7 Ways to Kill a Cat

by Matías Néspolo, Frank Wynne (Translation)

'There's seven ways to kill a cat. But when it comes down to it, there's only two ways. In a civilised fashion or like a fucking savage'.

In Buenos Aires, the economy has collapsed and people are protesting on the streets. But in the barrio, life goes on - the slums of the city are ruled by gangs, drugs and guns.

Gringo and Chueco are almost adults, and joining the gang warfare that governs their community seems inevitable. Chueco thinks he can join El Jetita's gang but remain his own man, Gringo knows this can't happen - you obey the leader or else. As the two get drawn ever deeper into the turf war between El Jetita and his rival Charly, Gringo sees an alternative way of life, and love, pass before his eyes. A few days ago he and Chueco were joking about killing cats; now he's fighting to save his skin.

Genres: Fiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2009

Reviews

[Calzean · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good insight into the lives of teenagers growing up in the slums of Buenos Aires, where there is a cycle of drugs, alcohol, gang warfare, hunger and hopelessness.

The main character, Gringo, wants to get out but has few options. The pace of the book is good, the dialogue excellent and the feel of the loneliness and lack of State control makes this a worthwhile read.

What lets the story down is an over use of passages from Moby Dick, a book Gringo is reading. The analogies are lost and the references to Moby Dick fill up too many pages.

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Exceedingly easy read but incredibly boring...maybe down to losing something in the translation process but boy was I bored...had no other book to read all day so had to keep going.

[Kees van Duyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zeven manieren om een kat te doden speelt zich af in een van de sloppenwijken van Buenos Aires. Het boek laat vooral het wel en wee, en dan heeft het wee de overhand, zien van het leven van de vrienden Chueco en Gringo.

Beiden houden zich bezig met, aanvankelijk, kleine criminaliteit. Gringo laat zich vooral overdonderen, en daardoor meeslepen, door Chueco, die vele malen harder is. Het begint bij de mishandeling van een hen bekende kroegbaas en vervolgens belanden ze in de keiharde drugswereld. Met alle gevolgen van dien.

Het boek is zeker aardig om te lezen, maar laat volgens mij lang niet alle kanten zien van het leven in een sloppenwijk. Ook gaat het niet diep genoeg in op het leed dat daar heerst. Maar misschien was dat de bedoeling ook helemaal niet.

[Abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

El lenguaje callejero de los diálogos, la atmósfera cargada de violencia, la forma en que el amor mantiene en vida a los pobres muertos de hambre que protagonizan la novela hacen que este libro una píldora de emociones extremas.

[miri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me ha gustado mucho! Hacia el final se ha vuelto un poco denso y confuso, pero es una historia buena; una lectura bastante cruda y algo dolorosa, aunque el final me ha dejado un poco fría y con preguntas, le doy 4 estrellas pq no puedo darle 3.5

[Dion · Rating 3 out of 5]

Een leuk boek met een goede verhaallijn, die hier en daar soms wel wat te ver afwijkt van datgene dat zich afspeelt.

[SilviaG · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Jason Furman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This crime novel set is in the barrios outside of Buenos Aires takes place over a few propulsive days, depicting a teenager going from borderline innocent to a combatant in a brutal drug war between rival gangs. It is well written (although the street language sometimes seems off in what is generally a well done translation). And heartbreaking at times. Although the overall plot and setting are reasonably well trodden ground.

[Cher · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hadn't heard of this book at all I just found it At the library and gave it a go. I really enjoyed it could not put this down. I'd never read anything set in Mexico before and know nothing about the country or society at all. I loved how realistic it seemed . I also loved how he relates to melvilles moby dick.

[Oisin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Everything the blurbs rave about is done very well - creating the sense of the barro and the world Gringo lives in is constructed very well. Unfortunately, the plot never really goes anywhere, and I never really connected enough to any of the characters to root for anyone. Though maybe I should have expected such, given the thinly veiled aspirations to reflect Gringo's book, Moby Dick.

[!Tæmbuŝu]

KOBOBOOKS

Reviewed at The Independent

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started reading the first couple of pages while eating my lunch which was not a good idea, but getting past that I found a very easy read getting caught up in the characters and wanting to find out how it was all going to pan out.
A great read.

[Surbhi Arul · Rating 2 out of 5]

The setup of the Mexican barrios and the struggle of the people is interesting. Its fast paced so unlikely to bore you but a stretched story. Just an easy read but nothing exceptional. Suitable for a lazy sunday afternoon read.

[Lou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Punchy, poetic writing style. The content wasn't quite my cup of tea and I wanted a more definitive ending.

[Andy Hickmott · Rating 5 out of 5]

A terrifying glimpse of life in a Buenos Aires slum.

[Ingrid Sinclair · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great writing, but I hated the ending. Lots of Argentinian flavour. Smart writer.

[Mark Williams · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read like it had been translated into English by an East End thug. Predictable and dull.

[Helen Woods]

This was an interesting book, that's for sure.
Here is my full review:
http://helenwoods.net/2015/07/07/book...

[Bibi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mwah. Allemaal erg dramatisch, maar vooral hard en plat. Naar mijn gevoel was de intentie vooral choqueren en niet het vertellen van een goed verhaal. Ben ik niet zo van gecharmeerd.

[George Bartram · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Book gets better as you go along but a relatively poor and uneventful ending kind of soured the whole experience a little bit.

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Vibhor sen · Rating 2 out of 5]

the plot of the book is too predictable.

[Runningrara · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARGENTINA. 🇦🇷 Slum gangster story.