F: Kamchatka by Marcelo FIGURAS

Chosen because

As a devotee (in my youth) of the board game “Risk!” the title immediately caught the eye, and a quick scout through the pages confirmed the reference. Set in the Argentina in the mid 1970s, at the time of the political disappearances, the story seems to be told from the perspective of a young boy uprooted from his settled environment by the political upheavals.

The Review

This is a really good book that gives an insight into Argentina in 1976, told by the young son of middle class parents, who being politically active are at serious risk of disappearing. The author has two voices; one is the ten year old whose innocent relation of the day to day changes to his life speaks volumes; the other is the now adult who reflects on wider themes of time, loss and survival. These voices are well managed and create an interlocking narrative and commentary.

Some of the inconsequential but important details of his childhood were surprisingly resonant to me. The game of Risk!, Superman comics, Nesquik, matchbox cars and The Invaders on TV, all opened up a well of nostalgia untapped for some time. A running metaphor involving toads and the derelict swimming pool provides food for thought for those seeking deep meanings.

The narrative does not try to excite, but has tension as the story unfolds to its pre-ordained conclusion. The musings on time, loss and survival gain relevance as the book progresses. By the end the impact of a single disappearance is felt hugely, how much greater must have been the impact on the nation.

Read another?

I doubt there is one – this seemed to be written from personal experience, producing a depth and quality that would be hard to repeat.