrophic outcomes.
I am not so worried about the dangers I am facing- I am most concerned about the mistake I made- it cand deprive me of the woman forever.
source
The book questions the basic problems of consciousness, deceit, truth and perception, it questions the basic nature of truth as to what it is essentially, is it the amalgamation of our experiences or something inherent in nature which may stand on its own. It further challenges our understanding of what we consider objectively true, are in essence just our experiences which means the reality exists in our mind and thereby is subjective. And therefore, our morality and ethics can鈥檛 be objective, hence it proposes that human consciousness evolves through experiences. It also poses an intriguing thought here that what if our consciousness follows some sort of pattern and the cycle repeats itself just like the cosmological model of universe proposed by Roger Penrose; but doesn't it also suggest that all our progress, what we have achieved till now will take dip in the well of nothingness and essentially means nothing. Perhaps the wisdom lies here to think objectively and the dawn of enlightenment touches the human soul in this very understanding that the universe works in coherence with law of nature and may rises again to plunge again then to rise again and the process goes on and on, with us or without us.
I believe we lose immortality because we have not conquered our opposition to death, we keep insisting on the primary, rudimentary idea: that the whole body should be kept alive. We should seek to preserve only the part that has to do with consciousness.
September 8, 2024
Am citit, vr卯nd-nevr卯nd, o mul葲ime de pove葯ti de iubire, unele mai bune, altele mai rele. Inven葲ia lui Morel e o povestire aparte. Poate c膬 nu e perfect膬, cum credea Borges, dar e profund mi葯c膬toare.
E vorba, fire葯te, de un manuscris g膬sit 葯i adnotat de editor (care nu e neap膬rat Adolfo Bioy Casares), jurnalul (sau raportul) unui fugar condamnat la moarte pentru o crim膬 de care nu este vinovat. Cel pu葲in, asta pretinde 卯n mai multe r卯nduri protagonistul. Naratorul tr膬ie葯te cu obsesia c膬 e urm膬rit pretutindeni de poli葲ie (a fugit din Caracas). Un negustor de covoare italian din Calcutta, pe nume Ombrellieri, 卯l sf膬tuie葯te s膬 se ascund膬 pe o insul膬 pustie. Nu 卯nainte de a-l avertiza c膬 insula e b卯ntuit膬 de o molim膬 misterioas膬. Locul e ciudat, 卯ntr-adev膬r, vegeta葲ia e bolnav膬 葯i agresiv膬, copacii s卯nt putrezi pe din膬untru, gata s膬 cad膬, 葲膬rmul e o mla葯tin膬 otr膬vitoare, hrana e amar膬.
Aici o va vedea pe - 葯i se va 卯ndr膬gosti de - Faustine, o femeie statuar膬, de o 鈥瀝iguroas膬 delicate葲e鈥�, cu ten ar膬miu 葯i ochi enormi. 脦ntreaga ei fiin葲膬 inspir膬 lini葯te 葯i senin膬tate. Faustine obi葯nuie葯te, 卯n fiecare zi, s膬 priveasc膬 apusul. Povestitorul o urm膬re葯te avid. Dac膬 Faustine l-ar remarca pe asiduul ei admirator, s-ar isca, poate, o leg膬tur膬 afectiv膬 卯ntre ei. Din p膬cate, Faustine nu-l prive葯te niciodat膬, nu-i d膬 nici un semn, 卯l ignor膬 cu o minu葲iozitate imperial膬: 鈥濧zi femeia a vrut s膬-i simt indiferen牛a, ceea ce, de altfel, a reu艧it鈥�. Poate c膬 b膬rbatul nu-i inspir膬 卯ncredere, poate c膬 nu dore葯te s膬 intre 卯n vorb膬 cu un str膬in, poate c膬 e pur 葯i simplu oarb膬: 鈥濵-a privit. Ochii ei au trecut prin mine鈥�.
Ciud膬葲enia abia acum 卯ncepe. Eroul observ膬 c膬 unele secven葲e din scenariul evenimentelor se repet膬 periodic, 鈥瀋a la teatru鈥�. O discu葲ie dintre maleficul inventator Morel 葯i Faustine folose葯te acelea葯i replici de acum o s膬pt膬m卯n膬, de acum dou膬 s膬pt膬m卯ni. Ceva nu-i 卯n regul膬. 脦nt卯mpl膬rile de pe insul膬 par a urma un timp circular. Locuitorii muzeului seam膬n膬 cu ni葯te fantasme, merg ca 卯n vis. Nu-葯i dau seama c膬 printre ei s-a insinuat un intrus. 脦n definitiv, nici nu-l pot observa: este 葯i el o fantasm膬.
N-o lungesc. 脦n ritmul 膬sta risc s膬 parafrazez toat膬 povestirea lui Adolfo Bioy Casares. Voi spune 卯n 卯ncheiere c膬 Inven葲ia lui Morel este exemplul cel mai reu葯it al unei iubiri imposibile, un 鈥瀉mor de lonh鈥�, cum ar fi spus trubadurii: 鈥濪ac膬 a葯 fi 卯ntins bra葲ul, a葯 fi atins-o. Acest g卯nd m-a 卯ngrozit鈥�. De ce? Fiindc膬 卯ndr膬gosti葲ii locuiesc 卯n secven葲e temporale diferite, 卯n cronologii diferite, 卯n lumi diferite. 葮i nimeni nu poate g膬si o cale de trecere...
P. S. Nu trebuie s膬 ignor膬m faptul c膬 naratorul este adeseori incoerent, delirant, c膬 e bolnav 葯i c膬 se pl卯nge de halucina葲ii. Probabil c膬 nu trebuie crezut pe cuv卯nt. Dar dac膬 nu-l credem, farmecul pove葯tii se pierde...
E vorba, fire葯te, de un manuscris g膬sit 葯i adnotat de editor (care nu e neap膬rat Adolfo Bioy Casares), jurnalul (sau raportul) unui fugar condamnat la moarte pentru o crim膬 de care nu este vinovat. Cel pu葲in, asta pretinde 卯n mai multe r卯nduri protagonistul. Naratorul tr膬ie葯te cu obsesia c膬 e urm膬rit pretutindeni de poli葲ie (a fugit din Caracas). Un negustor de covoare italian din Calcutta, pe nume Ombrellieri, 卯l sf膬tuie葯te s膬 se ascund膬 pe o insul膬 pustie. Nu 卯nainte de a-l avertiza c膬 insula e b卯ntuit膬 de o molim膬 misterioas膬. Locul e ciudat, 卯ntr-adev膬r, vegeta葲ia e bolnav膬 葯i agresiv膬, copacii s卯nt putrezi pe din膬untru, gata s膬 cad膬, 葲膬rmul e o mla葯tin膬 otr膬vitoare, hrana e amar膬.
Aici o va vedea pe - 葯i se va 卯ndr膬gosti de - Faustine, o femeie statuar膬, de o 鈥瀝iguroas膬 delicate葲e鈥�, cu ten ar膬miu 葯i ochi enormi. 脦ntreaga ei fiin葲膬 inspir膬 lini葯te 葯i senin膬tate. Faustine obi葯nuie葯te, 卯n fiecare zi, s膬 priveasc膬 apusul. Povestitorul o urm膬re葯te avid. Dac膬 Faustine l-ar remarca pe asiduul ei admirator, s-ar isca, poate, o leg膬tur膬 afectiv膬 卯ntre ei. Din p膬cate, Faustine nu-l prive葯te niciodat膬, nu-i d膬 nici un semn, 卯l ignor膬 cu o minu葲iozitate imperial膬: 鈥濧zi femeia a vrut s膬-i simt indiferen牛a, ceea ce, de altfel, a reu艧it鈥�. Poate c膬 b膬rbatul nu-i inspir膬 卯ncredere, poate c膬 nu dore葯te s膬 intre 卯n vorb膬 cu un str膬in, poate c膬 e pur 葯i simplu oarb膬: 鈥濵-a privit. Ochii ei au trecut prin mine鈥�.
Ciud膬葲enia abia acum 卯ncepe. Eroul observ膬 c膬 unele secven葲e din scenariul evenimentelor se repet膬 periodic, 鈥瀋a la teatru鈥�. O discu葲ie dintre maleficul inventator Morel 葯i Faustine folose葯te acelea葯i replici de acum o s膬pt膬m卯n膬, de acum dou膬 s膬pt膬m卯ni. Ceva nu-i 卯n regul膬. 脦nt卯mpl膬rile de pe insul膬 par a urma un timp circular. Locuitorii muzeului seam膬n膬 cu ni葯te fantasme, merg ca 卯n vis. Nu-葯i dau seama c膬 printre ei s-a insinuat un intrus. 脦n definitiv, nici nu-l pot observa: este 葯i el o fantasm膬.
N-o lungesc. 脦n ritmul 膬sta risc s膬 parafrazez toat膬 povestirea lui Adolfo Bioy Casares. Voi spune 卯n 卯ncheiere c膬 Inven葲ia lui Morel este exemplul cel mai reu葯it al unei iubiri imposibile, un 鈥瀉mor de lonh鈥�, cum ar fi spus trubadurii: 鈥濪ac膬 a葯 fi 卯ntins bra葲ul, a葯 fi atins-o. Acest g卯nd m-a 卯ngrozit鈥�. De ce? Fiindc膬 卯ndr膬gosti葲ii locuiesc 卯n secven葲e temporale diferite, 卯n cronologii diferite, 卯n lumi diferite. 葮i nimeni nu poate g膬si o cale de trecere...
P. S. Nu trebuie s膬 ignor膬m faptul c膬 naratorul este adeseori incoerent, delirant, c膬 e bolnav 葯i c膬 se pl卯nge de halucina葲ii. Probabil c膬 nu trebuie crezut pe cuv卯nt. Dar dac膬 nu-l credem, farmecul pove葯tii se pierde...
February 4, 2018
Coming Clean About LOST
Several years ago I was induced by my grandchildren to watch seven seasons鈥� worth of the television series LOST during summer holidays. Filmed in Hawaii from 2004 to 2010, the series recounted the increasingly strange existence of the survivors of a trans-Pacific flight on an apparently uncharted, and possibly uncharitable, island. Often tedious, always unexpected, the tale, I decided, was either an invention beyond my abilities to appreciate, or it was utter nonsense, with no overall plot or plan for an ending. Turns out it was a bit of both.
Although I have read nothing to confirm this conclusion, it is entirely clear to me that LOST is merely a derivative version of Bioy Casares novella, The Invention of Morel. At least three versions of the 1949 the book had been made into films during the 1960's and 70's. These were explicitly credited to Bioy Casares. But as far as I am aware there is no mention of him as the inspiration for the LOST series. Yet the substance of his book is identical to that of the series, with a few twists thrown into the series reflecting more modern tastes and technologies. Here are my main points of comparison:
1. Both the series and the book take place on a remote island which is inaccessible by normal means. This is explained in the book as due to a reef and an illness, but not in the series which relies on unexplained physical phenomena. The precise means of entry and exit from the island remains a mystery in both.
2. Bioy has a single protagonist who arrives on the island as a fugitive from justice for some indeterminate crime for which he feels both guilt and shame. In LOST this transforms into a plane-load of survivors most of whom are also fugitives, either from the law or from intolerable social conditions. All the main characters feel guilt and shame and demonstrate the same sort of paranoia as Bioy's.
3. There is architectural evidence on the islands in both the book and the series of a previous habitation, modern buildings of unknown purpose, which have been abandoned but left in serviceable condition.
4. Within these structures are found various sophisticated technologies of indeterminate function that are powered by a natural but novel source of tremendous energy. In the series this source is an intense magnetic field, in the book it is tidal forces.
5. These technologies, it is eventually revealed, both allow time travel within the island and provide immortality to its inhabitants. There are relatively minor differences in the series and the book having mainly to do with the level of contemporary technological development reached in each case.
6. The characters in the series mirror those in the book. LOSTS's Ben Linus is the same Californian-esque cult leader as Morel. Bioy's protagonist and his 'female lead', Faustine are the series Jack Shepherd and his sometime enamorata Juliet, this latter being the focus of rivalry by the male characters in both.
7. Several other tropes and devices from Bioy are used repeatedly in the series: half-heard conversations, dream-like sequences, and so on. Others are scarcely concealed variants. For example, in Bioy, trees on the island die before maturity; in the series, it is infants who die.
The parts of the television series which were comprehensible to me were precisely those written by Bioy. I appreciated them as creative and innovative even 60 years later. The rest was indeed junk. And yet not a mention of the real source by the tv producers. Shameful
Several years ago I was induced by my grandchildren to watch seven seasons鈥� worth of the television series LOST during summer holidays. Filmed in Hawaii from 2004 to 2010, the series recounted the increasingly strange existence of the survivors of a trans-Pacific flight on an apparently uncharted, and possibly uncharitable, island. Often tedious, always unexpected, the tale, I decided, was either an invention beyond my abilities to appreciate, or it was utter nonsense, with no overall plot or plan for an ending. Turns out it was a bit of both.
Although I have read nothing to confirm this conclusion, it is entirely clear to me that LOST is merely a derivative version of Bioy Casares novella, The Invention of Morel. At least three versions of the 1949 the book had been made into films during the 1960's and 70's. These were explicitly credited to Bioy Casares. But as far as I am aware there is no mention of him as the inspiration for the LOST series. Yet the substance of his book is identical to that of the series, with a few twists thrown into the series reflecting more modern tastes and technologies. Here are my main points of comparison:
1. Both the series and the book take place on a remote island which is inaccessible by normal means. This is explained in the book as due to a reef and an illness, but not in the series which relies on unexplained physical phenomena. The precise means of entry and exit from the island remains a mystery in both.
2. Bioy has a single protagonist who arrives on the island as a fugitive from justice for some indeterminate crime for which he feels both guilt and shame. In LOST this transforms into a plane-load of survivors most of whom are also fugitives, either from the law or from intolerable social conditions. All the main characters feel guilt and shame and demonstrate the same sort of paranoia as Bioy's.
3. There is architectural evidence on the islands in both the book and the series of a previous habitation, modern buildings of unknown purpose, which have been abandoned but left in serviceable condition.
4. Within these structures are found various sophisticated technologies of indeterminate function that are powered by a natural but novel source of tremendous energy. In the series this source is an intense magnetic field, in the book it is tidal forces.
5. These technologies, it is eventually revealed, both allow time travel within the island and provide immortality to its inhabitants. There are relatively minor differences in the series and the book having mainly to do with the level of contemporary technological development reached in each case.
6. The characters in the series mirror those in the book. LOSTS's Ben Linus is the same Californian-esque cult leader as Morel. Bioy's protagonist and his 'female lead', Faustine are the series Jack Shepherd and his sometime enamorata Juliet, this latter being the focus of rivalry by the male characters in both.
7. Several other tropes and devices from Bioy are used repeatedly in the series: half-heard conversations, dream-like sequences, and so on. Others are scarcely concealed variants. For example, in Bioy, trees on the island die before maturity; in the series, it is infants who die.
The parts of the television series which were comprehensible to me were precisely those written by Bioy. I appreciated them as creative and innovative even 60 years later. The rest was indeed junk. And yet not a mention of the real source by the tv producers. Shameful
February 5, 2025
"A veces, conviene so帽ar" Fiodor Dostoievski, Noches blancas
C贸mo hacer para elaborar una rese帽a sin despertar sospechas de su trama ni anticipar lo que realmente sucede en "La invenci贸n de Morel".
Tal vez, hacer lo que hacen todos: simplemente explicar que esa peque帽a y maravillosa novela del gran Adolfo Bioy Casares, la otra cara de la moneda de Jorge Luis Borges (cara buena tambi茅n) trata acerca de un fugitivo de la justicia que recala en una isla desierta en donde cree que no est谩 solo.
Es acompa帽ado por un grupo de personas y al cruzarse con una hermosa mujer, Faustine, se enamorar谩 genuinamente, pero con la imposibilidad de un acercamiento real que 茅l no termina de comprender.
Adem谩s de Faustine, el narrador se encontrar谩 con otros personajes, incluido el misterioso inventor Morel, cuyo nombre se asemeja al de otro famoso inventor isle帽o, el doctor Moreau de H.G. Wells.
Pocos saben que Bioy se inspir贸 fuertemente para escribir esta novela en otra de Julio Verne, llamada "El castillo de los C谩rpatos". Con solo leer de qu茅 trata el argumento del libro del gran escritor franc茅s, el lector que no haya surcado las p谩ginas de este libros sabr谩 hacia d贸nde se desarrolla esta historia, tan bella, cautivante y le铆da por tanta gente alrededor del mundo. Tanta que m谩s de un argentino se sorprender铆a.
Bioy Casares tiene un extra帽o y cautivante efecto en los lectores de otros pa铆ses como sucede con Roberto Arlt, Ernesto S谩bato y Leopoldo Marechal s贸lo por nombrar a algunos de los mejores exponentes de argentina, adem谩s de Borges y Cort谩zar.
Volviendo a la historia, creo que lo que aqu铆 se narra es un desgarrador diario sobre la soledad y la b煤squeda del contacto humano, complementado con ciertas dosis de naturaleza fant谩stica al principio del libro y connotaciones de ciencia ficci贸n sobre el final.
La inaccesibilidad que el narrador sufre es condicionante para 茅l, puesto que no entiende por qu茅 Faustine no lo ve, mientras que por otro lado se esconde de los otros "intrusos", como 茅l llama a los dem谩s, participando sin querer de un juego de apariencias.
De todos modos, s贸lo necesitamos avanzar para saber el por qu茅 de todo este misterio, pero antes de llegar a ello, Bioy nos regalar谩 una soberbia muestra de su narrativa impecable y sin fisuras, con vuelos po茅ticos y reminiscencias rom谩nticas.
En tan s贸lo ciento cincuenta p谩ginas, nos encontraremos con una historia bella, s贸lida, acuciante por momentos, debido a los sufrimientos del narrador, con un final que desatar谩 una sincera empat铆a del lector hacia quien narra esta historia, que no logra comprender el por qu茅 de su ins贸lita situaci贸n.
Como s茅 que muchos lectores a煤n no descubrieron de qu茅 trata realmente "La invenci贸n de Morel", s贸lo doy algunas pistas.
No es mi intenci贸n quebrar la magia latente que se percibe detr谩s de las l铆neas de esta novela, que sigue siendo una de las mejores de la literatura argentina y que afortunadamente Bioy Casares transform贸 en una de las preferidas de muchos lectores alrededor del planeta.
C贸mo hacer para elaborar una rese帽a sin despertar sospechas de su trama ni anticipar lo que realmente sucede en "La invenci贸n de Morel".
Tal vez, hacer lo que hacen todos: simplemente explicar que esa peque帽a y maravillosa novela del gran Adolfo Bioy Casares, la otra cara de la moneda de Jorge Luis Borges (cara buena tambi茅n) trata acerca de un fugitivo de la justicia que recala en una isla desierta en donde cree que no est谩 solo.
Es acompa帽ado por un grupo de personas y al cruzarse con una hermosa mujer, Faustine, se enamorar谩 genuinamente, pero con la imposibilidad de un acercamiento real que 茅l no termina de comprender.
Adem谩s de Faustine, el narrador se encontrar谩 con otros personajes, incluido el misterioso inventor Morel, cuyo nombre se asemeja al de otro famoso inventor isle帽o, el doctor Moreau de H.G. Wells.
Pocos saben que Bioy se inspir贸 fuertemente para escribir esta novela en otra de Julio Verne, llamada "El castillo de los C谩rpatos". Con solo leer de qu茅 trata el argumento del libro del gran escritor franc茅s, el lector que no haya surcado las p谩ginas de este libros sabr谩 hacia d贸nde se desarrolla esta historia, tan bella, cautivante y le铆da por tanta gente alrededor del mundo. Tanta que m谩s de un argentino se sorprender铆a.
Bioy Casares tiene un extra帽o y cautivante efecto en los lectores de otros pa铆ses como sucede con Roberto Arlt, Ernesto S谩bato y Leopoldo Marechal s贸lo por nombrar a algunos de los mejores exponentes de argentina, adem谩s de Borges y Cort谩zar.
Volviendo a la historia, creo que lo que aqu铆 se narra es un desgarrador diario sobre la soledad y la b煤squeda del contacto humano, complementado con ciertas dosis de naturaleza fant谩stica al principio del libro y connotaciones de ciencia ficci贸n sobre el final.
La inaccesibilidad que el narrador sufre es condicionante para 茅l, puesto que no entiende por qu茅 Faustine no lo ve, mientras que por otro lado se esconde de los otros "intrusos", como 茅l llama a los dem谩s, participando sin querer de un juego de apariencias.
De todos modos, s贸lo necesitamos avanzar para saber el por qu茅 de todo este misterio, pero antes de llegar a ello, Bioy nos regalar谩 una soberbia muestra de su narrativa impecable y sin fisuras, con vuelos po茅ticos y reminiscencias rom谩nticas.
En tan s贸lo ciento cincuenta p谩ginas, nos encontraremos con una historia bella, s贸lida, acuciante por momentos, debido a los sufrimientos del narrador, con un final que desatar谩 una sincera empat铆a del lector hacia quien narra esta historia, que no logra comprender el por qu茅 de su ins贸lita situaci贸n.
Como s茅 que muchos lectores a煤n no descubrieron de qu茅 trata realmente "La invenci贸n de Morel", s贸lo doy algunas pistas.
No es mi intenci贸n quebrar la magia latente que se percibe detr谩s de las l铆neas de esta novela, que sigue siendo una de las mejores de la literatura argentina y que afortunadamente Bioy Casares transform贸 en una de las preferidas de muchos lectores alrededor del planeta.
July 24, 2020
"To classify it as perfect is neither an imprecision nor a hyperbole."
That is how Jorge Luis Borges chooses to praise the story in the prologue he wrote for The Invention of Morel. It is difficult to argue the truth of this opinion on this seminal work of fantastic fiction. However, one thing is for certain: Morel is a masterpiece of modernist fiction. Adolfo Bioy Casares' plot and aesthetic appears to be strongly influenced by Borges, which isn't a surprise considering the mentor-pupil friendship of the two authors.
The book explores the life of a fugitive who is hiding on a deserted island. His narration shows a constant fear of being turned over to the law. It is this fear that has driven him to travelling in terse conditions and battling harsh weather to reach this island. The island is remote and barren, except for four fantastical structures: a chapel, a museum, a swimming pool and a mill. Unfortunately his stay is interrupted by the arrival of a group of tourists on the island, forcing him to retreat to the dense forestry to avoid being found out. Yet, who are these mysterious characters? What do they want? Why do they behave in the way they do? What is with the repetitive score of "Tea for Two" and "Valencia" played repeatedly in the background?
The book is entirely based on one man's quest towards understanding these visitors and their phenomenons.
鈥淚 do not believe that a dream should necessarily be taken for reality, or reality for madness.鈥�
Some noteworthy facts: The first sound film was released in the year 1927. Moving pictures (both silent and talking) had a central influence on the themes of the novel. The book was partially inspired by the movement from silent films to talking films and resulting career-deaths of some celebrated icons of the silent film industry. (See: ).
H.G. Wells' The Island of Doctor Moreau is also an inspiration behind the novel.
That is how Jorge Luis Borges chooses to praise the story in the prologue he wrote for The Invention of Morel. It is difficult to argue the truth of this opinion on this seminal work of fantastic fiction. However, one thing is for certain: Morel is a masterpiece of modernist fiction. Adolfo Bioy Casares' plot and aesthetic appears to be strongly influenced by Borges, which isn't a surprise considering the mentor-pupil friendship of the two authors.
The book explores the life of a fugitive who is hiding on a deserted island. His narration shows a constant fear of being turned over to the law. It is this fear that has driven him to travelling in terse conditions and battling harsh weather to reach this island. The island is remote and barren, except for four fantastical structures: a chapel, a museum, a swimming pool and a mill. Unfortunately his stay is interrupted by the arrival of a group of tourists on the island, forcing him to retreat to the dense forestry to avoid being found out. Yet, who are these mysterious characters? What do they want? Why do they behave in the way they do? What is with the repetitive score of "Tea for Two" and "Valencia" played repeatedly in the background?
The book is entirely based on one man's quest towards understanding these visitors and their phenomenons.
鈥淚 do not believe that a dream should necessarily be taken for reality, or reality for madness.鈥�
Some noteworthy facts: The first sound film was released in the year 1927. Moving pictures (both silent and talking) had a central influence on the themes of the novel. The book was partially inspired by the movement from silent films to talking films and resulting career-deaths of some celebrated icons of the silent film industry. (See: ).
H.G. Wells' The Island of Doctor Moreau is also an inspiration behind the novel.
December 27, 2024
This is enticingly vague and atmospheric at first, but I quickly became uneasy on behalf of, and then about, the fugitive. As some things become clearer, others become less so, prompting complex, and often paradoxical, philosophical questions. When you can't trust your senses, what is truth, and how do you know if you are dead, dreaming, hallucinating, or mad? When nothing makes sense, and cause doesn鈥檛 seem to lead to the expected effect, how do you make decisions, or are you a mere plaything of malign gods or Fate?
Add to that the obsessive desire (he calls it 鈥渓ove鈥�) of an apparently unattainable woman and it sounds overloaded. It鈥檚 not. Approaching the midpoint, I was underwhelmed. But then Bioy carefully pulled out all the stops: I was bombarded by a bewildering cacophony of the 鈥�adverse miracle鈥�. I lived the story. Wonderful.
The English title can be interpreted in two ways. There鈥檚 truth in both.
Image: Faustine watching the sunset. One of Norah Borges de Torre鈥檚 illustrations.
Avoid spoilers
The brilliance and unsettling joy of this book is in thinking alongside the fugitive, trying to work out what is going on, how, and why: questioning your sanity as the impossible begins to seem merely improbable and even likely. As you gradually figure it out, you have to unravel, rewind, and analyse all your assumptions, not just about the story, but the very fabric of reality.
I'm glad Bioy kept it short, despite the many ways he could have expanded it: that way we each invent our own Morel.
Borges
Bioy, as he liked to be known, was a prot茅g茅, collaborator, and friend of the slightly older, fellow Argentinian writer, Borges. This was his first 鈥渟uccessful fiction鈥�, aged only 26. In the prologue, Borges writes, of the book dedicated to him:
鈥淭o classify it as perfect is neither an imprecision nor a hyperbole.鈥�
Image: Empty shoes by a puddle whose reflection shows a couple wearing the shoes. Surreal photo by Olaf Bathke. ()
See also
There are additional links in the spoilered section, but their titles are spoilers.
鈥� The cover photo is of actor , a literary inspiration for this novella. See also .
鈥� On the first page, and several times afterwards, the fugitive praises Malthus and wants to write a book promoting his ideas. I reviewed his An Essay on the Principle of Population with Swift鈥檚 A Modest Proposal HERE.
鈥� In Poe鈥檚 The Pit and the Pendulum, a solitary man is battling not just to stay alive but also to work out what's going on, whether death would be easier, and questioning his sanity. In other respects, it鈥檚 quite different. See my review HERE.
鈥� was an engineer, specialising in hydraulics and ballistics. The fugitive pockets a book 叠茅濒颈诲辞谤 wrote.
鈥� It鈥檚 impossible to read of a man, apparently unjustly tried and sentenced, battling unknown forces, without thinking of Kafka, especially The Trial, which I reviewed HERE.
鈥� The opening makes you wonder if it will be like . But it's not.
鈥� In Jay Parini鈥檚 delightful memoir, Borges and Me, Borges mentions his admiration of this book. See my review HERE.
鈥� One of Borges鈥檚 early stories has a character with a similar name: The Cruel Redeemer of Lazarus Morell. It's about a bid for freedom. I reviewed it HERE.
鈥� I鈥檝e reviewed all of Borges鈥檚 Collected Fictions HERE.
鈥� Casares explores similar themes, with a similar sort of twist, in his short story, Venetian Masks, which I reviewed HERE. However, I think Morel is far superior, so if you only read one, make it this.
Quotes
There are more in the spoilered section.
鈥� 鈥淧lants, grasses, and flowers overtake each other with more urgency to be born than to die, each one invading the time and place of the others in a tangled mass.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淗ope is everything I must fear.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淭he effort needed to kill myself was superfluous now, because with Faustine gone not even the anachronous satisfaction of death remained.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淭roops with rented uniforms and deadly aim.鈥�
Add to that the obsessive desire (he calls it 鈥渓ove鈥�) of an apparently unattainable woman and it sounds overloaded. It鈥檚 not. Approaching the midpoint, I was underwhelmed. But then Bioy carefully pulled out all the stops: I was bombarded by a bewildering cacophony of the 鈥�adverse miracle鈥�. I lived the story. Wonderful.
The English title can be interpreted in two ways. There鈥檚 truth in both.
Image: Faustine watching the sunset. One of Norah Borges de Torre鈥檚 illustrations.
Avoid spoilers
The brilliance and unsettling joy of this book is in thinking alongside the fugitive, trying to work out what is going on, how, and why: questioning your sanity as the impossible begins to seem merely improbable and even likely. As you gradually figure it out, you have to unravel, rewind, and analyse all your assumptions, not just about the story, but the very fabric of reality.
I'm glad Bioy kept it short, despite the many ways he could have expanded it: that way we each invent our own Morel.
Borges
Bioy, as he liked to be known, was a prot茅g茅, collaborator, and friend of the slightly older, fellow Argentinian writer, Borges. This was his first 鈥渟uccessful fiction鈥�, aged only 26. In the prologue, Borges writes, of the book dedicated to him:
鈥淭o classify it as perfect is neither an imprecision nor a hyperbole.鈥�
Image: Empty shoes by a puddle whose reflection shows a couple wearing the shoes. Surreal photo by Olaf Bathke. ()
See also
There are additional links in the spoilered section, but their titles are spoilers.
鈥� The cover photo is of actor , a literary inspiration for this novella. See also .
鈥� On the first page, and several times afterwards, the fugitive praises Malthus and wants to write a book promoting his ideas. I reviewed his An Essay on the Principle of Population with Swift鈥檚 A Modest Proposal HERE.
鈥� In Poe鈥檚 The Pit and the Pendulum, a solitary man is battling not just to stay alive but also to work out what's going on, whether death would be easier, and questioning his sanity. In other respects, it鈥檚 quite different. See my review HERE.
鈥� was an engineer, specialising in hydraulics and ballistics. The fugitive pockets a book 叠茅濒颈诲辞谤 wrote.
鈥� It鈥檚 impossible to read of a man, apparently unjustly tried and sentenced, battling unknown forces, without thinking of Kafka, especially The Trial, which I reviewed HERE.
鈥� The opening makes you wonder if it will be like . But it's not.
鈥� In Jay Parini鈥檚 delightful memoir, Borges and Me, Borges mentions his admiration of this book. See my review HERE.
鈥� One of Borges鈥檚 early stories has a character with a similar name: The Cruel Redeemer of Lazarus Morell. It's about a bid for freedom. I reviewed it HERE.
鈥� I鈥檝e reviewed all of Borges鈥檚 Collected Fictions HERE.
鈥� Casares explores similar themes, with a similar sort of twist, in his short story, Venetian Masks, which I reviewed HERE. However, I think Morel is far superior, so if you only read one, make it this.
Quotes
There are more in the spoilered section.
鈥� 鈥淧lants, grasses, and flowers overtake each other with more urgency to be born than to die, each one invading the time and place of the others in a tangled mass.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淗ope is everything I must fear.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淭he effort needed to kill myself was superfluous now, because with Faustine gone not even the anachronous satisfaction of death remained.鈥�
鈥� 鈥淭roops with rented uniforms and deadly aim.鈥�
February 6, 2017
Insane. Insane. Again. Insane.
A convict, fleeing from authorities, lands into an unfamiliar island, which appears to him, as time passes by, as uninhabited too. With no vessel to transport him back in sight, he toils with his survival instinct and somehow, is managing his days in waiting. But his unusual utopia is thrown out of gear when one day, he spots a young beauty at a cliff adjacent to a building, ludicrously named as museum, staring at the setting sun. He is, at once, jolted off his senses and his intuition pokes him with a warning that this could be a police trap. His initial tentativeness is however, weakened gradually, as the sight appears almost every day and with time, more of her friends begin filling his vision. Overpowered by curiosity, he inches towards the museum and in time, eavesdrops on conversations. Faustine, the woman.
As our narrator dwells deep into the mysterious appearance of Faustine, her appeal, her gang (especially Morel) and their purpose on the island, Casares begins tightening the grip, one knot at a time, around an outstanding plot, resting on magic, science and immortality. The fecundity of Casares鈥� vision not only lies in the masterly excavation of what can be a perennial memory (or truth?), but also why it should be. While the how is clearly debatable, it does enough damage to a normal brain to banish the usual attire and deep dive into the questionable with a restless but freelancer spirit. And literature, I feel, must always achieve this objective. And for this ambitious dilemma alone, I am glad I quarantined my sanity for a while. More ABC!
Then I resumed my efforts, moving to other parts of the wall. Chips fell, and, when large pieces of the wall began to come down, I kept on pounding, bleary-eyed, with an urgency that was far greater than the size of the iron bar, until the resistance of the wall (which seemed unaffected by the force of my repeated pounding) pushed me to the floor, frantic and exhausted. First I saw, then I touched, the pieces of masonry鈥� they were smooth on one side, harsh, earthy on the other: then, in a vision so lucid it seemed ephemeral and supernatural, my eyes saw the blue continuity of the tile, the undamaged and whole wall, the closed room.鈥楻easoned Imagination鈥� 鈥� That is how Borges describes this mindboggling attempt of Adolfo Bioy Casares, in what, that my humble mind can ascertain, is a superlative member of post-modernist, abstract fiction canon. Why does the mind battle its familiar boundaries in the thirst of alien waters? What rewards lie at the other end that compel acceptance of a torturous sentence, bordering on pragmatism and surrealism, pushing the soil beneath the feet to an unknown abyss? What does one achieve by undertaking a journey that robs him off his sanity and instead, plants a foreign temperament that forges alliance with none, not even with its owner? Oh no one really knows all the answers but the temptation to venture into such a world is one that has not spared a single, active mind.
A convict, fleeing from authorities, lands into an unfamiliar island, which appears to him, as time passes by, as uninhabited too. With no vessel to transport him back in sight, he toils with his survival instinct and somehow, is managing his days in waiting. But his unusual utopia is thrown out of gear when one day, he spots a young beauty at a cliff adjacent to a building, ludicrously named as museum, staring at the setting sun. He is, at once, jolted off his senses and his intuition pokes him with a warning that this could be a police trap. His initial tentativeness is however, weakened gradually, as the sight appears almost every day and with time, more of her friends begin filling his vision. Overpowered by curiosity, he inches towards the museum and in time, eavesdrops on conversations. Faustine, the woman.
As our narrator dwells deep into the mysterious appearance of Faustine, her appeal, her gang (especially Morel) and their purpose on the island, Casares begins tightening the grip, one knot at a time, around an outstanding plot, resting on magic, science and immortality. The fecundity of Casares鈥� vision not only lies in the masterly excavation of what can be a perennial memory (or truth?), but also why it should be. While the how is clearly debatable, it does enough damage to a normal brain to banish the usual attire and deep dive into the questionable with a restless but freelancer spirit. And literature, I feel, must always achieve this objective. And for this ambitious dilemma alone, I am glad I quarantined my sanity for a while. More ABC!
May 8, 2019
A lean, somewhat remarkable little thing. The much ballyhooed connection with Last Year at Marienbad is fascinating - I never would have thought of it but it's dead on. I don't really know how to explain what this is without spoiling it, but it's an admirable piece of surrealism/sci-fi that stands out for its meticulousness. Every aspect is painstakingly explained (and illustrated!) and what results is a totally logical book. It's fun to try to figure out what is happening alongside the narrator - my favorite section comes when he lays out every possible explanation for the strange events - and I found Casares's disinterest in exposition commendable. The thing that's actually happening is a fairly brilliant literary invention, and the ending is massively on-point. Some nice moments of meta-fiction are sprinkled through, and I totally dug the flower garden sequence (you'll see).
What's weird, really weird, is despite all this, it's too long. You'll get frustrated with the narrator for not figuring it out sooner. And there are these strange little loops in it that make it read a little too stream-of-consciousnessy (the introduction claims that this is a move away from that particular surrealist trend - I'd argue that some tendrils remain). I see why Borges liked it, but it doesn't remind me of his writing at all.
What's weird, really weird, is despite all this, it's too long. You'll get frustrated with the narrator for not figuring it out sooner. And there are these strange little loops in it that make it read a little too stream-of-consciousnessy (the introduction claims that this is a move away from that particular surrealist trend - I'd argue that some tendrils remain). I see why Borges liked it, but it doesn't remind me of his writing at all.
November 15, 2021
鈥渢he most complete and total perception not only of the unreality of the world but of our own unreality: not only do we traverse a realm of shadows, we ourselves are shadows.鈥� says octavio paz. and borges called this novella 鈥榩erfect.鈥� but listen up great genius writers from the past: the situation set up in the book is super cool and mysterious and gorgeous and, yes, it does lend itself to some kind of metaphor for the elusive nature of truth and life and technology鈥� but isn鈥檛 it left so open that it could kinda be a metaphor for anything without actually pointing out anything substantial? and doesn鈥檛 casares get mired down in explanation? isn't much of the final third basically that shitty moment in a horror film whereby some character exposits out the whole inner mythology of the film and it transforms from like lynch or kieslowski into turtletaub? and don't gimme no shit about it being one of the first of the genre so we gotta accept some of the clumsy machinations that were later refined; i mean Borges himself was banging out tons of these types of stories every week and never pulled that kind of shit. bradbury would鈥檝e written a better version of this novella, would鈥檝e tied it more successfully to actual human experience, and would鈥檝e dispensed with all the awkward expositional explanation (as did robbe-grillet/resnais in marienbad), while retaining the dark sense of mystery and human folly.
March 10, 2016
When I first started this novella, I was highly bemused by everything. The nameless narrator from Venezuela, who is living on an island he believes is called Villings and who decides to write a diary of what is happening there. He is unsure how long he has to live. He is a fugitive on the run from justice after being sentenced to life imprisonment. We are never to find out what this crime is, and then an Italian rug merchant in Calcutta tells him about an island:
There is only one place for a fugitive like you 鈥� it is an uninhabited island, but a human being cannot live there. Around 1924 a group of white men built a museum, a chapel, and a swimming pool on the island. (A rather good drawing is shown in the book). The work was completed and then abandoned鈥�.. Chinese pirates do not go there, and the white ship of the Rockefeller Institute never calls at the island, because it is known to be the focal point of a mysterious disease, a fatal disease that attacks the outside of the body and then works inward. The nails drop off, the fingers and toes; the hair falls out. The skin and the corneas of the eyes die, and the body lives on for one week, or two at the most.
And this individual still wants to go there because his life is so unbearable! By this stage I was getting completely annoyed with this book. People started arriving on the island and doing rather odd things. I really couldn鈥檛 take the comings and goings any longer and so decided to abandon it.
Nevertheless, would you believe that I couldn鈥檛 stop thinking about the wretched book and started rereading it the following day. Whatever happened I was determined to finish it 鈥� I can only compare this to a dog with a bone.
It鈥檚 rather strange but I seemed to view the work in a different light. Perhaps sitting on the terrace in the sun put me in a better state of mind. I really don鈥檛 know. I then began to appreciate the book as the story unfolded; actually a love story, but nevertheless a very unusual love story.
Then one day a group of visitors come to the island. The narrator soon has his gaze fixed on a woman who looks like a gypsy. She sits on a rock and comes every afternoon to watch the sunset. Our narrator is mesmerized by her, cannot get her out of his mind and watches her every day for a week. He even springs out to her one day to surprise her but he may as well have been invisible as she apparently cannot see him. On one of these days she is talking to a man called Morel who calls her Faustine. Ah now our narrator knows the name of his now much beloved one.
There is much confusion as the narrator doesn鈥檛 appear to know if he鈥檚 hallucinating at times, is dead or alive, the visitors are dead, images or what. He鈥檚 full of angst most of the time being quite convinced that these people on the island are there to capture him and he鈥檚 constantly on the run. He also is unsure out of all of these individuals who can see him and who cannot. But surprisingly enough our narrator doesn鈥檛 seem at all bothered with the possibility of death from this supposedly dreadful disease. But is there such a disease or is it all an illusion? The answer does indeed lie with an individual called Morel and it transpires that he has created a machine using images from reflections in mirrors. Our narrator cannot understand why he can see and hear Faustine and Morel and the other guests and then a week later this scenario is repeated.
The descriptive elements are superb, be it the flora on the island or the treacherous tides, that submerge parts of the island; which all add to the structure of the novel.
And as for the two suns and two moons, I couldn鈥檛 fathom this out at all until later in the book. What was interesting to know however is that two suns had been seen before in earlier times by Cicero:
The two suns that, as I heard from my father, were seen in the Consulate of Tuditanus and Aquilius, in the year (183 B.C) when the sun of Publius Africanus was extinguished.. (This statement appears to be incorrect after looking at other reliable sources but the gist is there.)
This tour de force had such an unexpected effect on me and to think that I nearly dismissed it arbitrarily. The writing style is second to none and in fact I really don鈥檛 know how the author had such an incredible imagination to write this novella. I most certainly want to read his other books.
Faced with the penultimate page I found myself highly perplexed. How can one possibly describe this multi-faceted, metaphysical, mysterious, surreal and surprising novella? There is so much depth to this work.
As for the denouement鈥� Well all that can be said is that it wasn鈥檛 at all what I expected.
And finally, thank you Harold for mentioning this book to me in one of your comments on a book by J.L. Borges, . It鈥檚 interesting that they both had this fascination with mirrors and what they can lead to.
There is only one place for a fugitive like you 鈥� it is an uninhabited island, but a human being cannot live there. Around 1924 a group of white men built a museum, a chapel, and a swimming pool on the island. (A rather good drawing is shown in the book). The work was completed and then abandoned鈥�.. Chinese pirates do not go there, and the white ship of the Rockefeller Institute never calls at the island, because it is known to be the focal point of a mysterious disease, a fatal disease that attacks the outside of the body and then works inward. The nails drop off, the fingers and toes; the hair falls out. The skin and the corneas of the eyes die, and the body lives on for one week, or two at the most.
And this individual still wants to go there because his life is so unbearable! By this stage I was getting completely annoyed with this book. People started arriving on the island and doing rather odd things. I really couldn鈥檛 take the comings and goings any longer and so decided to abandon it.
Nevertheless, would you believe that I couldn鈥檛 stop thinking about the wretched book and started rereading it the following day. Whatever happened I was determined to finish it 鈥� I can only compare this to a dog with a bone.
It鈥檚 rather strange but I seemed to view the work in a different light. Perhaps sitting on the terrace in the sun put me in a better state of mind. I really don鈥檛 know. I then began to appreciate the book as the story unfolded; actually a love story, but nevertheless a very unusual love story.
Then one day a group of visitors come to the island. The narrator soon has his gaze fixed on a woman who looks like a gypsy. She sits on a rock and comes every afternoon to watch the sunset. Our narrator is mesmerized by her, cannot get her out of his mind and watches her every day for a week. He even springs out to her one day to surprise her but he may as well have been invisible as she apparently cannot see him. On one of these days she is talking to a man called Morel who calls her Faustine. Ah now our narrator knows the name of his now much beloved one.
There is much confusion as the narrator doesn鈥檛 appear to know if he鈥檚 hallucinating at times, is dead or alive, the visitors are dead, images or what. He鈥檚 full of angst most of the time being quite convinced that these people on the island are there to capture him and he鈥檚 constantly on the run. He also is unsure out of all of these individuals who can see him and who cannot. But surprisingly enough our narrator doesn鈥檛 seem at all bothered with the possibility of death from this supposedly dreadful disease. But is there such a disease or is it all an illusion? The answer does indeed lie with an individual called Morel and it transpires that he has created a machine using images from reflections in mirrors. Our narrator cannot understand why he can see and hear Faustine and Morel and the other guests and then a week later this scenario is repeated.
The descriptive elements are superb, be it the flora on the island or the treacherous tides, that submerge parts of the island; which all add to the structure of the novel.
And as for the two suns and two moons, I couldn鈥檛 fathom this out at all until later in the book. What was interesting to know however is that two suns had been seen before in earlier times by Cicero:
The two suns that, as I heard from my father, were seen in the Consulate of Tuditanus and Aquilius, in the year (183 B.C) when the sun of Publius Africanus was extinguished.. (This statement appears to be incorrect after looking at other reliable sources but the gist is there.)
This tour de force had such an unexpected effect on me and to think that I nearly dismissed it arbitrarily. The writing style is second to none and in fact I really don鈥檛 know how the author had such an incredible imagination to write this novella. I most certainly want to read his other books.
Faced with the penultimate page I found myself highly perplexed. How can one possibly describe this multi-faceted, metaphysical, mysterious, surreal and surprising novella? There is so much depth to this work.
As for the denouement鈥� Well all that can be said is that it wasn鈥檛 at all what I expected.
And finally, thank you Harold for mentioning this book to me in one of your comments on a book by J.L. Borges, . It鈥檚 interesting that they both had this fascination with mirrors and what they can lead to.
April 13, 2015
The incomprehensibility of an idea is what makes man delve deeper into it. The more challenging the idea the more fascination it holds. For as long as mankind can remember, the idea of death and immortality has intrigued minds, making man wish to conquer death and to become immortal. Philosophy, science and religion maintain views which suggest some interesting thoughts for contemplation. But since 鈥榙eath鈥� still remains unconquerable, man somehow tries to deceive it by leaving behind works of importance which may perhaps render immortality to the name. In the case of Art it seems even more appropriate. As long as the work of art lives, the name of artist remains immortal.
This work by Adolfo Bioy Casares, not only deals with a man鈥檚 fascination with the idea of immortality and how he tries to achieve it but also with its confrontation with reality. It further poses questions on the possible implications and this is what makes this work so compelling. I would venture to say that even without Borges鈥� support the work would have stood apart as a distinct work of art whose beauty lies in the remarkably executed plot.
The protagonist of the story is a fugitive and the story is narrated in first person. The work starts with narrator鈥檚 coming to a remote, supposedly disease infected island with no human sign. We are never told the name of the narrator but the name of island is Villings and it has a museum, a chapel and a swimming pool, thought to be constructed by the last inhabitants who abandoned it later because of the disease. After sometime the narrator start noticing people on the island who were not there before and who seemed to have come out of nowhere. Where have they come from? Now this is the deceit which Casares has worked so beautifully with and it is quite well advanced for his times.
Those people are actually not real but images. Images recorded for a week and then being set up on a big projector working in sync with the ocean tides. But the images are three dimensional like in holography so that they appear real from a distance. The work being undertaken by a man named Morel (interestingly it seems to rhyme with the Greek word 鈥楳oirai鈥� which is plural and means 鈥榝ates鈥�). We know of this because in a recorded scene, Morel tells about it to all the people whom he recorded for his experiment. The experiment being to make those people immortal by capturing them and letting them live in a projected world forever.
Our narrator, who seems to be fascinated with this experiment because he has fallen in love with the image of a woman named Faustine, records all his experiences in a diary and somehow wishes to be a part of the experiment itself to be able to make his presence felt to the woman. But he also posits uncertainty as to the fruitfulness of such endeavor.
鈥淭he case of the inventor who is duped by his own invention emphasizes our need for circumspection. But I may be generalizing about the peculiarities of one man, moralizing about a characteristic that applies only to Morel. I approve of the direction he gave, no doubt unconsciously, to his efforts to perpetuate man: but he has preserved nothing but sensations; and, although his invention was incomplete, he at least foreshadowed the truth: man will one day create human life. His work seems to confirm my old axiom: it is useless to try to keep the whole body alive.鈥�
The preservation of images without them having any consciousness is different from our reality and hence incomplete. Also further he questions the morality of such endeavors and their consequences, shall man be able to device something successfully, perhaps including consciousness, to remain immortal.
When minds of greater refinement than Morel's begin to work on the invention, man will select a lonely, pleasant place, will go there with the persons he loves most, and will endure in an intimate paradise. A single garden, if the scenes to be eternalized are recorded at different moments, will contain innumerable paradises, and each group of inhabitants, unaware of the others, will move about simultaneously, almost in the same places, without colliding. But unfortunately these will be vulnerable paradises because the images will not be able to see men; and, if men do not heed the advice of Malthus, someday they will need the land of even the smallest paradise, and will destroy its defenseless inhabitants or will exile them by disconnecting their machines.
Casares seems to be anticipating the hazard of such scientific inventions which man may undertake to gain immortality in the future. Although we haven鈥檛 yet achieved it but the horror of this possibility is not hard to imagine.
The work also seems to be an ode to the world of movies since Casares was quite fascinated by them while growing up.The idea of capturing images of actors and then playing them over and over again to attain same reality was what held his attention. He is also seemingly fascinated by the idea of cyclic repetition as his literary guide Borges.
I am quite taken by the power of his writing style and after the strong recommendation of Mike, do look forward to reading more of him.
December 24, 2016
A surrealistic story with perfect execution. I am captivated by the setting and protagonist's inner conflicts. Me! A shallow reader who enjoy cheap thrilling of pulp fictions enjoyed a Latin American literature work! That's how good Casares's writing skill is.
Mystery has big part on the story, so even it is a well known literature, I don't want to say much about the plot. But I can say the atmosphere alone is a perfect example of surrealism of early 20th century. I can't help myself imagining the story as in 1930s movie (the story was published at 1940).
After finishing this, maybe I can endure reading the works of Jorge Luis Borges or Gabriel Garc铆a Marquez. ;)
ADDITION INFO:
Thanks to Wreade1872's Reviews, there is a link regarding some lost in translation for English version. The article is here:
Mystery has big part on the story, so even it is a well known literature, I don't want to say much about the plot. But I can say the atmosphere alone is a perfect example of surrealism of early 20th century. I can't help myself imagining the story as in 1930s movie (the story was published at 1940).
After finishing this, maybe I can endure reading the works of Jorge Luis Borges or Gabriel Garc铆a Marquez. ;)
ADDITION INFO:
Thanks to Wreade1872's Reviews, there is a link regarding some lost in translation for English version. The article is here:
July 6, 2022
The dead remain in the midst of the living.
The Invention of Morel is a satirical tale which questions the boundaries between fantasy, imagination and reality, exploring the subject of man, God and immortality. Where are we going? Where were we before?
The narrator of the story who is wanted by the authorities, takes refuge on an uninhabited island, where there is a museum, a chapel, a swimming pool, a stairway, a secret door, mirrors and a mysterious deadly disease.
My life was so unbearable that I decided to go there anyway.
But who built this place? And why did they abandon it?
At first he assumes he is alone.
When one is alone it is impossible to be dead.
But after some time he sees people and among them he sees Faustine and falls in love with her.
She watches the sunset every afternoon; from my hiding place I watch her. Yesterday, and again today, I discovered that my nights and days wait for this hour.
She sits there, as if posing for an invisible photographer; she surpasses the calm of the sunset.
But why doesn't she notice him? Come to think of it, why nobody seems to see him? Why does he feel the same actions and conversations of the people repeat every day? Why are there two moons and two suns in the sky?
Is he hallucinating? Has he lost his sanity? What is real and what is an illusion?
I think I must be in hell.
The Invention of Morel is a satirical tale which questions the boundaries between fantasy, imagination and reality, exploring the subject of man, God and immortality. Where are we going? Where were we before?
The narrator of the story who is wanted by the authorities, takes refuge on an uninhabited island, where there is a museum, a chapel, a swimming pool, a stairway, a secret door, mirrors and a mysterious deadly disease.
My life was so unbearable that I decided to go there anyway.
But who built this place? And why did they abandon it?
At first he assumes he is alone.
When one is alone it is impossible to be dead.
But after some time he sees people and among them he sees Faustine and falls in love with her.
She watches the sunset every afternoon; from my hiding place I watch her. Yesterday, and again today, I discovered that my nights and days wait for this hour.
She sits there, as if posing for an invisible photographer; she surpasses the calm of the sunset.
But why doesn't she notice him? Come to think of it, why nobody seems to see him? Why does he feel the same actions and conversations of the people repeat every day? Why are there two moons and two suns in the sky?
Is he hallucinating? Has he lost his sanity? What is real and what is an illusion?
I think I must be in hell.
April 8, 2015
毓賳丿賲丕 鬲賰鬲亘 毓賳 乇賵丕賷丞 賮丕鬲賳丞 賮賷噩亘 兀賳 鬲毓胤賷 賳賮爻賰 賮乇氐丞 賱賰賷 鬲賱鬲賯胤 丕賱兀賳賮丕爻 賵鬲爻鬲丨囟乇 丕賱氐賵乇 賵丕賱賲卮丕賴丿 賵丕賱兀賮賰丕乇 .. 賱賷爻 賰賱 丕賱乇賵丕賷丕鬲 鬲爻鬲丨賯 賵賱丕 賰賱賴丕 鬲毓胤賷賰 賴匕賴 丕賱亘賴噩丞 丕賱亘賴噩丞 丕賱鬲賷 鬲兀鬲賷 賲丨賲賱丞 亘丕賱賰孬賷乇 賲賳 丕賱鬲氐賵乇丕鬲 賵丕賱兀賮賰丕乇 亘毓丿 賯乇丕卅鬲賴丕
賴匕賴 賲賯丿賲丞 賱丕 亘丿 賲賳賴丕 賷爻鬲丨賯賴丕 兀丿賵賱賮賵 賰丕爻丕乇賷爻 .. 賱兀賳賴 賰丕鬲亘 賲禺鬲賱賮 賵賱兀賳賴 賰丕鬲亘 賮賳鬲丕夭賷 兀毓胤賶 賴丕賱丞 賲賳 丕賱睾賲賵囟 賱賷鬲賷丨 丕賱賲噩丕賱 賱賱毓丿賷丿 賲賳 丕賱鬲賮爻賷乇丕鬲 賰丕鬲亘 賱丕 賷爻賴賱 毓賱賷賰 丕賱兀賲乇 賷丿賮毓賰 賱賱鬲賮賰賷乇 賵兀賳丕 兀丨亘 匕賱賰 ..
賰鬲亘鬲 賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 毓賱賶 卮賰賱 賷賵賲賷丕鬲 賱亘胤賱 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賴賵丕賲卮賴丕 噩夭亍 賲賳 丕賱丨賰丕賷丞
鬲丿賵乇 兀丨丿丕孬賴丕 賮賷 噩夭賷乇丞 賲毓夭賵賱丞 賱丕 賷毓乇賮 毓賳賴丕 丕賱毓丕賲丞 亘賱 毓乇賮賴丕 氐丕丨亘賳丕 丕賱匕賷 賱賷爻 賱賴 丕爻賲丕 賮賷 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 毓賳 胤乇賷賯 鬲丕噩乇 廿賷胤丕賱賷 貙 賵亘賲丕 廿賳賴 賴丕乇亘 賲賳 丨賰賲 賷賯乇乇 丕賱賮乇丕乇 廿賱賶 丕賱噩夭賷乇丞 噩夭賷乇丞 賲毓夭賵賱丞 賱丕 鬲丨賵賷 爻賵賶 賰賳賷爻丞 賵賲鬲丨賮 賵賲賰鬲亘丞 .. 噩夭賷乇丞 賷賮鬲乇囟 廿賳賴丕 賲賴噩賵乇丞 賵賰丕賳 丕賱鬲丨丕賯 賴匕丕 丕賱乇噩賱 亘丕賱噩夭賷乇丞 丕卮亘賴 亘丕賱廿賳賮氐丕賱 毓賳 丕賱丨賷丕丞 丕賱丨賯賷賯賷丞 賲賲丕 賷賵丨賷 賱賰 亘兀賳 賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 丕賱賯氐賷乇丞 賰鬲亘鬲 賱鬲賲噩丿 丨賷丕丞 丕賱毓夭賱丞 賵賰賷賮 賷賲賰賳 賱廿賳爻丕賳 兀賳 賷鬲毓丕賲賱 賲毓 丕賱毓夭賱丞 亘爻禺乇賷丞 賲丐賱賲丞 賮賷 馗賱 馗乇賵賮 禺丕乇噩丞 毓賳 丕賱爻賷胤乇丞
睾賷乇 兀賳 丕賱賵囟毓 賮賷 丕賱噩夭賷乇丞 賱丕 賷亘賯賶 賰賲丕 賴賵 賮賮噩兀丞 賷賱鬲賯賷 亘賲氐胤丕賮賷賳 賷馗賳 賮賷 賮鬲乇丞 賲丕 廿賳賴賲 賲鬲賵丕胤卅賵賳 賲毓 丕賱卮乇胤丞 賵廿賳賴 賲賱丕丨賯 睾賷乇 兀賳 賲賳 亘賷賳賴賲 廿賲乇兀丞 鬲噩匕亘賴 賱賲乇丕賯亘鬲賴丕 賵鬲亘丿賵 鬲賱賰 丕賱賮鬲丕丞 賲孬賱 兀賲賱丕 賱賱乇賵丨 鬲丨賷賷賴丕 貙 賷賯鬲乇亘 賲賳賴丕 貙 賷夭乇毓 賱賴丕 丨丿賷賯丞 賲賳 丕賱賵乇丿 賷賵丿 賱賵 賷乇賰毓 鬲丨鬲 乇賰亘鬲賷賴丕 貙 賱賰賳 丕賱兀賲乇 賱賷爻 亘鬲賱賰 丕賱爻賴賵賱丞 賮賱丕 丕賱噩夭賷夭丞 鬲賱賰 丕賱噩夭賷乇丞 賵賱丕 丕賱亘卮乇 賴賲 兀丐賱卅賰 丕賱亘卮乇 ..
賲賳 丕賱賲賴賲 賴賳丕 兀賳 賳賯賮 毓賱賶 賵賯鬲 賰鬲丕亘丞 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賵廿賳賴 丨丿孬 賮賷 兀乇亘毓賷賳賷丕鬲 丕賱賯乇賳 丕賱毓卮乇賷賳 賵匕賱賰 賯亘賱 毓丕賲 賵丕丨丿 賲賳 亘丿亍 丕賱亘孬 丕賱鬲賷賱賮夭賷賵賳賷 賵丕賳鬲卮丕乇 丕賱毓乇囟 賮賷 賰賱 亘賷鬲 兀賲乇賷賰賷 賵賴賳丕 丕賱賲賮丕噩兀丞 賮賷 賴匕丕 丕賱賳氐 乇亘胤 丕賱丨賰丕賷丞 亘丕賱氐賵乇 賵丕賱賲卮丕賴丿 丕賱爻賷賳賲丕卅賷丞 賵丕賱鬲賷 賰丕賳鬲 丕賱賵爻賷賱丞 丕賱兀賲孬賱 賱鬲噩爻賷丿 賮賰乇丞 丕賱禺賱賵丿 .. 賴賱 丕賱氐賵乇丞 鬲卮毓乇 亘賵噩賵丿賳丕 賰賲丕 賳卮毓乇 亘賵噩賵丿賴丕 賴賱 賴丐賱丕亍 亘卮乇 丨賯賷賯賷賵賳 亘賯丿乇 賲丕 賳丨賳 丨賯賷賯賷賵賳 賱賰賳 賲賳 賷禺亘乇賳丕 亘兀賳賳丕 丨賯賷賯賷賵賳 賮毓賱丕 .. 廿賳 賮賰乇丞 丕賱禺賱賵丿 賱丕 賷賲賰賳 兀賳 鬲鬲丨賯賯 廿賱丕 亘賵爻賷賱鬲賷賳 丕賱氐賵乇丞 賵丕賱賰賱賲丞 賵賰賱丕賴賲丕 鬲丨賯賯 賮賷 丕禺鬲乇丕毓 賲賵乇賷賱 賮賴賳丕賰 丕賱賲卮丕賴丿 丕賱鬲賷 禺賱丿賴丕 賲賵乇賷賱 賮賷 噩賴丕夭 毓乇囟賴 賵賴賳丕賰 賷賵賲賷丕鬲 亘胤賱 丕賱丨賰丕賷丞 .. 賱賯丿 乇亘胤 賰丕爻丕乇賷爻 賲爻兀賱丞 丕賱禺賱賵丿 亘賴匕賷賳 丕賱兀賲乇賷賳 賵噩毓賱 丕賱兀賲乇 賷亘丿賵 賵丕賯毓丕 賮賷 丕賱賲賳胤賯丞 賲丕 亘賷賳 丕賱賴賱賵爻丞 賵丕賱賵丕賯毓 睾賷乇 兀賳 賮賰乇丞 丕賱賲賵鬲 賴賵 兀賲乇 賵丕賯毓 賵丕賱廿賱鬲丨丕賯 亘丕賱丨亘賷亘丞 賯丿 賷禺賮賮 賲賳 賵胤兀丞 賴匕丕 丕賱兀賲乇 ( 丕賱賲賵鬲 丕賱匕賷 兀氐亘丨 賲爻鬲丨賷賱丕 亘毓丿 兀賳 乇兀賷鬲 賴匕賴 丕賱賲乇兀丞)
賵賴賰匕丕 鬲賰賵賳 丕賱賲乇兀丞 賴賷 丕賱丨賷丕丞 賵賴賷 兀賷囟丕 噩夭亍 賴丕賲 賲賳 賮賰乇丞 丕賱禺賱賵丿 ..
賷鬲賷丨 賱賰 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 兀賷囟丕 兀賳 鬲乇賶 丕賱兀賲乇 賲噩乇丿 賴賱賵爻丞 乇噩賱 賲丨賲賵賲 賵賲丨賰賵賲 亘丕賱兀毓丿丕賲 賮賷 賯賵賱賴 賮賷 兀賵賱 丕賱丨賰丕賷丞 ( 賲乇賷囟丕 兀賴賱賵爻 .. 囟丕卅毓丕 賮賷 丕賱乇毓亘 ) 賳毓賲 賯丿 賱丕 賷鬲毓丿賶 丕賱兀賲乇 賲爻兀賱丞 賴賱賵爻丞 賵賱賰賳 亘賱丕卮賰 賱賳 鬲乇鬲囟賷 賲孬賱 賴匕賴 丕賱賮賰乇丞 .. 丕賱賰鬲丕亘丞 賮賷 丕賱禺賷丕賱 丕賱毓賱賲賷 賷噩亘 廿賳噩丕夭賴 亘卮賰賱 賷鬲丨丿賶 賮賷賴 匕賰丕亍 丕賱賯丕乇賶亍 兀賳 賷賰賵賳 賲鬲噩丿丿丕 兀賳 賷賯丿賲 賱賰 兀賮賰丕乇丕 睾賷乇 賲爻亘賵賯丞 賵賰丕爻丕乇賷爻 丨賷賳 賰鬲亘 賴匕丕 丕賱賳氐 賮賷 匕賱賰 丕賱賵賯鬲 兀孬賳丕亍 丕賱丨乇亘 丕賱毓丕賱賲賷丞 丕賱孬丕賳賷丞 賵兀孬賳丕亍 賲丕 賰丕賳鬲 丕賱氐賵乇丞 鬲鬲丨乇賰 賮賷 賰賱 亘賷鬲 賰鬲亘 賳氐丕 亘賮賰乇丞 睾賷乇 賲爻亘賵賯丞
.. 賵賷亘丿賵 兀賳 鬲毓賱賯賴 亘氐賵乇丞 廿丨丿賶 丕賱賲賲孬賱丕鬲 賰丕賳 賲賱賴賲丞 賱賴匕丕 丕賱丨丿 賲賳 丕賱廿賳噩丕夭 丕賱兀丿亘賷
廿賳 卮禺氐賷丞 丕賱賴丕乇亘 賮賷 賴匕丕 丕賱賳氐 賴賵 卮禺氐 鬲爻鬲賵賱賷 毓賱賷賴 兀賮賰丕乇 賲丨亘胤丞 賳亘乇鬲賴 賳亘乇丞 丕賱卮賰賵賶 賵丕賱鬲馗賱賲 貙 卮禺氐 賷毓丕賳賷 賲賳 丨丕賱丞 賲賳 丕賱賷兀爻 賵賮賯丿丕賳 丕賱孬賯丞 亘丕賱丌禺乇 賱匕賱賰 鬲噩丿賴 賷鬲賲丕賴賶 賲毓 氐賵乇丞 廿賲乇兀丞 賱丿乇噩丞 丕賱乇賰賵毓 賱丿乇噩丞 丕賱卮毓賵乇 亘丕賱睾賷乇丞 .. 賳亘乇丞 鬲噩鬲丕丨賴丕 丕賱兀賲賱 亘乇丐賷丞 丕賱賲乇兀丞 賱賰賳賴丕 鬲禺亘賵 賵鬲鬲賯賵賯毓 賮賷 禺丕賳丞 丕賱廿丨亘丕胤 丨賷賳 賱丕 賷毓丿賵 丕賱兀賲乇 兀賰孬乇 賲賳 賲噩乇丿 氐賵乇丞
氐賵乇丞 丕賱賲乇兀丞 賵賴賷 鬲鬲兀賲賱 貙 丕賲乇兀丞 噩賲賷賱丞 鬲賱亘爻 賵卮丕丨丕 鬲噩賱爻 毓賱賶 丕賱氐禺賵乇 丕賱賲胤賱丞 毓賱賶 丕賱賲丨賷胤 貙 鬲賯乇兀 賰鬲丕亘丕 鬲乇丕賯亘 睾乇賵亘 丕賱卮賲爻 賱賴賵 賲卮賴丿 賷賵丨賷 亘丕賱賳賴丕賷丞
賱賰賳賴 賮賷 賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 丕賱氐睾賷乇丞 賰丕賳 丕賱噩夭亍 丕賱兀賴賲 賲賳 丕賱亘丿丕賷丞 貙 賲賵乇賷賱 賷乇丕賯亘 丕禺鬲乇丕毓賴 賲賳 毓賱賶 亘毓丿 賷丨賯賯 丕賴丿丕賮賴 賲亘鬲爻賲丕 亘賱丕 卮賰 貙 賮賷 賲丨丕賵賱丞 鬲兀噩賷賱 丕賱賲賵鬲 賵丕賱丨賷丕丞 丿丕禺賱 氐賵乇丞 ! 賵賱兀賳賴 丨賯賯 兀賴丿丕賮賴 馗賴乇 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 亘毓賳賵丕賳 丕禺鬲乇丕毓 賲賵乇賷賱 賲賲丕 賷丐賰丿 毓賱賶 丕賳鬲氐丕乇 丕賱氐賵乇丞 賮賷 丕賱賳賴丕賷丞 .. 賮丕賱氐賵乇丞 鬲亘賯賶 丿丕卅賲丕
賯乇兀鬲 賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 丕賱賯氐賷乇丞 亘賲鬲毓丞 禺丕賱氐丞 毓賱賶 噩賴丕夭 丕賱賲賵亘丕賷賱 賮賷 賲胤丕乇 丕賱賰賵賷鬲
賴匕賴 賲賯丿賲丞 賱丕 亘丿 賲賳賴丕 賷爻鬲丨賯賴丕 兀丿賵賱賮賵 賰丕爻丕乇賷爻 .. 賱兀賳賴 賰丕鬲亘 賲禺鬲賱賮 賵賱兀賳賴 賰丕鬲亘 賮賳鬲丕夭賷 兀毓胤賶 賴丕賱丞 賲賳 丕賱睾賲賵囟 賱賷鬲賷丨 丕賱賲噩丕賱 賱賱毓丿賷丿 賲賳 丕賱鬲賮爻賷乇丕鬲 賰丕鬲亘 賱丕 賷爻賴賱 毓賱賷賰 丕賱兀賲乇 賷丿賮毓賰 賱賱鬲賮賰賷乇 賵兀賳丕 兀丨亘 匕賱賰 ..
賰鬲亘鬲 賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 毓賱賶 卮賰賱 賷賵賲賷丕鬲 賱亘胤賱 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賴賵丕賲卮賴丕 噩夭亍 賲賳 丕賱丨賰丕賷丞
鬲丿賵乇 兀丨丿丕孬賴丕 賮賷 噩夭賷乇丞 賲毓夭賵賱丞 賱丕 賷毓乇賮 毓賳賴丕 丕賱毓丕賲丞 亘賱 毓乇賮賴丕 氐丕丨亘賳丕 丕賱匕賷 賱賷爻 賱賴 丕爻賲丕 賮賷 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 毓賳 胤乇賷賯 鬲丕噩乇 廿賷胤丕賱賷 貙 賵亘賲丕 廿賳賴 賴丕乇亘 賲賳 丨賰賲 賷賯乇乇 丕賱賮乇丕乇 廿賱賶 丕賱噩夭賷乇丞 噩夭賷乇丞 賲毓夭賵賱丞 賱丕 鬲丨賵賷 爻賵賶 賰賳賷爻丞 賵賲鬲丨賮 賵賲賰鬲亘丞 .. 噩夭賷乇丞 賷賮鬲乇囟 廿賳賴丕 賲賴噩賵乇丞 賵賰丕賳 丕賱鬲丨丕賯 賴匕丕 丕賱乇噩賱 亘丕賱噩夭賷乇丞 丕卮亘賴 亘丕賱廿賳賮氐丕賱 毓賳 丕賱丨賷丕丞 丕賱丨賯賷賯賷丞 賲賲丕 賷賵丨賷 賱賰 亘兀賳 賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 丕賱賯氐賷乇丞 賰鬲亘鬲 賱鬲賲噩丿 丨賷丕丞 丕賱毓夭賱丞 賵賰賷賮 賷賲賰賳 賱廿賳爻丕賳 兀賳 賷鬲毓丕賲賱 賲毓 丕賱毓夭賱丞 亘爻禺乇賷丞 賲丐賱賲丞 賮賷 馗賱 馗乇賵賮 禺丕乇噩丞 毓賳 丕賱爻賷胤乇丞
睾賷乇 兀賳 丕賱賵囟毓 賮賷 丕賱噩夭賷乇丞 賱丕 賷亘賯賶 賰賲丕 賴賵 賮賮噩兀丞 賷賱鬲賯賷 亘賲氐胤丕賮賷賳 賷馗賳 賮賷 賮鬲乇丞 賲丕 廿賳賴賲 賲鬲賵丕胤卅賵賳 賲毓 丕賱卮乇胤丞 賵廿賳賴 賲賱丕丨賯 睾賷乇 兀賳 賲賳 亘賷賳賴賲 廿賲乇兀丞 鬲噩匕亘賴 賱賲乇丕賯亘鬲賴丕 賵鬲亘丿賵 鬲賱賰 丕賱賮鬲丕丞 賲孬賱 兀賲賱丕 賱賱乇賵丨 鬲丨賷賷賴丕 貙 賷賯鬲乇亘 賲賳賴丕 貙 賷夭乇毓 賱賴丕 丨丿賷賯丞 賲賳 丕賱賵乇丿 賷賵丿 賱賵 賷乇賰毓 鬲丨鬲 乇賰亘鬲賷賴丕 貙 賱賰賳 丕賱兀賲乇 賱賷爻 亘鬲賱賰 丕賱爻賴賵賱丞 賮賱丕 丕賱噩夭賷夭丞 鬲賱賰 丕賱噩夭賷乇丞 賵賱丕 丕賱亘卮乇 賴賲 兀丐賱卅賰 丕賱亘卮乇 ..
賲賳 丕賱賲賴賲 賴賳丕 兀賳 賳賯賮 毓賱賶 賵賯鬲 賰鬲丕亘丞 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賵廿賳賴 丨丿孬 賮賷 兀乇亘毓賷賳賷丕鬲 丕賱賯乇賳 丕賱毓卮乇賷賳 賵匕賱賰 賯亘賱 毓丕賲 賵丕丨丿 賲賳 亘丿亍 丕賱亘孬 丕賱鬲賷賱賮夭賷賵賳賷 賵丕賳鬲卮丕乇 丕賱毓乇囟 賮賷 賰賱 亘賷鬲 兀賲乇賷賰賷 賵賴賳丕 丕賱賲賮丕噩兀丞 賮賷 賴匕丕 丕賱賳氐 乇亘胤 丕賱丨賰丕賷丞 亘丕賱氐賵乇 賵丕賱賲卮丕賴丿 丕賱爻賷賳賲丕卅賷丞 賵丕賱鬲賷 賰丕賳鬲 丕賱賵爻賷賱丞 丕賱兀賲孬賱 賱鬲噩爻賷丿 賮賰乇丞 丕賱禺賱賵丿 .. 賴賱 丕賱氐賵乇丞 鬲卮毓乇 亘賵噩賵丿賳丕 賰賲丕 賳卮毓乇 亘賵噩賵丿賴丕 賴賱 賴丐賱丕亍 亘卮乇 丨賯賷賯賷賵賳 亘賯丿乇 賲丕 賳丨賳 丨賯賷賯賷賵賳 賱賰賳 賲賳 賷禺亘乇賳丕 亘兀賳賳丕 丨賯賷賯賷賵賳 賮毓賱丕 .. 廿賳 賮賰乇丞 丕賱禺賱賵丿 賱丕 賷賲賰賳 兀賳 鬲鬲丨賯賯 廿賱丕 亘賵爻賷賱鬲賷賳 丕賱氐賵乇丞 賵丕賱賰賱賲丞 賵賰賱丕賴賲丕 鬲丨賯賯 賮賷 丕禺鬲乇丕毓 賲賵乇賷賱 賮賴賳丕賰 丕賱賲卮丕賴丿 丕賱鬲賷 禺賱丿賴丕 賲賵乇賷賱 賮賷 噩賴丕夭 毓乇囟賴 賵賴賳丕賰 賷賵賲賷丕鬲 亘胤賱 丕賱丨賰丕賷丞 .. 賱賯丿 乇亘胤 賰丕爻丕乇賷爻 賲爻兀賱丞 丕賱禺賱賵丿 亘賴匕賷賳 丕賱兀賲乇賷賳 賵噩毓賱 丕賱兀賲乇 賷亘丿賵 賵丕賯毓丕 賮賷 丕賱賲賳胤賯丞 賲丕 亘賷賳 丕賱賴賱賵爻丞 賵丕賱賵丕賯毓 睾賷乇 兀賳 賮賰乇丞 丕賱賲賵鬲 賴賵 兀賲乇 賵丕賯毓 賵丕賱廿賱鬲丨丕賯 亘丕賱丨亘賷亘丞 賯丿 賷禺賮賮 賲賳 賵胤兀丞 賴匕丕 丕賱兀賲乇 ( 丕賱賲賵鬲 丕賱匕賷 兀氐亘丨 賲爻鬲丨賷賱丕 亘毓丿 兀賳 乇兀賷鬲 賴匕賴 丕賱賲乇兀丞)
賵賴賰匕丕 鬲賰賵賳 丕賱賲乇兀丞 賴賷 丕賱丨賷丕丞 賵賴賷 兀賷囟丕 噩夭亍 賴丕賲 賲賳 賮賰乇丞 丕賱禺賱賵丿 ..
賷鬲賷丨 賱賰 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 兀賷囟丕 兀賳 鬲乇賶 丕賱兀賲乇 賲噩乇丿 賴賱賵爻丞 乇噩賱 賲丨賲賵賲 賵賲丨賰賵賲 亘丕賱兀毓丿丕賲 賮賷 賯賵賱賴 賮賷 兀賵賱 丕賱丨賰丕賷丞 ( 賲乇賷囟丕 兀賴賱賵爻 .. 囟丕卅毓丕 賮賷 丕賱乇毓亘 ) 賳毓賲 賯丿 賱丕 賷鬲毓丿賶 丕賱兀賲乇 賲爻兀賱丞 賴賱賵爻丞 賵賱賰賳 亘賱丕卮賰 賱賳 鬲乇鬲囟賷 賲孬賱 賴匕賴 丕賱賮賰乇丞 .. 丕賱賰鬲丕亘丞 賮賷 丕賱禺賷丕賱 丕賱毓賱賲賷 賷噩亘 廿賳噩丕夭賴 亘卮賰賱 賷鬲丨丿賶 賮賷賴 匕賰丕亍 丕賱賯丕乇賶亍 兀賳 賷賰賵賳 賲鬲噩丿丿丕 兀賳 賷賯丿賲 賱賰 兀賮賰丕乇丕 睾賷乇 賲爻亘賵賯丞 賵賰丕爻丕乇賷爻 丨賷賳 賰鬲亘 賴匕丕 丕賱賳氐 賮賷 匕賱賰 丕賱賵賯鬲 兀孬賳丕亍 丕賱丨乇亘 丕賱毓丕賱賲賷丞 丕賱孬丕賳賷丞 賵兀孬賳丕亍 賲丕 賰丕賳鬲 丕賱氐賵乇丞 鬲鬲丨乇賰 賮賷 賰賱 亘賷鬲 賰鬲亘 賳氐丕 亘賮賰乇丞 睾賷乇 賲爻亘賵賯丞
.. 賵賷亘丿賵 兀賳 鬲毓賱賯賴 亘氐賵乇丞 廿丨丿賶 丕賱賲賲孬賱丕鬲 賰丕賳 賲賱賴賲丞 賱賴匕丕 丕賱丨丿 賲賳 丕賱廿賳噩丕夭 丕賱兀丿亘賷
廿賳 卮禺氐賷丞 丕賱賴丕乇亘 賮賷 賴匕丕 丕賱賳氐 賴賵 卮禺氐 鬲爻鬲賵賱賷 毓賱賷賴 兀賮賰丕乇 賲丨亘胤丞 賳亘乇鬲賴 賳亘乇丞 丕賱卮賰賵賶 賵丕賱鬲馗賱賲 貙 卮禺氐 賷毓丕賳賷 賲賳 丨丕賱丞 賲賳 丕賱賷兀爻 賵賮賯丿丕賳 丕賱孬賯丞 亘丕賱丌禺乇 賱匕賱賰 鬲噩丿賴 賷鬲賲丕賴賶 賲毓 氐賵乇丞 廿賲乇兀丞 賱丿乇噩丞 丕賱乇賰賵毓 賱丿乇噩丞 丕賱卮毓賵乇 亘丕賱睾賷乇丞 .. 賳亘乇丞 鬲噩鬲丕丨賴丕 丕賱兀賲賱 亘乇丐賷丞 丕賱賲乇兀丞 賱賰賳賴丕 鬲禺亘賵 賵鬲鬲賯賵賯毓 賮賷 禺丕賳丞 丕賱廿丨亘丕胤 丨賷賳 賱丕 賷毓丿賵 丕賱兀賲乇 兀賰孬乇 賲賳 賲噩乇丿 氐賵乇丞
氐賵乇丞 丕賱賲乇兀丞 賵賴賷 鬲鬲兀賲賱 貙 丕賲乇兀丞 噩賲賷賱丞 鬲賱亘爻 賵卮丕丨丕 鬲噩賱爻 毓賱賶 丕賱氐禺賵乇 丕賱賲胤賱丞 毓賱賶 丕賱賲丨賷胤 貙 鬲賯乇兀 賰鬲丕亘丕 鬲乇丕賯亘 睾乇賵亘 丕賱卮賲爻 賱賴賵 賲卮賴丿 賷賵丨賷 亘丕賱賳賴丕賷丞
賱賰賳賴 賮賷 賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 丕賱氐睾賷乇丞 賰丕賳 丕賱噩夭亍 丕賱兀賴賲 賲賳 丕賱亘丿丕賷丞 貙 賲賵乇賷賱 賷乇丕賯亘 丕禺鬲乇丕毓賴 賲賳 毓賱賶 亘毓丿 賷丨賯賯 丕賴丿丕賮賴 賲亘鬲爻賲丕 亘賱丕 卮賰 貙 賮賷 賲丨丕賵賱丞 鬲兀噩賷賱 丕賱賲賵鬲 賵丕賱丨賷丕丞 丿丕禺賱 氐賵乇丞 ! 賵賱兀賳賴 丨賯賯 兀賴丿丕賮賴 馗賴乇 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 亘毓賳賵丕賳 丕禺鬲乇丕毓 賲賵乇賷賱 賲賲丕 賷丐賰丿 毓賱賶 丕賳鬲氐丕乇 丕賱氐賵乇丞 賮賷 丕賱賳賴丕賷丞 .. 賮丕賱氐賵乇丞 鬲亘賯賶 丿丕卅賲丕
賯乇兀鬲 賴匕賴 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 丕賱賯氐賷乇丞 亘賲鬲毓丞 禺丕賱氐丞 毓賱賶 噩賴丕夭 丕賱賲賵亘丕賷賱 賮賷 賲胤丕乇 丕賱賰賵賷鬲
February 16, 2020
I read this as it was short and I needed a break from a rather difficult history book. It was an interesting read to say the least. I came to the end and thought that it was maybe an analogy for purgatory or something to do with being in a state of dying. Then I read the wiki and a few reviews and can only say 鈥淲hat would I know?鈥� Not much.
March 31, 2022
Como cuando Robinson Crusoe es ahora pr贸fugo y termina ocult谩ndose por casualidad en la isla del Dr. Moreau; mientras tanto, se aventura a explorar el lugar en el que se encuentra. El descubrimiento: la mejor parte.
Bueno, pero hablando seriamente, he de decir que La invenci贸n de Morel es toda una grata experiencia lectora, y que no me atrevo a hablar del argumento por miedo a revelar algo que no deber铆a. Lo evidente: el t铆tulo me record贸 inmediatamente a la novela de H. G. Wells, La isla del doctor Moreau, y no es de extra帽ar, ya que el autor se inspir贸 en tal libro para darle nombre a su obra. Adem谩s, el personaje an贸nimo que se presenta como un fugitivo y que tiene que vivir aparentemente solo en una isla, me hizo recordar profundamente a Robinson Crusoe, especialmente por ese c煤mulo de reflexiones acerca de lo que implica la vida en soledad, la supervivencia y el hecho de estar vivo a pesar de las circunstancias que lo rodean.
Cuando nuestro nuevo Robinson Crusoe descubre que en realidad no est谩 solo en la isla, que hay alguien m谩s en ella, es cuando toda la magia de esta novela comienza 鈥攃omienza desde antes, pero al punto fuerte me refiero鈥� y nos vemos enfrentados a un nuevo mundo de posibilidades; lo que ocurrir谩 de aqu铆 en adelante queda en el futuro lector descubrirlo, pero les aseguro que valdr谩 absolutamente la pena.
Sin duda, una lectura fascinante de principio a fin.
鈥淟os hombres no han venido todav铆a a buscarme. Tal vez no vengan esta noche. Tal vez esta mujer sea para todo tan asombrosa y no les haya referido mi aparici贸n. La noche es oscura. Conozco bien la isla: no temo a un ej茅rcito, si me busca de noche.鈥�
Bueno, pero hablando seriamente, he de decir que La invenci贸n de Morel es toda una grata experiencia lectora, y que no me atrevo a hablar del argumento por miedo a revelar algo que no deber铆a. Lo evidente: el t铆tulo me record贸 inmediatamente a la novela de H. G. Wells, La isla del doctor Moreau, y no es de extra帽ar, ya que el autor se inspir贸 en tal libro para darle nombre a su obra. Adem谩s, el personaje an贸nimo que se presenta como un fugitivo y que tiene que vivir aparentemente solo en una isla, me hizo recordar profundamente a Robinson Crusoe, especialmente por ese c煤mulo de reflexiones acerca de lo que implica la vida en soledad, la supervivencia y el hecho de estar vivo a pesar de las circunstancias que lo rodean.
Cuando nuestro nuevo Robinson Crusoe descubre que en realidad no est谩 solo en la isla, que hay alguien m谩s en ella, es cuando toda la magia de esta novela comienza 鈥攃omienza desde antes, pero al punto fuerte me refiero鈥� y nos vemos enfrentados a un nuevo mundo de posibilidades; lo que ocurrir谩 de aqu铆 en adelante queda en el futuro lector descubrirlo, pero les aseguro que valdr谩 absolutamente la pena.
Sin duda, una lectura fascinante de principio a fin.
鈥淟os hombres no han venido todav铆a a buscarme. Tal vez no vengan esta noche. Tal vez esta mujer sea para todo tan asombrosa y no les haya referido mi aparici贸n. La noche es oscura. Conozco bien la isla: no temo a un ej茅rcito, si me busca de noche.鈥�
November 18, 2018
螆谓伪蟼 谓伪蠀伪纬蠈蟼/魏伪蟿维未喂魏慰蟼 (委蟽蠅蟼) 尾蟻委蟽魏蔚蟿伪喂 蟽蔚 苇谓伪 蔚蟻畏渭喂魏蠈 谓畏蟽委 蠈蟺慰蠀 蠀蟺维蟻蠂蔚喂 渭喂伪 蟺喂蟽委谓伪, 苇谓伪 渭慰蠀蟽蔚委慰 魏伪喂 苇谓伪 蟺伪蟻蔚魏魏位萎蟽喂... 韦委蟺慰蟿蔚 维位位慰.. 螝维蟺慰喂伪 蟽蟿喂纬渭萎 伪蟻蠂委味慰蠀谓 谓伪 蔚渭蠁伪谓委味慰谓蟿伪喂 魏维蟺慰喂伪 蟺蟻蠈蟽蠅蟺伪. 螒蠀蟿维!!! 螘委谓伪喂 伪蟻魏蔚蟿维 纬喂伪 谓伪 尉苇蟻蔚喂 魏维蟺慰喂慰蟼 蟺蟻喂谓 伪魏慰蠀渭蟺萎蟽蔚喂 "韦畏谓 蔚蠁蔚蠉蟻蔚蟽畏 蟿慰蠀 螠慰蟻苇位".
螣位蠈魏位畏蟻畏 畏 魏蟻喂蟿喂魏萎 蟽蟿畏谓 螞苇蟽蠂畏 蟿慰蠀 螔喂尾位委慰蠀:
螣位蠈魏位畏蟻畏 畏 魏蟻喂蟿喂魏萎 蟽蟿畏谓 螞苇蟽蠂畏 蟿慰蠀 螔喂尾位委慰蠀:
January 27, 2013
Lacking in the satirical surrealism found in his later (and some say lesser) NYRB book Asleep in the Sun, unfortunately this one failed to sustain my attention despite forty pages of anticipatory eagerness. The narrator, nameless, mooches around an island spying on a gypsy woman and is evicted from her presence by bearded Frenchmen. Naturally, she is beautiful, naturally he falls in love with her, then something happens to do with photographs and people dying and I didn鈥檛 understand most of it, due to the absence of an interesting character or situation or compelling narrative style, and too much technical-contraption-waffle of the kind found in the most boring nouveau roman stuff.
February 21, 2017
螒纬维蟺畏蟽伪 蟿伪 蟺维谓蟿伪, 蟿慰 魏伪胃蔚蟿委 蟺慰蠀 伪蟺慰蟿蔚位蔚委 伪蠀蟿萎 蟿畏谓 渭伪纬喂魏萎 谓慰蠀尾苇位伪 渭伪 蟺喂慰 蟺慰位蠉 蟿慰 渭蠀伪位蠈, 蟿畏谓 蠄蠀蠂萎 魏伪喂 蟿畏谓 蟺苇谓伪 蟿慰蠀 螝伪蟽蟽维蟻蔚蟼.
March 6, 2023
欧宝娱乐 can measure precisely the tiny minority I am in with this book 鈥� 4%. Yes, we are the disbelievers who gave it two stars, that ignominious rating which says 鈥渢his wasn鈥檛 bad enough to hate but neither was it good enough to like鈥�. It was a snooze, it kept trying to drag itself up to the level of vaguely interesting but would then be torpedoed by another description of a room or a woman who never speaks or weather. This was mutton dressed as lamb 鈥� high literature with a soft centre of fruitcake flavoured science fiction, which was the invention.
The plot is that our unnamed fugitive from the cops rows like mad across the ocean and randomly lands on an unknown island where an experiment is being conducted. Much puzzling loafing around ensues. This was published in 1940 so it is SF from the 30s 鈥� Frank Belknap Long, Murray Leinster or A E van Vogt would have done way better with this fever-dream mad scientist fantasy, and they would have cut it down to 35 pages and sold it to Amazing Stories in 1937
If Bioy Casares had submitted it as we have it here the MS would have come right back to him with a stiff letter 鈥� 鈥渢oo much repetition Mr Casares, how many times to we need to be told about the museum and the rooms and the silent woman, and how long does your hero take to catch on to the simple fact that he can see but not be seen by these people鈥� etc etc.
This book has been praised as the inspiration for Last Year in Marienbad, the 1961 French avantgarde movie headache, and for Lost, which I never saw, thinking it looked very dodgy. And Jorge Luis Borges thought it was perfect, and he was a genius. Well, as my old granny used to say, it takes all sorts to make a world.
The plot is that our unnamed fugitive from the cops rows like mad across the ocean and randomly lands on an unknown island where an experiment is being conducted. Much puzzling loafing around ensues. This was published in 1940 so it is SF from the 30s 鈥� Frank Belknap Long, Murray Leinster or A E van Vogt would have done way better with this fever-dream mad scientist fantasy, and they would have cut it down to 35 pages and sold it to Amazing Stories in 1937
If Bioy Casares had submitted it as we have it here the MS would have come right back to him with a stiff letter 鈥� 鈥渢oo much repetition Mr Casares, how many times to we need to be told about the museum and the rooms and the silent woman, and how long does your hero take to catch on to the simple fact that he can see but not be seen by these people鈥� etc etc.
This book has been praised as the inspiration for Last Year in Marienbad, the 1961 French avantgarde movie headache, and for Lost, which I never saw, thinking it looked very dodgy. And Jorge Luis Borges thought it was perfect, and he was a genius. Well, as my old granny used to say, it takes all sorts to make a world.
April 16, 2018
"畏 蔚蠁蔚蠀蟻蔚蟽畏 蟿慰蠀 螠慰蟻蔚位", 萎 伪位位喂蠅蟼 蟺蠅蟼 纬蟻伪蠁蔚蟿伪喂 蔚谓伪 伪蟻喂蟽蟿慰蠀蟻纬畏渭伪 蟽蔚 150 蟽蔚位喂未蔚蟼.伪蟺位伪 蔚魏蟺位畏魏蟿喂魏慰.危魏慰蟿蔚喂谓慰, 蟺蟻蠅蟿慰蟿蠀蟺慰, 蠁喂位慰蟽慰蠁喂魏慰, 伪纬蠅谓喂蠅未蔚蟼.螒唯螣螕螣! 未喂伪尾伪蟽蟿蔚 蟿慰!
"LOST", i see what you did there...馃槀馃槺
"LOST", i see what you did there...馃槀馃槺
April 15, 2010
Floating Reviews and the Television Show Lost
I just went through my update feed looking to see what my goodreads.com friends have been doing. I see reviews and things I should pay some attention to, but I'm not quite that self-reflexive yet that I will write reviews only about what I'm doing at the moment on goodreads.com. Instead I would like to make an observation of how my goodreads.com update feed mirrors this book.
For the past few days just about every morning and early evening that I check my update feed, or my homepage, or whatever we want to call it; there is one review that is always somewhere in the mix and match of reviews, comments and assorted other doings of my 'friends'. It's like my homepage was on a perpetual loop. Blah blah more blah, oh that review with the same sad 2 votes, more blah, some other blah..... later blah, blah, oh that review, blah blah blah.....morning..... blah review with the same two votes blah blah blah..... and on and on I suspect this will go until more people are forced to enjoy the review just so that it will stop being floated on to their update feeds. Normally I might ignore gratuitous floating of reviews (for those not in the David-inspired lingo, floating is when you 'edit' one of your reviews, maybe without actually even changing anything just so that it gets put back in the update feeds. The idea being that some of your friends may have missed it, and you want those friends to have the chance to read your very important opinions, thoughts, humorous little quips you thought up, long parenthetical asides, etc., there are different philosophical viewpoints about what is an appropriate number of 'floats' per review versus the age of the review), but I'm seeing this particular relatively unvoted for review that I'm starting to think that there must be something metaphysically fucked up going on, because why would someone keep putting up a review that apparently no one cares about, that would just be masochistic if you care about votes and shit and might take it personally when no one bothers to vote.
I'm going for the former, something metaphysically is fucked up, and part of my life is on repeat, like in Groundhog's Day, or that movie with Adam Sandler (which might be Groundhog's Day, but I'm fairly certain that starred Bill Murray), but without being able to exhibit any kind of freewill or act on the repetition I am now an unwilling part in, like I can go do other things, but everything else is going to happen exactly as before, or maybe not everything, but at least this one thing, this one fucking review that will just keep floating back up morning and evening, and I must confront it over and over again, sort of like Waiting for Godot but with only one act but repeated forever.
That is sort of the premise of this book, and did I mention that it takes place on an island, and that there are a few things that seem sort of similar to that annoyingly addictive show on ABC that is thankfully wrapping up in the next few weeks? I wish that the story of this book was mixed with the plot of The Third Policeman and that was what the whole big 'meaning' of Lost really was. How much more satisfying would it be if the whole premise revolved around following a Louise Brooks look alike around and pining over her as unattainable and having to relive that unattainability forever and ever..... yeah it would involved a much different show, but it is a love interest that I would be so much more behind than yet another reiteration of the Jack-Sawyer-Kate silliness that has been replaying like an unpopular review that just won't die.
So anyway, this book I liked. It is mentioned at some point in Lost, which is in it's final season on ABC and which I personally stopping caring about roughly two seasons ago, but like a bad car accident I just can't avert my gaze from it. But there isn't too much in this review proper, but whatever, I'll float this motherfucker till I get a gazillion votes if I have to.
I just went through my update feed looking to see what my goodreads.com friends have been doing. I see reviews and things I should pay some attention to, but I'm not quite that self-reflexive yet that I will write reviews only about what I'm doing at the moment on goodreads.com. Instead I would like to make an observation of how my goodreads.com update feed mirrors this book.
For the past few days just about every morning and early evening that I check my update feed, or my homepage, or whatever we want to call it; there is one review that is always somewhere in the mix and match of reviews, comments and assorted other doings of my 'friends'. It's like my homepage was on a perpetual loop. Blah blah more blah, oh that review with the same sad 2 votes, more blah, some other blah..... later blah, blah, oh that review, blah blah blah.....morning..... blah review with the same two votes blah blah blah..... and on and on I suspect this will go until more people are forced to enjoy the review just so that it will stop being floated on to their update feeds. Normally I might ignore gratuitous floating of reviews (for those not in the David-inspired lingo, floating is when you 'edit' one of your reviews, maybe without actually even changing anything just so that it gets put back in the update feeds. The idea being that some of your friends may have missed it, and you want those friends to have the chance to read your very important opinions, thoughts, humorous little quips you thought up, long parenthetical asides, etc., there are different philosophical viewpoints about what is an appropriate number of 'floats' per review versus the age of the review), but I'm seeing this particular relatively unvoted for review that I'm starting to think that there must be something metaphysically fucked up going on, because why would someone keep putting up a review that apparently no one cares about, that would just be masochistic if you care about votes and shit and might take it personally when no one bothers to vote.
I'm going for the former, something metaphysically is fucked up, and part of my life is on repeat, like in Groundhog's Day, or that movie with Adam Sandler (which might be Groundhog's Day, but I'm fairly certain that starred Bill Murray), but without being able to exhibit any kind of freewill or act on the repetition I am now an unwilling part in, like I can go do other things, but everything else is going to happen exactly as before, or maybe not everything, but at least this one thing, this one fucking review that will just keep floating back up morning and evening, and I must confront it over and over again, sort of like Waiting for Godot but with only one act but repeated forever.
That is sort of the premise of this book, and did I mention that it takes place on an island, and that there are a few things that seem sort of similar to that annoyingly addictive show on ABC that is thankfully wrapping up in the next few weeks? I wish that the story of this book was mixed with the plot of The Third Policeman and that was what the whole big 'meaning' of Lost really was. How much more satisfying would it be if the whole premise revolved around following a Louise Brooks look alike around and pining over her as unattainable and having to relive that unattainability forever and ever..... yeah it would involved a much different show, but it is a love interest that I would be so much more behind than yet another reiteration of the Jack-Sawyer-Kate silliness that has been replaying like an unpopular review that just won't die.
So anyway, this book I liked. It is mentioned at some point in Lost, which is in it's final season on ABC and which I personally stopping caring about roughly two seasons ago, but like a bad car accident I just can't avert my gaze from it. But there isn't too much in this review proper, but whatever, I'll float this motherfucker till I get a gazillion votes if I have to.
August 24, 2015
I see Faustine....
....but she doesn't see me.
I speak, halting, tortured words....
....but her gaze never shifts.
I build her a garden, a hint of my love....
....but she walks through it.
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____
I hold the glass by the stem, hard against the table. My wrist works, making the liquid swirl. I breathe it in. So often, I miss the notes. I guess wrong. I keep quiet at tastings.
So here.
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____
No, that won't do.
Let me tell you of my wrong guesses and dead ends.
I tasted the name: Faustine, Faustine. So like Durrell's Justine, no? A voyeur's love. But Durrell wrote later. I searched for Faust. Did I find him in Morel, who came here too, to perpetuate man? Sometimes I just don't trust my palate.
Morel, that bastard. He walked through my garden, Faustine following. Oh, don't let your children destroy it. But Lowry came later, too.
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____
So Casares must stand on his own. Alone with his 'fascination' with Louise Brooks.
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____
I am alone. The others - the 'tourists' - are not real. Not anymore. I see them because of Morel's 'invention'. A kind of immortality. I can see them. But they can't see me. I have escaped. But I am still imprisoned.
Trapped:
....but she doesn't see me.
I speak, halting, tortured words....
....but her gaze never shifts.
I build her a garden, a hint of my love....
....but she walks through it.
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____
I hold the glass by the stem, hard against the table. My wrist works, making the liquid swirl. I breathe it in. So often, I miss the notes. I guess wrong. I keep quiet at tastings.
So here.
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____
No, that won't do.
Let me tell you of my wrong guesses and dead ends.
I tasted the name: Faustine, Faustine. So like Durrell's Justine, no? A voyeur's love. But Durrell wrote later. I searched for Faust. Did I find him in Morel, who came here too, to perpetuate man? Sometimes I just don't trust my palate.
Morel, that bastard. He walked through my garden, Faustine following. Oh, don't let your children destroy it. But Lowry came later, too.
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____
So Casares must stand on his own. Alone with his 'fascination' with Louise Brooks.
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____
I am alone. The others - the 'tourists' - are not real. Not anymore. I see them because of Morel's 'invention'. A kind of immortality. I can see them. But they can't see me. I have escaped. But I am still imprisoned.
Trapped:
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