Pantaleon y las Visitadoras (Spanish Edition) [Mass Market Paperback]

Llosa Mario Vargas (Author), Mario Vargas Llosa (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2002

Pantaleón Pantoja, a recently promoted army captain, is entrusted with a top-secret mission to establish a prostitution service for the Armed Forces of Peru. As a faithful soldier, Pantaleón transfers to Iquitos in the middle of the jungle, to carry out his mission. His enthusiasm, however, endangers the very scheme he has put in motion. Thus begins this classic in Latin American literature, which was published in 1973 and later made into a film.

Description in Spanish:

Pantaleón Pantoja, un capitán del ejército recientemente ascendido, recibe la misión de establecer un servicio de prostitución para las Fuerzas Armadas del Perú en el más absoluto secreto militar. Estricto cumplidor del deber que le ha sido asignado, Pantaleón se traslada a Iquitos, en plena selva, para llevar a cabo su cometido, pero se entrega a esta misión con tal obcecación que termina por poner en peligro el engranaje que él mismo ha puesto en movimiento. Así arranca esta novela, publicada en 1973 y llevada posteriormente al cine. Mario Vargas Llosa utiliza esta anécdota para subrayar la hipocresía de las instituciones que se llaman ejemplares y del oficio más viejo del mundo. El eterno debate entre verdad y mentira, entre necesidad y virtud, y las perniciosas consecuencias que depara a veces la observancia rigurosa del deber son valores fundamentales de esta extraordinaria novela.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Suma (December 1, 2002)
• Language: Spanish
• ISBN-10: 8495501023
• ISBN-13: 978-8495501028
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,077,337 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sencillamente fabuloso - Just fabulous, August 25, 2005

By 

Vicente Keller (Caracas, DC VENEZUELA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pantaleon y las Visitadoras (Spanish Edition) (Mass Market Paperback)

Vargas Llosa es sin duda alguna uno de los mejores escritores latinoamericanos. Su novela Pantaleón y las visitadoras es de una prosa sencilla y agradable, su contenido es mejor aún. Vale la pena deleitarse y reirse leyendo este gran libro.

Vargas Llosa is without any doubt one of the best latin writers. His novel, Pantaleón y las visitadoras has an easy and pleasant prose, the content is even better. It is worthy to enjoy and laugh reading this great book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I kept trying to leave work early so I could come home and read!, June 8, 2007

By 

Zweigster - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pantaleon y las Visitadoras (Spanish Edition) (Mass Market Paperback)

Summary:
Based on a true story, Captain Pantoja is transferred to Iquitos, Peru, an obscure town in Peru's Amazon, to set up a prostitution service for the Peruvian Armed Forces due to the influx of rapes caused by soldiers' pent up sexual frustrations. Dressed as a civilian, the service must be kept secret to all including his wife as this would cause a scandal for the Peruvian Army. Along with the prostitution service's great rise success and fame, a religious sect is building up in magnitude, as they leave behind them a trail of crucified animals bodies and people. Although a seemingly dark story, this book is a humorous look (presented as official army documents and conversations) at the absurdity behind the army and religious sects as both clash in the end for a dramatic result.

My thoughts:
I loved this book! I could not stop laughing for the entire first half of the novel and then couldn't put it down afterwards as I was entranced by the dramatic (yet expected) crash and burn of the service and sect.
Some criticize that this was a weak effort on Llosa's part but what they miss is the fact that Llosa himself knew that the book was going to be absurd and admits that this was the easiest book for him to write and the most fun. It was not meant to be serious and philosophical.
The idea of a prostitution service in the army screams absurdity and can only be met by laughter and hilarity especially with a character such as Captain Pantoja. The style of the book enhances the plot as you see how the captain's obsessive nature for perfection meets the world of prostitution.
A wonderful book with high high recomendations to others. If you've been reading serious novels lately, this is definitely a good way to relax and laugh.