I love this opening: “Those who know me, also know that I love words.”
I wish I could know myself as much as you know yourself (edited from myself), and that those words would come out of my mouth or my pen.
But this is not about me, it’s about you. And about Michael.
I feel the review was perfect, like Alan said in one of his comments, and I think I said in one of your stories (the one of the airplane trip), your voice take us, gently into the word you create. On the airplane story, I found myself rooting for them, half in love with the girl, half wanting to be the guy who respects her boundary nevertheless the connection is real. The empty seat in between them that makes everything less threatening.
I will add something here. I find in love with the characters, but you are separate from the characters.
What I’m trying to say is often times, maybe because I read so much of the poetry here, it’s hard to separate the subject from the author. And then the reader finds himself thinking or daydreaming “I wonder if she wrote this thinking about me(reader)?”
Of course, chances are not. 99.9% the answer is not, people don’t write poetry thinking about me, Pablo!
But at times, the feeling lingers.
But your writing is so good, you give the character a life of its own, so I can rightfully fall in love with the situation without even once falling in love with Giedre.
This brings me to Michael’s book.
Why more people didn’t read the review/book. I’m not sure.
I don’t know much about literature, but yes, again, like Alan said, you grasps us.
The problem with me is the one the characters face. And is the one of looking at the truth.
I’m sure you know this already, but strip the book away from the characters, move the story a couple (or more) thousand miles, and you have the story of the dictatorship in Argentina.
From the Desaparecidos to the bodies in the bottom of the Rio de la Plata.
The book you are bringing is not a jolly go around of mystery and love. Not another hack to improve our lives, in other words, get a better boy/girlfriend and buy a new car. You are imploring us to look into the darkest corners of the human soul, so we see and we don’t do this again. Nunca Más.
I hope this helps.
Pablo