Senor Vivo & The Coca Lord
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Louis de Bernières is a masterful writer, which is to say his command of the various crafts of writing--creating character, innovative description, telling a whopping good story--weaves a spell and sucks you into the magic. From the moment Dionisio Vivo and Ramón "Cochinillo" Dario attend to the cravate corpse deposited in his garden by the coca lords, you become ensconced in the world of Ipasueño, its passions, ironies and political intrigues, and cease to be aware of the hand of Bernières behind the scenes.
Dionisio, a professor of philosophy, writes a series of letters, published in the prestigious journal La Prensa, castigating the coca trade, and from there the story spins furiously in many directions and subplots. There's the love affair of the century between Dionisio and Anica Moreno, Lazaro's tragic dance with leprosy, and--to the great pleasure of fans of Bernières's previous novel, The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts--further interactions with the magical jaguars and human inhabitants of Cochadebajo de los Gatos. Events take their course in the way of a grand tragicomedy, with the devastation that's expected followed by the irrepressible joy of life that's never expected and Bernières's tongue-in-cheek touch throughout.
It's a delightfully mesmerising book. Set in a mythical South American country that's a composite of real South American history and Bernières's fertile imagination, and therefore a perfect companion to take on a south-of-the-border vacation--the book is awash in the realities and flavour of South America and the lunacies of Bernières's genius. --Stephanie Gold --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Product Description
When Dionisio Vivo, a young lecturer in philosophy, bombards the newspapers with denunciations of the cocaine mafia, he finds himself both a hero and a target. He soon becomes accustomed to the corpses that turn up on his doorstep, and attempts on his life that backfire so wildly Senor Vivo acquires a reputation for supernatural invulnerability. But Dionisio's protection does not extend to those he loves. And what begins as a farce, becomes a novel of tragic love and macabre revenge.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a wonderful book that continues with many of the characters from his first book (The war of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts, which I thought had a slightly keener edge). His idiosyncratic style of a multiplicity of threads with very short chapters takes a little getting used to but is so effective once you've got the hang of it.
Although it is a superb book, you'll enjoy it even more if you have knowledge of Spanish and/or Portuguese since he pokes gentle fun using these languages.
Louis de Bernieres is a wonderful author who writes well constructed English that is a pleasure to read. I promise you won't be disappointed by this book, but DO read Don Emmanuel first. (I haven't been paid to say this - honestly!)
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I actually read this book first of the South American trilogy and it did not diminish my enjoyment at all. I just love these books - the language is poetical, you feel every emotion from shock to humour to disgust to sympathy. How I wish I could visit Cochadebajo de los Gatos! If you haven't read Louis de Bernieres' books before they do take a bit of getting used to but believe me it is well worth it and you will be hooked!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio Cassette|Amazon Verified Purchase
It would be a mistake to remember de Bernieres solely in terms of 'Captain Corelli', although that is undoubtedly a great book. For me, the trilogy of which 'Senor Vivo' is the central part is even better. Admittedly, it needs some concentration to remember all of the names of people and places, but it's really worth the effort in this case. It helps a little to read them in order, but I didn't, and still survived. A truly magnificent book!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Perfection!
This is one of my favourite books ever! I did accidentally read the triolgy in the wrong order, which didn't actually matter too much. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Miss K. Blewett
Superb book. Tragic and comic. Light and Profound.
It would be a mistake to remember de Bernieres solely in terms of 'Captain Corelli', although that is undoubtedly a great book. Read more
Published on 16 Jan 2008 by Clifford
Irreverent humour and gruesome violence
This book has wonderful irreverent humour contrasted with gruesome violence, all woven into an absolutely brilliant entrancing story. Read more
Published on 12 Oct 2007 by Anne
Such fine fretwork by a narrative musician
There is, I think, much music in everything de Bernieres has written. "Sunday Morning..." is a score sheet for voices and accents; "Corelli" is filed with the... Read more
Published on 5 Feb 2002 by ghandibob
Magic Realism, Swiftian satire, European Picareque
Louis de Bernières
Birthplace London, England
Education Manchester University, England
Other jobs What he calls "four disastrous months" in the British Army;... Read more
Published on 12 Jun 2001
his second best triumph
this book tells the tale of a young lecturer who writes letters to a magazine exposing the local drugs baron 'el jeraca' but will he stop before hes to late or will it ruin his... Read more
Published on 30 Jan 2001 by possessed_demon@hotmail.com
Not for the feint hearted but recommended nonetheless
Whilst I found the first part of the trilogy too loose in its structure, de Bernieres here concentrates on a single story, and the novel is better for it. Read more
Published on 19 Sep 2000
Thought provoking - made me laugh & cry
I enjoyed this book, it certainly made me laugh and cry. I've only read two of Louis de Berniere's books so far (Captain Bertorelli's Mandolin) and I think I will continue with... Read more
Published on 19 Jan 2000 by Camilla Sharp
Thought provoking - made me laugh & cry
I enjoyed this book, it certainly made me laugh and cry. I've only read two of Louis de Bernieres books so far (Captain Bertorellis Mandolin)and they both have this feel.
Published on 19 Jan 2000 by Camilla Sharp
Well-written, entertaining, bizarre, light yet sophisticated
As an early book of Louis de Bernieres, Senor Vivo is not as sophisticated as Captain Corelli. It does not have the variety of writing styles present in his later offering, but... Read more
Published on 17 Dec 1999
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