A Luminous Republic

by Andrés Barba | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 9781328589347 Global Overview for this book
Registered by wingGoryDetailswing of Nashua, New Hampshire USA on 8/9/2021
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This book is in the wild! This Book is Currently in the Wild!
3 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by wingGoryDetailswing from Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Monday, August 9, 2021
I got this good-condition softcover from an online seller, intrigued by the premise: the small South American city of San Cristóbal is suddenly invaded by 32 "wild" children, apparently from the nearby rain forest, who speak their own language and seem bent on drawing the children of the city into their own free-roaming violence. [The book has a glowing foreword by Edmund White, which doesn't hurt.]

The story opens with a statement making the fate of the 32 children clear, as the narrator - a civil servant in the Social Affairs department - reveals this opinion: "Almost everyone gets what they deserve, and bad omens do exist." A rather ominous way to open a story!

I got vibes of the Pied Piper here, as well as the more obvious comparison to Lord of the Flies; in this case it seems the children are their own piper, but the perils of being drawn away from their original lives into the "luminous" world they construct are all too clear. (The concept of changelings also came to mind, especially when people began to claim that some of the jungle children were in fact their own missing kids.)

The growing chaos and violence caused by the children - and by the response of the adults to their actions - leads to the discovery of a wondrous and weird hiding place, but what it all means remains cryptic. There are hints of the supernatural - a voice that the children hear sometimes and are fearful of, the music that the narrator hears long after the event - but the reader can choose whether to believe any of that. Very atmospheric and strange story.

Journal Entry 2 by wingGoryDetailswing at Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Tuesday, August 10, 2021

Released 2 yrs ago (8/11/2021 UTC) at Nashua, New Hampshire USA

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

I'm adding this book to the Around the World bookbox, for the continent of South America.

Journal Entry 3 by Chicvolley99 at Denver, Colorado USA on Tuesday, August 24, 2021
Received in the Around the World Bookbox

I have decided to keep this book to release elsewhere.


Journal Entry 4 by Chicvolley99 at Paris Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada USA on Saturday, August 28, 2021

Released 2 yrs ago (8/28/2021 UTC) at Paris Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada USA

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

Released in the casino. Please enjoy!

Journal Entry 5 by Steviec123 at Las Vegas, Nevada USA on Tuesday, September 7, 2021
Found in Las Vegas in August 28, 2021. This is my first experience at finding a book through bookcrossing.com. I intend to read the book and gift it in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Update. I did read this book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I am going to leave the book at San Francisco Bread Company in Hot Springs

Journal Entry 6 by Steviec123 at San Francisco Bread Company in Hot Springs Natl Park, Arkansas USA on Sunday, January 30, 2022

Released 2 yrs ago (1/31/2022 UTC) at San Francisco Bread Company in Hot Springs Natl Park, Arkansas USA

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

I hope you find this book share program interesting! Pretty good read too!

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