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Ca'd'Zan
A boy and his dog confront the very real horrors of modern-day slavery in Brazil. An epic tale of adventure. By the author of "Natalya" and "Hotel Sarajevo"
306 pages, Paperback
First published May 2, 2013
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December 13, 2015
This coming of age tale traces the story of an unusual boy and an extraordinary dog as they share the tribulations of indentured laborers on a South American plantation.
Beautifully rendered, the language sounds slightly foreign, slightly mystical. “’Close your eyes and fly away, Lano,’ Mother whispered in the near dark, her arms bright beautiful wings to fly me. ‘Lose your body to glide on my words over the whole dark earth.’” (5) Kersh’s style is reminiscent of Magic Realism, but rather than enchantment being an integral part of the narrative, it is satisfied to simply glow at the edges. The tale begins curiously in the second person. The boy, Lano - short for Hercules - tells Ca’d’Zan, the dog he secretly names after the plantation, how she attacked a horse that broke her leg and how this bravery spared her from being shot. As Lano¬ and the dog grow, we meet the various players: John One - insane founder of the Ca’d’Zan plantation, John Two - his son, Angelina Bonita - a woman mysterious and beautiful as an angel, and Raimundo –Lano’s father. During most of the story the workers’ daily drudgery, the cruelty of the bosses, and the various personalities and their intrigues unfold in a natural progression. All is infused by that ephemeral mysticism: Raimundo builds a shadow-play “magic lantern,” Ca’d’Zan rescues an Indian princess (whose presence is announced by butterflies) making Lano one of “the people” and earning himself the title “Much Dog.” Eventually, the two Johns and other “Big Men” want more land leading to a confrontation with Indians and environmentalists, and a battle with loggers. Lano proves himself a warrior during these fights, albeit choosing whether to shoot enemies on his own side or the other. Later, after the deaths of Angelina and Raimundo, things at the plantation fall apart and Lano finds his place with the Indians. But not without more pitched battles with his true enemies.
An elegant dream penned in marvelous prose, this book is a perfect fit for lovers of Garcia-Marquez, Allende, and Kafka, yet is fully accessible to general readers.
Beautifully rendered, the language sounds slightly foreign, slightly mystical. “’Close your eyes and fly away, Lano,’ Mother whispered in the near dark, her arms bright beautiful wings to fly me. ‘Lose your body to glide on my words over the whole dark earth.’” (5) Kersh’s style is reminiscent of Magic Realism, but rather than enchantment being an integral part of the narrative, it is satisfied to simply glow at the edges. The tale begins curiously in the second person. The boy, Lano - short for Hercules - tells Ca’d’Zan, the dog he secretly names after the plantation, how she attacked a horse that broke her leg and how this bravery spared her from being shot. As Lano¬ and the dog grow, we meet the various players: John One - insane founder of the Ca’d’Zan plantation, John Two - his son, Angelina Bonita - a woman mysterious and beautiful as an angel, and Raimundo –Lano’s father. During most of the story the workers’ daily drudgery, the cruelty of the bosses, and the various personalities and their intrigues unfold in a natural progression. All is infused by that ephemeral mysticism: Raimundo builds a shadow-play “magic lantern,” Ca’d’Zan rescues an Indian princess (whose presence is announced by butterflies) making Lano one of “the people” and earning himself the title “Much Dog.” Eventually, the two Johns and other “Big Men” want more land leading to a confrontation with Indians and environmentalists, and a battle with loggers. Lano proves himself a warrior during these fights, albeit choosing whether to shoot enemies on his own side or the other. Later, after the deaths of Angelina and Raimundo, things at the plantation fall apart and Lano finds his place with the Indians. But not without more pitched battles with his true enemies.
An elegant dream penned in marvelous prose, this book is a perfect fit for lovers of Garcia-Marquez, Allende, and Kafka, yet is fully accessible to general readers.
Displaying 1 of 1 review