Customer Reviews

Pantaleon y las Visitadoras (Spanish Edition)

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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.

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.