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Perla

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Perla

By: Carolina De Robertis
Narrated by: Carolina De Robertis
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About this listen

A coming-of-age story, based on a recent shocking chapter of Argentine history, about a young woman who makes a devastating discovery about her origins with the help of an enigmatic houseguest.

Perla Correa grew up a privileged only child in Buenos Aires, with a cold, polished mother and a straitlaced naval officer father, whose profession she learned early on not to disclose in a country still reeling from the abuses perpetrated by the deposed military dictatorship. Perla understands that her parents were on the wrong side of the conflict, but her love for her papá is unconditional. But when Perla is startled by an uninvited visitor, she begins a journey that will force her to confront the unease she has suppressed all her life, and to make a wrenching decision about who she is, and who she will become.

©2012 Carolina De Robertis (P)2012 Random House Americas Coming of Age Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Political Women's Fiction World Literature
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A brilliant right of passage novel of queried beginnings that questions memory, connection and nurture. The supernatural power of love and imagination in a hypnotic story of realisation.

The circle of love does not disappear

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Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely. I was really moved by the way a political story about Argentinia's disappeared was told so beautifully and I loved the language. Unlike the other reviewer I didn't mind at all that a dead man/ ghost turned up in a living room. Whether you call it magical realism or whatever - this is a story about the past returning to the present and trying to make peace with it. The past happens to be personified and not 'factual' and to me that's a bonus.

What did you like best about this story?

As per above - the idea of the past returning as a missing person. And also the language. Poetic and visual, potently emotional without being trite. I kept on re-listening.

What aspect of Carolina De Robertis’s performance might you have changed?

It took me a while to get used to the reading. It's true that all the characters sound the same, it's not read by an actor who impersonates the different people. But after a while I didn't mind and the voice and style of reading actually went with the content book. With the impersonation it could have sounded like theatre - this was a less tangible story that took shape in my head in a very personal way.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

I hope they don't make a film of this. You couldn't play the disappeared man from the past who turns up in the living room without him looking like a zombie. The strength of this story is it's dream-like quality.

Any additional comments?

I look forward to more from this author

Latin American writing at its best

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A really great book. The novel was touching and eloquently captured the history of its setting with the emotions throughout the book

A touching novel

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