Paradais (originally titled Páradais in Spanish) is a novel by Mexican author Fernanda Melchor. It was published in its original Spanish in 2021 by Literatura Random House.[3] An English translation by Sophie Hughes was published in 2022 by Fitzcarraldo Editions and New Direction Books.
.png) First edition cover | |
| Author | Fernanda Melchor |
|---|---|
| Original title | Páradais |
| Translator | Sophie Hughes |
| Country | Mexico |
| Language | Spanish |
| Publisher | Literatura Random House |
Publication date | 2 February 2021[1] |
Published in English | 23 March 2022[2] |
| Media type | Print (paperback) |
| Pages | 200 |
| ISBN | 978-607-31-8797-8 |
| OCLC | 1179050066 |
| 863/.7 | |
Benjamin P. Russell of the Houston Chronicle described the novel as a "commentary on" the "often haunting facts" of Mexico, stating "a more incisive commentary [...] would be hard to find."[4]
This was the second Melchor novel to receive an officially published English translation.[5]
Contents edit
The setting is the gated community Paradais, located in the state of Veracruz. The novel is about a teenage duo, Franco Andrade and Leopoldo "Polo" García Chaparro,[6] who do criminal activity together.[7]
Characters edit
Franco, who lives in Paradais,[6] has the nickname "fatboy".[8] Franco is from a wealthy family, has little social success. Franco wants to have intercourse but has not found a willing female partner.[7] Gabriella Martin of Harvard Review wrote that Franco is "Exhibiting all the qualities of a classic “incel,”[...]"[8] Franco's father is a lawyer.[6] Franco has a sexual obsession with Señora Marián.[8]
Polo is from a low socioeconomic background and works at Paradise by gardening. Polo, who did not graduate from senior high school,[8] is 16 years old.[6] Justin Torres of The New York Times compared Polo to Bigger Thomas.[7]
Señora Marián is married to a television host and has two children. She lives adjacent to Franco.[8]
Reception edit
Justin Torres of The New York Times stated that the work is "seductive" despite the "unbroken wall of text" that makes a "visual effect", and he praised the work of the translator for showing "vitality of the prose".[7] The English translation of the novel was longlisted for the 2022 International Booker Prize.[9]
See also edit
- Hurricane Season - A novel by Melchor
References edit
- ^ "Páradais". Penguin Libros (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 8 November 2022. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
- ^ "Paradais". Fitzcarraldo Editions. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
- ^ "Páradais / Paradise". Penguin Random House. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
- ^ Russell, Benjamin P. (2022-05-25). "Mexican author Fernanda Melchor explores the human capacity for violence, and grace". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
- ^ Pressly, Lowry (2022-05-23). "In the Tongue a Knife, in the Knife a Tongue: On Fernanda Melchor's "Paradais"". Los Angeles Review of Books. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
- ^ a b c d McGee, Marcus (2022-08-28). "A Beautiful and Terrible Paradise: On Fernanda Melchor's "Paradais"". Los Angeles Review of Books. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
- ^ a b c d Torres, Justin (2022-05-10). "Inside a Gated Paradise, Evil Breeds and Strikes". The New York Times. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
- ^ a b c d e Martin, Gabriella. "Paradais". Harvard Review. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
- ^ "The 2022 International Booker Prize". thebookerprizes.com.
Further reading edit
- Iberico Lozada, Lucas (2022-06-02). "Raw Speech, Raw Stories: A Conversation With Fernanda Melchor". The Nation.
External links edit