A hot bath and a good book, to me, is a natural pairing, like cheese and a cracker, and butter on bread. As a person living on the go, in hotels and Airbnb’s, my rituals are what keep me grounded. A steaming bath and good book are essential to my wellness routine as it soothes and grounds me.
For this bath, I decided to draw the bath and instead of taking the usual 1 cup of Salted stardust and sprinkling it throughout, I took a handful and rubbed my legs, arms, entire body with it. Deeply exfoliated, I lowered into the bath. Sipping a sparkling water, I settle in, dry my hands and pop open The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolano.
I was serendipitously united with this hidden gem while wandering through Beers Books in Sacramento California. The title in large black font reads “Savage detectives” and my eyes roll to the author, Roberto Bolaño. The back cover reviews compare him to Gabriel Garcia Marquez. With a heck of a hook on the back and considering my exposure to South American authors is pitifully limited, I figured no time like the present to dive into someone besides Marquez.
This book hit me in 3 parts. The first part draws you in, the middle chunk is thick, chewy but you work through it to the end which, after finishing this book, it was clear this gem, hidden on a bookshelf, is one of the best books I have ever had the pleasure to get lost in.
Part 1: Mexicans Lost in Mexico - The novel begins with the diary entries of Juan García Madero, a seventeen-year-old aspiring poet living in Mexico City. He becomes involved with a group of avant-garde poets and artists known as the "Visceral Realists." The Visceral Realists, led by the charismatic Ulises Lima and Arturo Belano (who it feels are part of Bolaño himself), are known for their unconventional and rebellious approach to literature.
Madero joins Lima and Belano on a road trip to find an obscure poet named Cesárea Tinajero, a former member of the Visceral Realists who disappeared years ago. Their journey takes them through the Mexican countryside, encountering various characters and experiencing the tumultuous political and cultural landscape of Mexico in the 1970s.
Part 2: The Savage Detectives- The narrative shifts to multiple perspectives, and the reader hears from various characters who crossed paths with Lima and Belano during their Journey. These characters provide their own recollections and interpretations of the Visceral Realists’ activities and the impact of their literary movement on their lives.
Part 3: The Sonora Desert - Back to the perspective of Juan García Madero, who has now become an established writer. He reflects on his experiences with the Visceral Realists and the lasting influence of Lima and Belano on his life and writing. The novel ends with an unresolved mystery surrounding the fate of Ulises Lima and Arturo Belano.
The ending doesn’t provide a definitive resolution to Lima and Belano’s story. They were on a quest to find the elusive poet Cesárea Tinajero, but her whereabouts and the outcome of their search are not fully revealed. I end the book with the water look warm, speculation and reflection hanging heavily in the air.
The Savage Detectives weaves complex themes of youth, rebellion, artistic expression, and the search for meaning in literature and life. Sprawling narratives that blur the lines between fiction and reality. The novel’s unconventional structure and shifting perspectives creates a mosaic of voices that come together to form one of the best books I’ve had the pleasure to read.
Out of the tub, the bathroom smells like a unicorn, and my skin glows like the star I am.
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