Fresh Take on Fernando Aramburu's Return to Literature
Aramburu's novel, "Fallen Man", offers a captivating and merciless perspective on human existence
Dive into the captivating world of renowned Spanish author Fernando Aramburu with his latest offering, Fallen Man, a collection of short stories brimming with intrigue and insight. This masterful work showcases Aramburu's characteristic knack for delving deep into the human psyche, revealing the unexpected and unsettling sides of life.
Unlike his epic and collective novel Patria, this new compilation highlights the ordinary, the quirky, and the everyday, transforming them into revealing moments that resonate powerfully.
Characters on the Edge
The protagonists of these enigmatic stories are commonplace characters grappling with moral dilemmas, hidden feelings, and the absurdities of life. A woman who trades her parental care for squirrel photos, a father in search of a stuffed animal, and a man claiming to have avenged his brother—these individuals inhabit a universe where shock and laughter coexist in delicate equilibrium.
Playing with Expectations
Aramburu skillfully tinkers with reader anticipations, ensuring each tale hides a secret, a mismatch, or an unexpected tenderness. His writing exudes a calm and precise prose, stopping at just the right moment, capturing gestures, pauses, and critical words with remarkable precision.
"A good short story is like a well-timed joke—if it doesn't strike a chord, it falls flat," Aramburu remarks, fully aware of the risk involved in condensing so much into brief pages.
Intimate and Everyday Intrigues
Compared to the emotional expanse that a novel allows, Aramburu recognizes that in the short story he must be more incisive: "In a novel, I have the time to examine facets, develop compassion; in a short story, I don't. Everything must be there from the beginning."
Between Whimsy and Despair
Fallen Man skillfully navigates between the absurd and sadness, from irony to anguish, from humor to devastation. The "fall" in the title signifies not only a physical descent, but also a symbolic loss of reputation, certainties, and dignity. Yet, there's compassion, insight, and an irreverent humor that helps the reader navigate the emotional rollercoaster without being overwhelmed.
The Art of the Impolite
Aramburu's humor often stems from his penchant for being impertinent, shining a light on the less appealing aspects of human nature. He takes pleasure in exposing the ridiculous sides of his fellow humans. However, he sets ethical limits, avoiding topics like terrorism and victimhood.
X-raying the Soul
This new work reinforces Aramburu's prowess in psychologically dissecting the human condition, employing a mix of distance and empathy. His stories explore pain, rivalry, love's agony, envy, and the need for recognition, as well as moments of beauty and the possibility for redemption or understanding amidst chaos.
With Fallen Man, Aramburu reasserts his standing as a shrewd observer of contemporary life, illuminating the hidden depths of existence with remarkable delicacy. A book that's both enjoyable and unsettling, it affirms that Aramburu, even in brevity, remains an essential voice in literature.
- The ordinary characters in Fernando Aramburu's short stories, such as a woman trading parental care for squirrel photos, often deal with moral dilemmas, hidden feelings, and the absurdities of life, reflecting the average lifestyle found in everyday life.
- In addition to providing insightful literature and psychologically dissecting the human condition, Fernando Aramburu's short stories also touch upon various aspects of contemporary life, including fashion-and-beauty, entertainment, and even the world of books, offering a broad perspective on modern society.
