“My Name is Light” by Elsa Osorio (Argentina)

Review

Most readers enjoyed the story finding it a fast-paced read. They liked being enlightened about the lesser-known political situation in Argentina in the seventies and they got a good feel for the fear and tension without too many disturbing details. They also felt that the topic of adoption raised some highly interesting questions, especially concerning the subsequent return of the children to their biological families. Readers thought that most of the characters were poorly drawn and lacked depth. They really only warmed to Miriam, who they considered interesting although a bit clichéd (a tart with a heart as one reader described her). The fragmented style and time device of jumping from the present to the past did not deter from the readers enjoyment of the story. However, a couple of readers found at one point the change in the narrator’s voice from 2nd to 3rd person somewhat confusing. Nicola liked the story, but found the style more suited to a younger audience and, as a result, she would recommend this book for teenagers. Overall, it averaged a 6.8 out of 10.

Synopsis

Twenty-year-old Luz, an Argentinian, is on holiday in Madrid with her husband Ramiro and their 18-month-old son. But secretly she has a mission – to find her real father. Carlos was a desaparecido – one of the many political activists in Argentina who literally ‘disappeared’ during the country’s brutal military dictatorship in the seventies – while her mother, a political prisoner, was killed trying to flee the country. As a baby, Luz was secretly adopted by a wealthy couple, unaware of her true origins.

Favourite Quote

The thing with lying is that when you tell one lie you end up having to tell another to back it up, and then another and another and you end up trapped in a web you can’t escape. Some people can lie their whole lives and never bat an eyelid…

Season 13 – “Politics and Religion” (Feb – Jun 2011)

“Moses, Citizen & Me” by Delia Jarrett-Macauley (Sierra Leone)
“Seeing” by José Saramago (Portugal) *
“My Name is Light” by Elsa Osorio (Argentina)
“The Eagle’s Throne” by Carlos Fuentes (Mexico)
“The God of Small Things” by Arundhati Roy (India)

* The book club favourite
In italics, Nicola’s Coup de Cœur