Old Rosa [Paperback]

Reinaldo Arenas (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 1994

A terrifying and beautiful novel, Old Rosa is composed of two stories that converge on a single charged point in the lives of a Cuban mother and son. In the first, the mother finds her son in bed with another boy; in the second, the son is imprisoned in one of Castro’s camps for homosexuals.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

It's fascinating to observe the talented author's development in these two novellas, written five years apart. Arenas's emotionally charged, lyrical prose becomes firmer, more focused as he abandons magical realism and delves more intimately into his own experiences. The heroine of the allegorical "Old Rosa" is a peasant who amasses a large property through hard work and self-sacrifice only to see her efforts destroyed when her farm is collectivized under Castro. With her oldest son ready to join the revolution, her daughter marrying a Negro and her youngest son Arturo a homosexual, Rosa literally goes mad; the novella begins with her setting fire to her house and herself. Arturo's life is taken up in "The Brightest Star," which parallels some of what is known of the author's own experiences in the notorious Cuban workcamps. Arturo's personality changes when he is imprisoned for his homosexuality. At first he holds himself aloof, then becomes the most flamboyant of his fellow prisoners and finally retreats into a beautiful fantasyland. Because Arenas holds back nothing, giving free vent to his emotions, this densely charged tale crescendoes to a shattering finale.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

One of Cuba's best-known writers, though little known in his native country, Arenas has lived in the United States since 1980. He writes in the poetic and fantastic style of magical realism that Garcia Marquez has made familiar. Old Rosa is in two parts, two related short stories connected by startling images and themes as well as by characters. "Old Rosa" recalls the life of a woman who puts herself and her farm to the flames rather than give up her land to the revolution. "The Brightest Star" chronicles the death and life of Old Rosa's youngest son, Arturo, an obsessive writer imprisoned by the revolutionaries in a work camp for gay prisoners. A fine novel that belongs in any contemporary Latin American literature collection.
- Mary Margaret Benson, Linfield Coll. Lib., McMinnville, Ore.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 106 pages
• Publisher: Grove Press (September 15, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802134068
• ISBN-13: 978-0802134066
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #409,341 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A powerful evocation of 20th century Cuba, February 28, 2001

By 

Michael J. Mazza - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Old Rosa (Paperback)

"Old Rosa: A Novel in Two Stories" is a compelling work of fiction by Reinaldo Arenas, one of Cuba's most important writers. As the book's subtitle indicates, this work consists of two shorter pieces. The first, "Old Rosa," has been translated into English by Ann Tashi Slater; the second, "The Brightest Star," has been translated into English by Andrew Hurley.

The first story tells of the family of Old Rosa, a Cuban landowner whose life begins to fall apart under Castro's revolution. As Arenas explores her family and community relationships, he illuminates such issues as racial prejudice, homophobia, and economic conflict. This is a powerful story which skillfully blends elements of hard-core realism with hallucinatory supernatural touches.

The second story, "The Brightest Star," follows the experiences of Old Rosa's son Arturo in a Cuban forced-labor camp. This is a harrowing tale which deals in part with the redemptive power of writing and fantasy.

This book is an important piece of 20th century Latin American literature. The only drawback I found as a reader was the fact that each story unfolds as a single unbroken paragraph; this format, although impressive from a technical aspect, gets somewhat tiring after a while. But I still recommend "Old Rosa." And I also suggest that those who are impressed with Arenas' gifts as a fiction writer also read his remarkable autobiography, "Before Night Falls" (which has been made into a compelling film).

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Add this to your favorites list - absolutely incredible writ, May 6, 2000

By 

M. J. Smith (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Old Rosa (Paperback)

Old Rosa's world falls apart - a son joining the rebels made a crack - discovering her favored son is homosexual completes the destruction. The final five pages are incredible writing - Rosa's anger turns towards God, towards an angel, and turns destructive as she refuses to face the disgrace.

Yes, the two related stories in this slim volume stand as excellent writing in themselves - but the fire scene transforms the book into "incredible".

4.0 out of 5 stars Great read, May 13, 2007

By 

Baroque Loverboy "Emperor Oberon" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Old Rosa: A Novel in Two Stories (Hardcover)

This short work is very amusing and a great one day novella. Great book for bringing new readers to Reinaldo as it is so short. Great.