Reviews

El espíritu de la ciencia ficción by Roberto Bolaño

fxdpts's review against another edition

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It could be that this book encapsulates the Latin American dirtbag poet crowd Bolaño is always writing about more accessibly than the rest of his books I’ve read, but I think it’s more that the more you read the more you understand the landscape. There’s everything you expect in here, poetry outside the academy, the inherent imperialism of war gaming, and erections. I would still probably recommend The Savage Detectives over this, but it is very good.

emr158's review against another edition

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adventurous reflective relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

reallivejim's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

3.25

eramostodosfelices's review

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3.0

Me inspiró caleta. Es desordenado, inocente y se las arregla para ser caótico dentro de su simpleza. Es una muestra de lo que se viene. Un vómito de ideas que más adelante se condensarían en lo que ya se conoce. Se entiende porqué no fue publicado en su momento. Llega a ser de nicho a ratos, y no es una buena introducción a Bolaño. Pero tiene mucho corazón. Hay algo mágico en los decadentes días sin propósito de Remo y Jan y los poetas en el DF. Un interés que crece a medida que pasan las páginas y suceden las primeras veces, las conversaciones e investigaciones sin sentido, las cartas que nunca llegan y los muchos cafés con leche. La belleza de lo cotidiano, y lo volátil que resulta ser.
Me dieron ganas de volver a escribir.

urfavpunk's review against another edition

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challenging mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

bukubabe's review against another edition

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Library wanted it back-- oops!

nickel_is_neat's review against another edition

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reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

 This was a bit like The Savage Detectives lite. It is a great example of Bolaño's style without the same kind of dark and heavy themes of the longer works. 

hooliaquoolia's review against another edition

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3.0

Bolaño was the writer of my teenage years. I was absolutely obsessed with everything he wrote. Every few years, it seems, another previously untranslated novel comes out of the woodwork, and I get to relive the delicious angst of (my) adolescence. This novel is very clearly a draft form of The Savage Detectives and I wouldn’t say it’s necessary reading for the Bolaño enthusiast. But if you’re like me and you just want to revisit an old friend, have at it.

nathcheng's review against another edition

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fast-paced

4.0

max538's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful lighthearted slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75