El mundo de afuera by Jorge Franco

Abstract

ation of Serbia, which left no room for diplomatic dialogue. The chilling text of the “Ultimatum” to Serbia is fully included in chapter 3, “Juli 1914.” The apocalyptic war, which cost 17 million lives, had started . Sentiments about these events are still controversial among the southern Slavs today, and Princip was recently celebrated as a national hero. Thoroughly researched—Ferk’s knowledge of the Slovenian language gave him new access to original documents—the book adopts a factual, often quasilegal language , with sarcastic and popular notes and phrases revealing the author’s private opinions , and leaves the reader pensive, shocked, and aware of the complicated, unresolved factors of the tragedy. As a judge, Ferk speaks objectively, critical of both sides for mishandling court procedures for the mostly underage “perpetrators” following the murders. Basic legal principles seem to have been neglected and the verdicts too hastily reached. But he also dwells on the blind fanaticism of the young people, who seem to have been equally misled. Maria Luise Caputo-Mayr New York Jorge Franco. El mundo de afuera. Doral, Florida. Alfaguara. 2014. isbn 9781622639403 Jorge Franco studied filmmaking before turning his talents to fiction writing. He has produced six novels and a book of short stories. Although he lives in Bogotá, his preferred literary space is Medellín, the city of his childhood and a city with violent recent history. Two of his novels, Rosario Tijeras (1999) and Paraíso Travel (2002), which deal with issues related to the violence produced by drug trafficking and the difficulties faced by Latin Americans migrating to the United States, respectively, were turned into successful films. His most recent novel, El mundo de afuera, was the 2014 recipient of the Alfaguara Novel Prize, a highly coveted award for novelists writing in the Spanish language. El mundo de afuera tells the story of the kidnapping of Don Diego, a Colombian Germanophile who admires Wagner’s operas. He falls in love with Dita, a German woman, for whom he builds a castle in Medellín. The castle becomes a prison for their daughter, Isolda, who, isolated from the outside world, creates an imaginary life for herself in the woods surrounding her home. Isolda is adored by her father, who wishes to protect her from the world outside the castle, and by her father’s kidnapper, who is obsessed with her before she dies at an early age. As the story of the kidnapping is revealed, details of this past are developed through the use of parallel stories and flashbacks. The author has stated on various occasions that the death of Isolda and the kidnapping of her father, which precipitate the destruction of both Don Diego and Mono Riascos in the novel, are based on real events that were harbingers of the violence that exploded in the city of Medellín in the 1970s and brought an end to the more peaceful and innocent times experienced by the author during his childhood there. David Ehrlich Who Will Die Last Syracuse University Press David Ehrlich’s short-story collection is rooted in the culture and places of Israel. Each story is told in a quiet yet resonant and gently amusing voice, infused with themes of both isolation and camaraderie. The diverse characters and unique conflicts afforded by the setting make for a fascinating glimpse into the human soul. Kristiina Ehin Walker on Water Ilmar Lehtpere, tr. Unnamed Press Told in the manner of folk stories or fairy tales, this story collection from Estonian writer Kristiina Ehin is deeply witty and imaginative. Largely focused on themes of love and marriage, with a few other themes scattered throughout, her eccentric book looks at life in new ways, showing how relationships are often playful, sometimes sorrowful, but always interesting. Nota Bene WORLDLITERATURETODAY.ORG 65 66 WLT JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2015 Franco’s style reflects his training in filmmaking. El mundo de afuera is a highly visual novel, and the author’s skillful use of flashbacks and clear, polished prose to develop the action of the different strands of the story maintain a high level of suspense and reader participation in the construction of this accomplished novel. Edward Waters Hood Northern Arizona University Fabio...