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El hombre bravo

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Antonio es un torero atractivo y desencantado. Miembro de una familia aristócrata. Juan un campesino joven y lleno de vida. Y a finales de los 60, en plena dictadura franquista, a un hombre le puede costar muy caro enamorarse de otro. Pero cuando Juan y Antonio descubre sus sentimientos, ni la familia, ni la Iglesia ni el régimen de Franco se lo van a poner fácil. Solo dos personas conocen el peligroso secreto: la intrépida hermana gemela de Antonio la hermosa muchacha con la que su familia quiere que se case.

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First published April 1, 2001

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About the author

Patricia Nell Warren

23 books119 followers
Patricia Nell Warren (pen-name Patricia Kylyna) was a Ukrainian and American poet and novelist. She wrote her works in Ukrainian and English.

In 1957 she married a Ukrainian emigre writer Yuriy Tarnawsky and subsequently learned Ukrainian language. Under Tarnawsky's influence she started socializing in Ukrainian emigre writers' circles and soon started writing her own poems, which culminated in her publishing several well-received Ukrainian poetry collections: Trahediya dzhmeliv (New-York: Vydavnytstvo New Yorkskoyi hrypy, 1960), Legendy i sny (New-York: Vydavnytstvo New Yorkskoyi hrypy, 1964), and Rozhevi mista (Munich: Suchasnist, 1969). She published her Ukrainian poetry collections under the pen-name Patricia Kylyna.

After Nell Warren divorced Tarnawsky in 1973, she left Ukrainian literature and never wrote another book in Ukrainian until her death. Instead Nell Warren switched to American literature and tried her best as an American novelist. In 1972 she published her first book in English, a novel The Last Centennial, still under her pen-name Patricia Kylyna (Kilina). Her breakthrough came in 1974 when she published a gay-themed novel The Front Runner. This was the first time she published any of her books under her real name Patricia Nell Warren, and it paid off: the book sold more than 10 mil. copies and was subsequently translated into multiple languages.

For her Ukrainian-language profile see Патриція Килина

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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
Profile Image for Juan Naranjo.
Author 24 books4,723 followers
May 8, 2020
Es poco habitual leer una novela protagonizada por la historia de amor gay escrita por una escritora lesbiana... pero es aún menos habitual que este libro cuente la historia de amor entre un torero y un campesino en la España franquista siendo la autora estadounidense. Patricia Nell Warren se sumó con “El hombre bravo” a la larga lista de autores anglosajones fascinados con España (o con la idea de España) que situaron sus historias en nuestro país y las enmarcaron a mediados del siglo XX.

Como en “El corredor de fondo”, este libro (que empezó a escribirse en los años 70) es una novela apasionada y turbulenta que, aunque podría “simplemente” contar una historia de amor poco convencional”, en realidad se embarca en un profundo análisis de la época y las circunstancias que rodean a esa relación, haciendo especial hincapié en el impacto que el ambiente sociopolítico y religioso tiene sobre la historia de amor entre dos personas.

Por supuesto que hay unos excesos tremendos y que todo se enmarca en una visión folclórica y romántica (en el sentido decimonónico) de lo más histriónica. Por supuesto que hay un montón de cosas que sólo podría haber escrito alguien que sólo conoce España de soslayo y que quienes somos de aquí sabemos que son simples arquetipos literarios más que convenciones sociales. Pero eso no le quita valor a una historia a menudo asfixiante y oscura, pero también hermosa y valiente.

Este libro es ambicioso, como también lo es “El corredor de fondo”, y ese afán por contarlo todo, porque suceda todo lo que pueda suceder, convierte a la obra en un divertimento muy disfrutable, pero también en un exceso en ocasiones algo delirante. Warren vuelve a caer en algunos de sus clichés favoritos: la mitología, el misticismo, el ocultismo y el ecologismo. Y también reitera una de las ideas que más me gustaron de su anterior libro: la de la hermandad entre hombres y mujeres no cisheterosexuales, y la necesidad de darnos la mano y abrazarnos como los hermanos que somos.

He disfrutado y sufrido este libro mucho. Me habría gustado más con 300 páginas que con 500. Los protagonistas están tremendamente bien dibujados. Y la historia es excesivamente dura... pero acaba bien: y algunas veces eso es justo lo que un lector necesita.
Profile Image for Anne-Marie.
141 reviews16 followers
May 8, 2017
A turbulent, epic love story that begins in the Basque country in the Franco era and spans several decades to reach its conclusion.

The love story is between Antonio, a once higly successful and popular 30-year old matador, who is contemplating retirement after a nearly fatal injury sustained in a bull fight, and Juan, a charismatic, wild-spirited 23-year old peasant. Both have lived their true nature in the shadows, both have wounded hearts.

The author bookends the story as narrator of the prologue and postlogue where we learn how she met Antonio in a gay bar and felt compelled to write his story.
The story itself is told from Antonio's point of view. He is a passionate character, at times clumsy, cowardly and brave, who knows who and what he wants and finds himself sacrificing everything for the man he loves. The love and fierce loyalty he feels for Juan is a moving and sometimes painful thing to behold.
Juan is a man of the earth, sensitive, untamed, and something of an enigma. A man who won't be controlled or owned. Seeing him through Antonio's eyes, it's easy fall for him.

Is an enduring love between them possible? It's a question that takes a long time to answer. Their relationship must remain a secret as relationships between men (and women) were not tolerated and often resulted in violent death. As Antonio is a public figure, every clandestine meeting is fraught with danger.

Their courtship and relationship is tested many times and lays bare the fragility of love and loss. Throughout much of the story my heart was in my throat, worrying and wondering whether they could overcome the odds, their internal obstacles, heal emotional wounds and whether love would endure.

The writing style suits the story, it's simple with rough edges and yet conveys deep, deep feeling. Its that depth of feeling that just reeled me in and kept me glued to the pages.

Perhaps because I've read (and loved) The Frontrunner I wasn't expecting a happy ending but let me tell you that the story comes to a very satisfying conclusion.

It's a story that has been well researched, well loved and took many years to write. It's palpable.

If, like me, you don't condone bullfighting, don't let it stop you from reading this story. Its doesn't glorify it in any way and handles the subject honestly. It's a cultural backdrop of the story and it works well in that regard.


9 reviews
December 24, 2024
La palabra "majín" tiene mucho significado.
Profile Image for Calen.
437 reviews13 followers
November 1, 2010
Patricia Nell Warren is one of my favorite writers, and this novel is another example of her excellent story telling. It's based on the love story of two men she knew personally, but richly enhanced by her way with words. At beginning and end of the novel she included a prologue and postlogue of her actual time with the two men, which I thought really enhanced the overall story. It's obviously fictionalized, but reading about her with the two men and seeing where they ended up, really brings the novel together. What I am most impressed about though, is Warren's ability to take a simple bullfighters story and turn it into a grand romance; she is able to see the possibility in a story and turn it into something beautiful. Writers, like myself, dream of being able to do that. I hope I can write stories even half as beautiful as the ones she does.
Profile Image for J. D. Román.
479 reviews6 followers
June 27, 2021
Esta novela trata sobre Antonio, un torero de familia aristocrática que, pese a estar prometido con Sera la mejor amiga de su hermana, se enamora de Juan Diano, un campesino de pasado misterioso que aparece en la plaza de toros local queriendo ser aprendiz de torero. Pese a la timidez de Juan Diano y la reputación que podría perder Antonio frente a sus conocidos, ambos hombres desarrollan un romance que se enfrentará a los obstáculos de vivir en la España franquista de inicios de los años 70.

Uno de los aspectos más destacados de esta novela es la ambientación. Warren es una maestra transmitiendo en palabras la tranquilidad de un paseo por el campo, la tristeza en un sitio con una historia trágica de fondo como la Fuente de las Lágrimas o el erotismo más bello en los momentos íntimos de Antonio y Juan Diano.

El estilo narrativo es muy accesible, ya que Warren nunca pausa la trama para soltar alguna frase reflexiva, sino que dicha trama está escrita de forma magistral.

De entre los personajes, los más destacados son Antonio y su hermana gemela, que pese a ser llamarse María Josefina, es conocida por todos como José debido a su afición a usar ropa masculina. Juan Diano, en cambio, es un buen personaje pero no llega al nivel de desarrollo de Antonio y José, lo cual no quita que su romance con Antonio está bien construido.

Lo que hace de Antonio un gran personaje es su manera de lidiar con sus sentimientos. Juan Diano, o sea un hombre, es su primer amor, por lo que Antonio duda sobre si debe aceptar esos sentimientos u ocultarlos frente a todos y limitarse quizás a relaciones efímeras con prostitutos en el mas absoluto anonimato. No le preocupa mucho lo que piense su familia si descubrieran su secreto, sino lo que le vayan a hacer las autoridades locales. Recordemos que durante la dictadura de Franco era común que los militares asesinaran a homosexuales en lugares apartados, siendo el escritor Federico García Lorca el caso más conocido.

La España que Warren nos muestra es la de inicios de los años 70, cuando Franco ya estaba gravemente enfermo como para seguir gobernando. Las casas y edificaciones de las ciudades cada vez se vuelven más modernas y es más habitual encontrar autos en las carreteras, pero las personas se aferran a la mentalidad tradicional, en la que el hombre folla con muchas mujeres y la mujer debe vivir bajo principios cristianos, como llegar virgen al matrimonio. Y es aquí cuando menciono al otro gran personaje de El hombre bravo: José, la hermana gemela de Antonio. Lo que hace tan fantástica a José es su mentalidad tan adaptada a los tiempos recientes. Es astuta, sarcástica y no tiene miedo de rebelarse contra las opiniones de los hombres egocéntricos. Y además es una tremenda hermana. En cada conversación de José con Antonio se nota el cariño que estos hermanos se tienen. Sé que ellos tienen un hermano llamado Paco, pero de él hablaré poco. Basta con decir que es el personaje más odioso del libro.

Para concluir con esta reseña, el final de esta novela es precioso. No puedo decir mucho, solo que cuando terminé de leer El hombre bravo estuve mirando el cielo por un largo raro, procesando lo que había estado leyendo estos días.

Sin duda, El hombre bravo es una fantástica novela que va mas allá de relatar un romance gay y explora hasta qué punto las decisiones que uno toma por el bien de uno mismo pueden cambiar su vida y la de los demás a su alrededor para siempre.
Profile Image for Trudie Barreras.
45 reviews5 followers
December 22, 2023
In my ongoing project of revisiting the extraordinary body of work by author Patricia Nell Warren, I return to my own personal collection. “The Wild Man”, this time an LGBTQ+ romance featuring both male and female couples, is also an “international thriller” dealing with the extreme abuse of homosexuals during the ongoing fascist regime of Franco in Spain in the post WWII era.

The four main characters are Antonio Escudero, the narrator-protagonist; his twin sister José; and their respective lovers, Juan and Sera. As the story begins, Antonio is a torero on the verge of retirement, having attempted a comeback after an extremely serious injury, now realizing that it is time to reevaluate his life. As the inheritor of a struggling estate, his intention is to restore it as a wildlife refuge, and he dreams that this can be accomplished with Juan’s “brujo” talents with animals and plants. The snake in the grass, however, is Antonio’s younger brother Paco, who has committed himself to the homophobic rigidity of the “Old Catholics” in the authoritarian regime. Paco’s campaign of terror against maricones and commitment to fascist politics is further exacerbated by his desire to find and control the “Crypt of Mercies”, an ancient hidden pagan shrine, as well as his jealousy of his older brother’s possession of the property.

Although this is a work of fiction, as Warren explains in both her prologue and author’s notes, it is based on her own extensive travels in Spain, her familiarity with bull fighting, and commitment to shining the light of truth and honesty on the abuses of women and gays at that point of history. Although published in 2001, the bulk of the action in this narrative takes place in the 1969 – 1994 time frame, and also places strong emphasis on the dawning of awareness of the need for conservation and restoration of many of the wild places and indigenous species in Spain and other locations around the globe that are being ravaged by industrial, technological, and population explosions. This is yet another of Warren’s writings which was prescient, and which has become increasingly relevant.
Profile Image for Job Acevedo.
12 reviews
February 28, 2018
Rescato tres aspectos críticos: (1) la narrativa desde la temporalidad, (2) la identidad sexual atada de pies y manos al falocentrismo occidental, y (3) la prosa casi poética que caracteriza las obras de PNW.
Es una historia apasionada, y un relato que vislumbra la historia española de la guerra civil y la vida posterior bajo la dictadura represiva de Franco y la religión del estado. Antonio y Juan son dos personajes memorables, el Conde y el campesino, uno con la riqueza, el otro sin nada, pero cada uno es noble y orgulloso. El narrador habla de las dificultades de la relación homosexual bajo el régimen fascista del general Franco y las penas extremas para los atrapados. PNW escribe con gran pasión sobre el amor, la lealtad y el mundo incierto sobre la libertad.
Profile Image for Nancy Silk.
Author 5 books82 followers
July 24, 2018
"Awesome, Emotional, and Captivating Story"

This story is set in fascist Spain of the 1960s when General Franco was still in power. Antonio Escudero, a tired bullfighter from Toledo, is almost 30 years old and wants to retire from the ring. His family wants him to get married, but he's a deeply closeted gay man and has other desires. Then he discovers his twin sister Jose has hidden desires with another woman! They join forces to find the loves of their lives, but Spain's government and state religion at that time has declared war on non-heterosexuals, and they struggle to retain their secrets. This is a riveting story, beautifully written, and has a great truth. Very worthy to read.
Profile Image for Ana Inés.
285 reviews22 followers
January 14, 2023
Me gustaba mucho el planteamiento, pero quedé decepcionada. Diré que la historia se deja leer, pero tiene muchas cosas que me hicieron voltear los ojos por inverosímiles, figuras literarias simplonas y repetitivas, y rasgos de carácter del personaje principal que no hacían más que alejarlo de mí. En fin, siento que la pasé más mal que bien leyéndolo. Me tardaré mucho en darle chance a El corredor de fondo después de haber leído esto...
Profile Image for Alex.
144 reviews5 followers
August 23, 2020
La historia de Antonio y Juan tenía todos los elementos para ser excelente. A mi parecer hubo muchos momentos que no aportaban a la historia en sí, haciéndola un poco tediosa.
Profile Image for manatee .
266 reviews3 followers
May 1, 2011
In the hands of a more talented writer, this story could have been very moving. The plot and setting were interesting: a gay matador's life in the 1960's during Franco's Spain. The character of Juan, the farmhand who dreams of being a vet and falls in love with the matador was memorable. The pact made by the gay matador and his lesbian twin sister to marry each other's lovers so that they could all pass as straight was a great plot twist. The love scenes were effectively handled. There is just one problem: the writing is just terrible. The prose is so clunky that it is hard to get around it.The plot just falls apart at the end,also. Perhaps a talented screen writer or telenovela writer could improve on the flaws and salvage the story.
122 reviews2 followers
September 13, 2007
This was actually the first book that she wrote even though it was not the first published. It is the love story of a matador and one the peasants from the city he grew up in. I really enjoyed this book and it really made me want to visit Spain.Patricia has spent time there and it is very evident from the descriptions that she writes.She has no trouble dealing with countries where gay love is a taboo subject. This book happens during the Franco regime.
Profile Image for Tim.
178 reviews6 followers
January 17, 2017
This is a beautiful, lavishly written story of love set against the backdrop of Spanish culture of the 1960s during the waning years of Dictator Franco's rule. Political, cultural, and familial persecution of gay people figure prominently. The story is one of hope for happiness and success, but it tells us these things do not come without great personal sacrifice.
Profile Image for Gerry Kelly.
156 reviews7 followers
August 13, 2012
Another terrific gay love story with lots of historical facts, i.e. about Spain's social policies during the end of the FRANCO REGIME. Interesting story of a bigtime bull fighter and his loves and his love of his homeland. GOOD READ A++
219 reviews
March 7, 2011
A great story about the difficulty of hiding who you are in fascist Spain when you don't fit in one of the cubby holes prescribed by Franco or the Catholic church.
Profile Image for Emma Hoyle.
69 reviews
November 30, 2012
Example of the author writing themselves into the story. Much poorer for it.
Profile Image for Iris.
243 reviews
May 20, 2015
Finally, I managed to finished this one. This is one story with a good ending but still makes me sad.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews

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