“The Eagle’s Throne” by Carlos Fuentes (Mexico)

Review

Readers began by saying that they felt the book would really need a second read for them to get the most out of it. They found the structure both interesting and challenging. Some readers thought that the written style of the letters did not fit so well with the futuristic setting of the novel, saying it felt contrived or too old-fashioned. They really enjoyed the political intrigue and, as the plot unfolded, they found themselves both laughing and gasping at all the machinations of the different characters. They had some difficulty remembering who was who, but they did feel that the author gave the reader a good insight into the psychology of the different players in the political game. Readers loved the ending, which they found was a counterbalance to the whole story and which they described as poignant. The book averaged a 7.8 out of 10.

Synopsis

The year is 2020. The Mexican President has provoked the United States by calling for the removal of US troops from Colombia and demanding higher prices for Mexico’s oil. But the country’s satellite communications system is controlled in Miami and suddenly Mexico is deprived of phone, fax and email. In a country where politicians never put anything in writing, letters are now the only way to communicate.

Favourite Quote

Whether we like it or not, space belongs to the order of things that coexist, whereas time belongs to the realm of things that happen. What unites the two is their effect on what ‘already is’ and on what is possible, what can happen. In themselves, they’re imaginary notions. They need the concrete here and now to have substance.

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