Author: Belén Gopegui
- Fiction
- Random House Mondadori
- ISBN: 9788439729099
- Release Date: 10-02-2014
-Reviewed by: Alisa Newman
I find it difficult to summarize my impressions of this book, as I found it difficult to read as well. It is extremely well written and moving; however, both the style and subject matter make me question how successful it would be in translation.
Long stretches of the novel are devoted to introspection and existential musings, and these can become tiresome to read. Often, the characters engage in dialogue that does not sound at all realistic, even reciting long sections of poetry from memory. In addition, the first section of the book refers repeatedly to an obscure Cuban song that could be a challenging reference to communicate.
Most important, the subject matter of El comité de la noche is perhaps not attractive for a US audience. The main theme is the increasing sense of frustration in societies that transitioned recently from socialism and are suffering the acute effects of the global financial crisis. The action is set in Spain and Slovakia and involves efforts to privatize the collection of plasma for blood banks and labs. In both countries, donating plasma is strictly voluntary and controlled by the state. The characters express a great deal of outrage at the notion of paying people for their plasma, presenting it as the epitome of capitalist exploitation. (“Selling your blood, selling a kidney, selling your life. ‘I can’t pay the mortgage, so take my liver instead, my heart, my pancreas – just don’t take my family’s house away.’”) I have certainly never read another novel that addresses this subject, and the characters’ desperation is palpable and compelling. Yet, the nostalgia for socialism may not translate well for US readers, and the same goes for the angst concerning paying for plasma; the book cites the United States as an example of a country where this practice is legal, and while the thought might be distasteful to some readers or conjure images of skid row it hardly appears to represent a rampant social problem.
Finally, the novel ends with a bizarre plot twist: The main character, who has been narrating her story to a type of ghost writer, turns out to be a ghost herself, ending her tale with a description of her own death..
At the same time, however, I find myself haunted by this book, for it deals with complex and important social problems; the characters are sympathetic and well developed; and the writing is beautiful.
