The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora by Pablo Cartaya

Abstract

Reviewed by: The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora by Pablo Cartaya Elizabeth Bush Cartaya, Pablo The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora. Viking, 2017 [256p] Trade ed. ISBN 978-1-101-99723-9 $16.99 E-book ed. ISBN 978-1-101-99724-6 $10.99 Reviewed from galleys Ad Gr. 5-7 The Zamora family restaurant, La Cocina de la Isla, has long been a local institution, a destination for authentic Cuban cuisine, and a source of pride for middle-schooler Arturo, whose mother has recently taken over chef duties from her own mother. Now, just as the Zamoras plan to expand business into the vacant lot next door, a slick developer, Wilfrido Pipo, ingratiates himself with the local politicos and puts in an application to build an upscale, multi-use high rise that will change the character of the neighborhood. As the extended Zamora clan panics and strategizes, Arturo juggles his own issues, including his crush on a family friend visiting for the summer, Abuela's declining health, and new insights into the Zamora family history, as revealed in a series of letters left to him by his deceased grandfather. Arturo is a likable narrator whose propensity to slightly overdramatize his problems is both entertaining and authentic, while his relationship with his grandmother is understated and tender. Abuelo's letters, however, feel preachy and a bit maudlin, and the recurrent passages of Cuban poet José Martí's writings are not smoothly integrated. Furthermore, Pipo's transformation from unctuous realtor to raging, looneytoon villain threatens to undermine the realism on which the plot is built. Cartaya's debut novel is therefore somewhat uneven, but nonetheless readers will applaud when the neighborhood collectively turns from the glittery temptation of the Pipo project to support of the Zamoras. Copyright © 2017 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois