culture

I Give You My Silence by Mario Vargas Llosa review

This fascinating, eccentric book becomes a quirky primer on Peruvian music and culture

I Give You My Silence by Mario Vargas Llosa review

TL;DR

  • "I Give You My Silence" is Mario Vargas Llosa's final novel, published posthumously.
  • The novel centers on Toño Azpilcueta, a music journalist obsessed with the Peruvian vals.
  • Toño embarks on writing a biography of deceased guitarist Lalo Molfino, seeing the vals as a unifying force for Peru.
  • The book is structured with alternating third-person narrative chapters and excerpts from Toño's biography, serving as a primer on Peruvian music and culture.
  • Key concepts explored include the vals, the cajon, Spanish as a lingua franca, and huachafería (pretension or flamboyant style).
  • Vargas Llosa's perspective is nuanced, showing tenderness towards his idealistic protagonist while acknowledging the impracticality of his grand ambitions.
  • The novel reflects Vargas Llosa's own past idealism, including his unsuccessful presidential run in Peru.

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