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Mad Days of Me #1
Escaping Barcelona
Having left behind his childhood town full of dead-end jobs and bleak prospects for a future, Rudy, a nineteen-year old runaway, arrives in Barcelona.
Two days later, he finds himself outside a subway station half-naked and robbed of all his possessions.
Trapped in a city whose language he doesn't speak, without a passport or anyone to turn to, Rudy is plunged into a world of hunger and homelessness. Yet, fighting off the ravages of slow starvation proves far easier than the struggle to maintain his own decency and humanity when he is forced to befriend a hostile thug who holds the only key to Rudy's escape.
Unconditionally realistic, Mad Days of Me: Escaping Barcelona explores the conflicted ideology of youth and society's indifference to suffering in a harrowing tale of survival. This is a story of perseverance. A story of anguish, dignity, madness, and redemption.
Two days later, he finds himself outside a subway station half-naked and robbed of all his possessions.
Trapped in a city whose language he doesn't speak, without a passport or anyone to turn to, Rudy is plunged into a world of hunger and homelessness. Yet, fighting off the ravages of slow starvation proves far easier than the struggle to maintain his own decency and humanity when he is forced to befriend a hostile thug who holds the only key to Rudy's escape.
Unconditionally realistic, Mad Days of Me: Escaping Barcelona explores the conflicted ideology of youth and society's indifference to suffering in a harrowing tale of survival. This is a story of perseverance. A story of anguish, dignity, madness, and redemption.
- GenresFiction
221 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2007
6 people are currently reading
466 people want to read
About the author
Henry Martin
93 books154 followers
Henry Martin used to write fiction and poetry, which predominately deals with the often-overlooked aspects of humanity.
He is the author of three novels: Escaping Barcelona, Finding Eivissa, and Eluding Reality; a short story collection, Coffee, Cigarettes, and Murderous Thoughts; and a poetry collection, The Silence Before Dawn. His most recent published project is a collection of Photostories in five volumes under the KSHM Project umbrella, for which he collaborated with Australian photographer Karl Strand, combining one of a kind images with short stories and vignettes.
He is currently not working on any new writing, and does not anticipate any new writing in the future.
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November 7, 2014
Much of what transpires obscurely on streets stands a remote chance of being considered worthy of attention. With the ever occupied mind, always attentive to own entreaties, it is imperative that the obscure remains just that--obscure. Moreover, things unpleasant and unwarranted are the least to be paid any attention to while vacationing. No dearth of things visible and exciting, why even bother for those shadowy. Adventurous places, thrilling experiences, luxury of soft bed to sleep, more than enough to eat and drink without having to think of next meal. Hunger, deprivation or loss of identity - not even to trouble in dreams.
But, what if ?
What if stuck in a place, having lost everything, even the identity? How to survive? How to escape?
Rudy, a nineteen year old, leaves his home and wandering from country to country, finally lands in Barcelona, Spain. Youth and independence; a heady combination for adventure. Dreamy eyes and vigor for the unknown, added with a lure of the forbidden.
This lure wears off when Rudy is not only mugged but also sexually assaulted on his last day in the city. The robbers take away all, his money, even his passport. He is left only with the clothing he wears. Trapped in the vicious circle of poverty, he faces starvation and scorn. His inability to procure an employment in absence of a proof of identity, adds to his woes. Does he survive hunger and destitution, the walking evil on the roads; men dangerous and degraded? Does he finally escape?
Escaping Barcelona by Henry Martin is a gripping story of the escape of Rudy from the sin city. But it is not just that. It is also a thought provoking narrative, which makes you contemplate the most unfortunate state for a human being i.e. the state of hunger and also what it leads to. In a way it brought to mind Knut Hamsun’s “Hunger”. The work is also a satire on the so called developed world where it takes only the opposite sides of a single road to separate the wealthy from the poor, where abundance and deprivation co-exist, where the youth is plagued by addiction and where the Police personnel are as hardened as the hard core criminals.
It is also a rumination on humanity, hope for a better World.
“Perhaps, some day, humanity can start afresh, a new world, a tabula rasa, a world with a mind without prior experiences. No memories and no pain. A day when the ones with abundance do not look down at the poor and the needy, a day when we learn to care for the victims, the fallen souls of civilization and advancement, a day when the world will be pure."
“Yet no one realizes that the vital always remains unspoken: Be human, be open-minded, and be willing to learn. Nothing could be simpler than that, yet it is the hardest lesson to accept or teach. We raise our progeny with vanity and prejudice. We doom future generations and ourselves; we have destroyed the idea of simplicity."
But more than that, it is also Rudy's escape from the sin itself. Though he is an addict but not even the most desperate of states make him indulge in crime i.e. rob or kill.The beauty of the work lies not only in its spellbinding narrative, which never slacks anywhere, but also in the introspection it calls for. This is one of the best literary fictions I have read this year.
Highly recommended.
But, what if ?
What if stuck in a place, having lost everything, even the identity? How to survive? How to escape?
Rudy, a nineteen year old, leaves his home and wandering from country to country, finally lands in Barcelona, Spain. Youth and independence; a heady combination for adventure. Dreamy eyes and vigor for the unknown, added with a lure of the forbidden.
This lure wears off when Rudy is not only mugged but also sexually assaulted on his last day in the city. The robbers take away all, his money, even his passport. He is left only with the clothing he wears. Trapped in the vicious circle of poverty, he faces starvation and scorn. His inability to procure an employment in absence of a proof of identity, adds to his woes. Does he survive hunger and destitution, the walking evil on the roads; men dangerous and degraded? Does he finally escape?
Escaping Barcelona by Henry Martin is a gripping story of the escape of Rudy from the sin city. But it is not just that. It is also a thought provoking narrative, which makes you contemplate the most unfortunate state for a human being i.e. the state of hunger and also what it leads to. In a way it brought to mind Knut Hamsun’s “Hunger”. The work is also a satire on the so called developed world where it takes only the opposite sides of a single road to separate the wealthy from the poor, where abundance and deprivation co-exist, where the youth is plagued by addiction and where the Police personnel are as hardened as the hard core criminals.
It is also a rumination on humanity, hope for a better World.
“Perhaps, some day, humanity can start afresh, a new world, a tabula rasa, a world with a mind without prior experiences. No memories and no pain. A day when the ones with abundance do not look down at the poor and the needy, a day when we learn to care for the victims, the fallen souls of civilization and advancement, a day when the world will be pure."
“Yet no one realizes that the vital always remains unspoken: Be human, be open-minded, and be willing to learn. Nothing could be simpler than that, yet it is the hardest lesson to accept or teach. We raise our progeny with vanity and prejudice. We doom future generations and ourselves; we have destroyed the idea of simplicity."
But more than that, it is also Rudy's escape from the sin itself. Though he is an addict but not even the most desperate of states make him indulge in crime i.e. rob or kill.The beauty of the work lies not only in its spellbinding narrative, which never slacks anywhere, but also in the introspection it calls for. This is one of the best literary fictions I have read this year.
Highly recommended.
February 14, 2015
Ah, to be a college-age student traveling free and easy through the cities of Europe, soaking in all the color and vitality of the peoples and culture. You hit Barcelona, walk the broad tree-lines streets, visit the Picasso Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. What a dream come true. But, then, one evening leisurely strolling down the wrong street in the wrong neighborhood, you are attacked, brutally raped and then robbed of all your money, identity cards and passport. Other than the cloths on your back, you have nothing. And going to the police is out of the question, since you are pulled down very quickly into a complex web of crime. And to make matters even worse, you don’t even speak the language. Does this sound like a dream instantly transformed into a living nightmare? Well, welcome to the world of American author, Henry Martin’s Escaping Barcelona.
I planned to read this book over the course of a week. However, when I sat down last evening and started reading, I couldn’t stop. Totally engrossed and absorbed – 220 pages in one sitting. At one point the first-person narrator muses, “Hope, once more, starts to root in my heart. The hope I so desperately need, and so futilely try to fight off. Despite the thousand reasons against it, the hope thrives, even though I know that in the end the silver lining will tarnish, and instead of a strong rope my future will hang on a thin thread that cannot support my weight. How many more breaks can I endure before my heart breaks in two?”
Escaping Barcelona makes one fact very clear: the sharpest difference between people is those who have food and those who are hungry and without food. I wouldn’t want to spoil a reader’s experience of the ins and outs, the ups and many downs of this compelling novel, so I will end with one quote I find particularly memorable, “I clean my face the best I can and splash some water on my hair. The last time I’ve had a shave was at the police station, and now I am looking like a wild beast. The uneven hairline growing on my chin, a bit here and there, sticks out like overgrown whiskers. I take out the lighter and burn off the wildest parts. After few attempts it looks much better, only the smell of burnt hair is unbearable. I get out of the bathroom before I have to throw up again. How did I become such a skeleton? It is very bizarre to see one’s self in the mirror after a long time. Any new changes in appearances become more severe, more frightening; I have grown almost unrecognizable from the image I’ve had of myself until now. When I arrived in Barcelona I weighed around one hundred and sixty pounds – the liast time I was weighed at the police station I was just a little under one hundred. That was a while ago. I don’t even want to guess what I am today. It had never hit me until I looked in the damn mirror – I have become a human ruin, a sad, pathetic excuse for a man. I have to get out of this city before it claims my life.”
February 5, 2014
I don't read literary fiction that's much concerned with realism very often. I usually like a bit of the absurd, the surreal, or the fantastical mixed in. The "straight n' serious" stuff usually isn't for me. So, when I was asked to read this book in exchange for an honest review, I was a bit hesitant. But I'm glad I took a chance on it.
This is a story about the down and out, and I'm generally pretty fond of some grit and grime. Martin does a good job of getting inside the head of a 19 year-old runaway named Rudy and exposing thought processes and observations that are often embarrassingly earnest, wildly idealistic, and excruciatingly naive. Rudy thinks a lot of the same shit I was thinking when I was that age, the kind of shit that I can only shake my head in wonder at now.
Rudy isn't a sympathetic character, but he's a compelling one. I wanted to keep reading to find out where he would end up. But my lack of sympathy for Rudy was something that kept nettling me while I was reading this. After being sexually assaulted (and having his passport stolen) in a strange land where he can't speak the language, Rudy steadfastly refuses to reach out to his family for help. The reason why he never reaches out to his family for help is never explained. There is no hint at an abusive home life or anything of the sort. It just seems like he'd rather live on the street and risk starvation than simply swallow his pride.
Another thing that nettled me a bit was that it was never clear what language Rudy spoke (and I believe this was intentional). He visits Spain on a lark and it's made plain that he can't speak Spanish and that he only knows 50 or so words in English, yet it seems that he's able to communicate with a good number of street people (and the police) without much difficulty. This wasn't a huge issue. But I do think the vagueness of Rudy's native language served to over-complicate things, and it became somewhat distracting for this reader.
Aside from these two nettling bits, I found Escaping Barcelona pretty engrossing. The writing is smooth and draws you through the story. I read it in just a few sittings. Martin does a fantastic job evoking a sense of place and the people who inhabit the streets of Barcelona. It reeked of verisimilitude. I'd be surprised to find that the author hasn't spent a good deal of time in that city.
This book is the first part of a trilogy called Mad Days of Me. I've already decided to pick up the next one in the series. I'm still pretty curious about where Rudy will end up.
This is a story about the down and out, and I'm generally pretty fond of some grit and grime. Martin does a good job of getting inside the head of a 19 year-old runaway named Rudy and exposing thought processes and observations that are often embarrassingly earnest, wildly idealistic, and excruciatingly naive. Rudy thinks a lot of the same shit I was thinking when I was that age, the kind of shit that I can only shake my head in wonder at now.
Rudy isn't a sympathetic character, but he's a compelling one. I wanted to keep reading to find out where he would end up. But my lack of sympathy for Rudy was something that kept nettling me while I was reading this. After being sexually assaulted (and having his passport stolen) in a strange land where he can't speak the language, Rudy steadfastly refuses to reach out to his family for help. The reason why he never reaches out to his family for help is never explained. There is no hint at an abusive home life or anything of the sort. It just seems like he'd rather live on the street and risk starvation than simply swallow his pride.
Another thing that nettled me a bit was that it was never clear what language Rudy spoke (and I believe this was intentional). He visits Spain on a lark and it's made plain that he can't speak Spanish and that he only knows 50 or so words in English, yet it seems that he's able to communicate with a good number of street people (and the police) without much difficulty. This wasn't a huge issue. But I do think the vagueness of Rudy's native language served to over-complicate things, and it became somewhat distracting for this reader.
Aside from these two nettling bits, I found Escaping Barcelona pretty engrossing. The writing is smooth and draws you through the story. I read it in just a few sittings. Martin does a fantastic job evoking a sense of place and the people who inhabit the streets of Barcelona. It reeked of verisimilitude. I'd be surprised to find that the author hasn't spent a good deal of time in that city.
This book is the first part of a trilogy called Mad Days of Me. I've already decided to pick up the next one in the series. I'm still pretty curious about where Rudy will end up.
March 3, 2014
Henry Martin’s thoughtful and intelligent discourses in the GoodReads community threads intrigued me enough to pounce on the chance to read Escaping Barcelona when he submitted it for screening and reviewing in The Source.
And I was glad I did, because Escaping Barcelona is a novel that will stay with me long after I reached the last page. Rudy is an enigma. At first I thought he was ‘an American abroad’, but despite references to American measurements and valuta, Rudy’s lack of Spanish and English made me reassess my first impressions. I believe Rudy’s nationality has been left deliberately vague to avoid giving the reader any preconceptions towards the protagonist.
After Rudy gets robbed and brutalized and finds himself stuck in a city where he’s essentially a stranger, his struggle for survival on the streets becomes a poignant travelogue, where Rudy sinks deeper and deeper into a mire of betrayals and danger, with few chances of hope.
Since my own personality is more purposeful than Rudy’s, I was frequently frustrated with his passive/defeatist attitude, and his tendency to focus more on cigarettes and wine than nourishment and hygiene. Which also spoiled the infrequent intimacy Rudy had with female tourists—I wondered if these women weren’t repulsed by his unwashed smell or ‘I haven’t brushed for weeks’ breath. I can understand how a street person fails to smell himself, but other people still have noses.
Still, that’s the stickler for verisimilitude in me. And the fact that I got frustrated also means that I was emotionally invested in the character, which is a tribute to Henry Martin's penmanship.
Rudy’s ordeal—having to live on the streets of an unfamiliar city, trusting strangers and hoping to regain the means to escape Barcelona—is written with a sensory detail that rings disturbingly authentic, from the physical deterioration to the desperate scrabble for nourishment and the small moments of happiness resulting from the unexpected kindness of strangers.
Henry Martin has an ability to draw memorable characters and imbue them with an ambiguity that makes the reader wary about their intentions. Although there are a few characters that lean more toward the darker side of humanity, most characters have to forego the luxury of moral superiority in order to simply survive on the mean streets of Barcelona.
Following Rudy around Barcelona was interesting and rewarding. I’m eager to read Henry Martin’s other works, and follow Rudy’s further adventures.
And I was glad I did, because Escaping Barcelona is a novel that will stay with me long after I reached the last page. Rudy is an enigma. At first I thought he was ‘an American abroad’, but despite references to American measurements and valuta, Rudy’s lack of Spanish and English made me reassess my first impressions. I believe Rudy’s nationality has been left deliberately vague to avoid giving the reader any preconceptions towards the protagonist.
After Rudy gets robbed and brutalized and finds himself stuck in a city where he’s essentially a stranger, his struggle for survival on the streets becomes a poignant travelogue, where Rudy sinks deeper and deeper into a mire of betrayals and danger, with few chances of hope.
Since my own personality is more purposeful than Rudy’s, I was frequently frustrated with his passive/defeatist attitude, and his tendency to focus more on cigarettes and wine than nourishment and hygiene. Which also spoiled the infrequent intimacy Rudy had with female tourists—I wondered if these women weren’t repulsed by his unwashed smell or ‘I haven’t brushed for weeks’ breath. I can understand how a street person fails to smell himself, but other people still have noses.
Still, that’s the stickler for verisimilitude in me. And the fact that I got frustrated also means that I was emotionally invested in the character, which is a tribute to Henry Martin's penmanship.
Rudy’s ordeal—having to live on the streets of an unfamiliar city, trusting strangers and hoping to regain the means to escape Barcelona—is written with a sensory detail that rings disturbingly authentic, from the physical deterioration to the desperate scrabble for nourishment and the small moments of happiness resulting from the unexpected kindness of strangers.
Henry Martin has an ability to draw memorable characters and imbue them with an ambiguity that makes the reader wary about their intentions. Although there are a few characters that lean more toward the darker side of humanity, most characters have to forego the luxury of moral superiority in order to simply survive on the mean streets of Barcelona.
Following Rudy around Barcelona was interesting and rewarding. I’m eager to read Henry Martin’s other works, and follow Rudy’s further adventures.
February 2, 2016
I came to Henry Martin’s book following a discussion of literary fiction in the modern day. I mentioned the cult novel Trainspotting and pointed out that difficulties with the heavy Scottish dialect did not override the fact that it was totally realistic in its handling of drug addiction. Escaping Barcelona also has a form of gritty realism dealing as it does with uncomfortable and unpleasant issues like statelessness, homelessness, exploitation and homosexual rape. It is however a much more approachable book.
The quality of the writing here is excellent and it is not written in dialect or the vernacular which makes it easier for the general reader to get into. To me, the language of evocation and description is vital. One of my favourite poets, for example, is the war poet Wilfred Owen because he brings a talent for visual description to things we don’t consider poetic subjects. In this way Owen gives the horror of war a striking and vivid reality. Henry Martin, for me, achieves something similar on a smaller scale in Escaping Barcelona. In an era where increasingly readers have little time for description, characterization or exposition, he allows us more than just a glimpse of his protagonist’s world. The author is not just content with what his character does and what happens to him; you feel Rudy’s initial sense of awe and excitement on arriving in Barcelona, you smell, taste and see his surroundings. Later the same skills are applied to his physical deterioration, how the fabric of his unwashed socks becomes embedded in the skin of his feet for instance.
Rudy starts out, as many young people do, by feeling trapped at home. He longs for freedom and adventure and leaves the safety and security of his home to seek that freedom on the road. Ironically his search leads to virtual imprisonment in a world where everything is reduced to the absolute basics of survival and where it is hard to trust anybody. His interactions with young women on holiday draw attention to this irony. They too seek freedom and adventure through travel, but unlike Rudy they have not been victimized; they have not lost the physical means of escape and they are still in control of their own destinies. He envies them and he fears for them too. His eventual escape is almost a very final escape, the significance of which was not lost on me.
The novel Escaping Barcelona deals with issues on the underbelly of society; issues of criminality, exploitation of the weak, powerlessness, hopelessness and the all too convenient invisibility of the poor and the homeless. Its premise that this can happen to anybody young, innocent and trusting is sadly built on truth. Your hopes rise and are dashed along with the young protagonist, you see life at its most fundamental, learning survival skills and dealing with frustration and fear along the way.
August 18, 2014
Whew.......... "Sometimes the burden we place upon ourselves is far greater than the burden placed upon us by others. Society is mean and cruel, but the fear we have of society is punishing in itself to a far greater extent". [I read --and re-read that line several times]>>> powerful, don't ya think?/!!!
And the story continues ...
And continues....
And continues....
Basically 'our guy' lives through pure hell -- in a hellish city --starving!!!
--Money and passport have been stolen --
His 'dignity' is stolen (Most painful rectum any human being should ever have to experience) --etc.
"OUR GUY" keeps going --and going -and going....... (can't call home). Oh, how I remember! (I lived that experience myself)
On the streets with **Mr. Hungry-down-and Out**, are the city cops, and hookers, dogs, rats, sailors, photographers, jugglers,.....etc. etc.
Lots of smoking and drinking in this city! --
Just trying to survive --one day at a time!
Will he ever get his damn passbook back? (and at what cost)
I kept wanting to 'help' this young character ---(I've been in his shoes) --
Can't we get him a massage --a warm water soak?/! lol
While reading about this 'journey-one-never-forgets' ---I'm reminded of the time I left the country --'alone' at age 18/19 ....for 2 years myself --- I went to Israel -then overland to India -- (single white female --off season-- in the 70's) -- I was never raped thank God -- --but I went without food for long periods --and I got 'picked' at way too often --- I started to swing back!
I once slept outside in the ICE COLD HARD RAIN --in GREECE -- with no cover --It was one of the hardest nights of my life --
READING this story brought back memories ---45-something years ago -- (I must say ---Its a blessing to be reading about it --rather than living it).
Page turning storytelling from this author ---
Yet be prepared --this is the 'other' Barcelona .....
Don't expect the 'fantasy' story of fine wine -gourmet meals --and fancy ballroom moonlight dancing!
Its a good book --and RAW!
And the story continues ...
And continues....
And continues....
Basically 'our guy' lives through pure hell -- in a hellish city --starving!!!
--Money and passport have been stolen --
His 'dignity' is stolen (Most painful rectum any human being should ever have to experience) --etc.
"OUR GUY" keeps going --and going -and going....... (can't call home). Oh, how I remember! (I lived that experience myself)
On the streets with **Mr. Hungry-down-and Out**, are the city cops, and hookers, dogs, rats, sailors, photographers, jugglers,.....etc. etc.
Lots of smoking and drinking in this city! --
Just trying to survive --one day at a time!
Will he ever get his damn passbook back? (and at what cost)
I kept wanting to 'help' this young character ---(I've been in his shoes) --
Can't we get him a massage --a warm water soak?/! lol
While reading about this 'journey-one-never-forgets' ---I'm reminded of the time I left the country --'alone' at age 18/19 ....for 2 years myself --- I went to Israel -then overland to India -- (single white female --off season-- in the 70's) -- I was never raped thank God -- --but I went without food for long periods --and I got 'picked' at way too often --- I started to swing back!
I once slept outside in the ICE COLD HARD RAIN --in GREECE -- with no cover --It was one of the hardest nights of my life --
READING this story brought back memories ---45-something years ago -- (I must say ---Its a blessing to be reading about it --rather than living it).
Page turning storytelling from this author ---
Yet be prepared --this is the 'other' Barcelona .....
Don't expect the 'fantasy' story of fine wine -gourmet meals --and fancy ballroom moonlight dancing!
Its a good book --and RAW!
August 19, 2014
Yup, I'll be reading this series!
Henry Martin creates a harrowing story focused around the main character Rudy. Rudy is 19 years old, and has left home seeking freedom, and escape from his family. He has no real destination and is following his heart. His desire is to live a life of simplicity. This leads him to Barcelona, where a horrific event leaves him penniless, and without a passport. Interspersed throughout this book Rudy's views of society, materialism, the media, and the cruelty of today's world echo my own. Rudy states, " Fortunately, I do not belong to this world; fortunately, I have no intentions of complying and conforming to the 'mainstream'; fortunately, I am my own person. So while you sit in front of your television set, worrying about the newest and latest gadget that you don't have, I will concern myself with my own struggle - my struggle to survive." Unfortunately his desire for simplicity leads to a serious struggle to survive. Sadly, without money, there are few options, and the cruelty of today's world become all to real.
Miller's portrayal of the underbelly of Barcelona, and his description of the empty eyes of tourists being led from place to place like sheep are deeply felt. Rudy finally realizes however, that there is no perfect place. He states, "It took Barcelona to make me realize that I was chasing my own shadow, running from my own issues, uncomfortable in my own skin. I now know that there is no perfect place, and there never will be, unless I embrace who I am. The story left me wondering just what does lie ahead for Rudy.
Henry Martin creates a harrowing story focused around the main character Rudy. Rudy is 19 years old, and has left home seeking freedom, and escape from his family. He has no real destination and is following his heart. His desire is to live a life of simplicity. This leads him to Barcelona, where a horrific event leaves him penniless, and without a passport. Interspersed throughout this book Rudy's views of society, materialism, the media, and the cruelty of today's world echo my own. Rudy states, " Fortunately, I do not belong to this world; fortunately, I have no intentions of complying and conforming to the 'mainstream'; fortunately, I am my own person. So while you sit in front of your television set, worrying about the newest and latest gadget that you don't have, I will concern myself with my own struggle - my struggle to survive." Unfortunately his desire for simplicity leads to a serious struggle to survive. Sadly, without money, there are few options, and the cruelty of today's world become all to real.
Miller's portrayal of the underbelly of Barcelona, and his description of the empty eyes of tourists being led from place to place like sheep are deeply felt. Rudy finally realizes however, that there is no perfect place. He states, "It took Barcelona to make me realize that I was chasing my own shadow, running from my own issues, uncomfortable in my own skin. I now know that there is no perfect place, and there never will be, unless I embrace who I am. The story left me wondering just what does lie ahead for Rudy.
March 1, 2014
At the top of this review composition window, Goodreads prompts, "What did you think?"
My first reaction to that question is: Wow!
This book is pretty damned amazing. It's very different than what I normally read, or even see available on the market. It has a classic feel as if it was written by some great author 50 or 75 years ago, but it takes place in modern times.
I can't compare the actual writing to any author that I know, but I can compare the feeling from reading it to the feeling I've gotten from Charles Bukowski, J.D. Salinger and John Steinbeck.
If someone gave you this book and didn't tell you until after you'd read it and fallen in love with the main character that it was written by an indie author, you'd probably say, "Yeah, right."
I almost never describe what a book is about when I'm reviewing it because I think the book's description should do that, but I will say that in addition to what you've already read in the description, just consider that the narrative is from a young man who is very intelligent and comes from at least a middle-class background and finds himself being homeless in a foreign country.
Just that alone would make the book interesting, but it goes past that, drawing you in deeper and deeper to Rudy's predicament and getting to know him and like him more as you read his thoughts and philosophical observations on the state of man and modern society.
Final thought: I'm so glad this is a trilogy. I'm going to be sad when I'm writing a review for the third book.
My first reaction to that question is: Wow!
This book is pretty damned amazing. It's very different than what I normally read, or even see available on the market. It has a classic feel as if it was written by some great author 50 or 75 years ago, but it takes place in modern times.
I can't compare the actual writing to any author that I know, but I can compare the feeling from reading it to the feeling I've gotten from Charles Bukowski, J.D. Salinger and John Steinbeck.
If someone gave you this book and didn't tell you until after you'd read it and fallen in love with the main character that it was written by an indie author, you'd probably say, "Yeah, right."
I almost never describe what a book is about when I'm reviewing it because I think the book's description should do that, but I will say that in addition to what you've already read in the description, just consider that the narrative is from a young man who is very intelligent and comes from at least a middle-class background and finds himself being homeless in a foreign country.
Just that alone would make the book interesting, but it goes past that, drawing you in deeper and deeper to Rudy's predicament and getting to know him and like him more as you read his thoughts and philosophical observations on the state of man and modern society.
Final thought: I'm so glad this is a trilogy. I'm going to be sad when I'm writing a review for the third book.
December 9, 2014
This book kept me riveted to the very last page, a nail-biting ending, I might add. Author Martin writes excellent, clean prose, presents interesting characters, and fashions a twisted but certainly believable story as he explores the underbelly of Barcelona. His knowledge of "street life" and what it takes to survive among the sordid losers and criminals who sustain themselves as beggars and predators in the bottom-feeding underworld __ which exists from my own experience in every city, especially the most-acclaimed tourist hot-spots across the globe __ is impressive. If this chilling adventure is at all autobiographical, we should join him in being grateful he is still here today, and able to write such an exciting and insightful novel.
February 19, 2013
Mad Days of Me – Escaping Barcelona by Henry Martin was a very interesting read. In part what made it so interesting was Martin’s vivid development of the main character, Rudy.
Teenage Rudy flees his home in Rome to Barcelona, leaving his family and girlfriend behind, looking for freedom. He realizes he needs to embrace who he really is in order to find peace within himself and joy in his life, but he doesn’t know who that is. For months, he spends his days on the streets of Barcelona interacting with an pitiful array of junkies, criminals, drunks, street performers, stray dogs, and other lost souls, adapting to the backdrop of the day like a chameleon. Occasionally Rudy has a bout of philosophical thinking, but that soon dissipates as soon as a new situation presents itself. After squatting in an old abandoned building with a Romanian thug, a deaf Columbian, and a heroin addict, he focuses on leaving Barcelona, but that proves more difficult than he ever imagined.
This book was extremely well written with intense drama and beautifully executed scenes. It is well worth the read.
Teenage Rudy flees his home in Rome to Barcelona, leaving his family and girlfriend behind, looking for freedom. He realizes he needs to embrace who he really is in order to find peace within himself and joy in his life, but he doesn’t know who that is. For months, he spends his days on the streets of Barcelona interacting with an pitiful array of junkies, criminals, drunks, street performers, stray dogs, and other lost souls, adapting to the backdrop of the day like a chameleon. Occasionally Rudy has a bout of philosophical thinking, but that soon dissipates as soon as a new situation presents itself. After squatting in an old abandoned building with a Romanian thug, a deaf Columbian, and a heroin addict, he focuses on leaving Barcelona, but that proves more difficult than he ever imagined.
This book was extremely well written with intense drama and beautifully executed scenes. It is well worth the read.
February 25, 2014
Where have you seen Rudy before? You wonder, while reading Escaping Barcelona. You've seen Rudy walking around aimlessly in the plazas and train stations and dark alleys of every big city. A lost, homeless, dirty young man, suspiciously provoking feelings of disgust, distrust and even fear from the passersby. The invisible scum of society, the runaway, the bum. But that's all there is for the eyes to see. What no one sees, is a tortured soul, a man in search of his destiny, questioning rules, normalcy and desperately trying to find meaning in all of it.
In Escaping Barcelona, we find a traveler - not totally comparable to the traveler in Damon Galgut's "In a Strange Room", but nonetheless possessing the same unsettling feelings when one is restless to leave, searching for what can't be found at home, and, not knowing what to expect, finding misery, horrors, the disdain of society and the cruel madness of a life without boundaries.
Interesting read, food for thought, creative and fast paced, with vivid descriptions of the city of Barcelona. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy to find out Rudy's redemption.
In Escaping Barcelona, we find a traveler - not totally comparable to the traveler in Damon Galgut's "In a Strange Room", but nonetheless possessing the same unsettling feelings when one is restless to leave, searching for what can't be found at home, and, not knowing what to expect, finding misery, horrors, the disdain of society and the cruel madness of a life without boundaries.
Interesting read, food for thought, creative and fast paced, with vivid descriptions of the city of Barcelona. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy to find out Rudy's redemption.
September 27, 2013
This was a well-written story in first person narrative. It tells the story of Rudy, who leaves his hometown and travels to Barcelona. While there, an unfortunate incident leaves him trapped. With no passport and very little money, Rudy is soon homeless, living on the streets among drug addicts and thieves.
The vivid descriptions of Barcelona will have you feeling as if you are there with Rudy. Henry Martin captures the despair of life on the streets, the grime, the hunger, the struggle to get food and a warm place to sleep, the toll it takes on the body and the mind. Amid all that though, there is hope and friendship. There is an array of characters, some you will like, others not so much.
Although a hard story to read, I enjoyed this and will be reading the next book in the series. I'm eager to find out what comes next for Rudy.
The vivid descriptions of Barcelona will have you feeling as if you are there with Rudy. Henry Martin captures the despair of life on the streets, the grime, the hunger, the struggle to get food and a warm place to sleep, the toll it takes on the body and the mind. Amid all that though, there is hope and friendship. There is an array of characters, some you will like, others not so much.
Although a hard story to read, I enjoyed this and will be reading the next book in the series. I'm eager to find out what comes next for Rudy.
April 15, 2013
What I first chapter it grabs you by the shirt front and gives you a solid wake up slap in the face. This book tells an interesting story of a young man stranded in Barcelona and how easily he falls into the cracks of society. It is a refreshing read and unlike any other book I have read. Through the story the author explores the more undesirable and often taboo subject of the homeless. It shines the spotlight on how one area can seem ideal, but if we stop to look closer we can see misery skulking around the corners watching the world pass it by. All up one fantastic read that will see me returning for more.
August 12, 2016
Overall: 4 STARS
Premise 5/5
Characterization 3.5/5
Setting & Description 4/5
Dialogue 3/5
Spelling/Grammar 5/5
Professionally written, brutal tale of a runaway in a foreign country. At times pushing the boundaries of believability, still a solid read. Easy to get into, hard to put down.
RECOMMENDED
Premise 5/5
Characterization 3.5/5
Setting & Description 4/5
Dialogue 3/5
Spelling/Grammar 5/5
Professionally written, brutal tale of a runaway in a foreign country. At times pushing the boundaries of believability, still a solid read. Easy to get into, hard to put down.
RECOMMENDED
February 26, 2014
Okay . . . wow.
Negatives first. Lost half a star for some formal-style issues [lack of commas preceding name of addressee on occasion]; and [I, being pedantic] ellipsis style - I did not care for Mr. Martin’s! LOL.] And lost another half star because I didn’t always believe Jorge was deaf, and rather than buying/begging cigarettes, Rudy might have thought of new socks and nail clippers [I know I would have, but . . .].
However . . .
Oh, however!
Like a thick river, the prose carries you along - unrelenting and unhurried, but not muddied. It doesn’t drag you down, but pulls you along, from one near-stream of consciousness into eddies of quick and frequently violent action. And along again. You’re battered. And just when you think you might drown, the author relents - lets you breathe - before taking you down river again. You don’t want rescue, though. Because you can’t. Stop. Turning. The. Pages.
Rudy is a nineteen-year-old pissant who has left home out of - I’ve concluded - boredom and an elevated sense of, well, being a nineteen-year-old pissant. A runaway, he travels to Barcelona on a whim. There, he is brutalised and robbed. Without money and with his passport held hostage by the villain of the piece, he's forced to live on the streets. The people he meets, the things he must do, the things he doesn’t do and should . . . Rudy learns the hard way that there is nothing quite so boring as hunger, and sloth, and lack of intellectual stimulation.
There are pockets of eloquent description, socio-political rants, and despairing observations of self. His many opinions on the world [e.g., the wealthy - “Wealth . . . can only hold you down."] are rescued from irony as he knows the flip side of things . . . in this instance, that his poverty holds him down harder.
There are two central themes in this novel, IMO.
The first theme is hope. Throughout, Rudy holds onto hope - perhaps by the thinnest thread, but it is almost always evident. It is that hope - even when frail - that makes Rudy set the goal of getting to Mallorca. The Promised Land, the golden dream.
The other main theme is survival; what humans are capable of enduring. Towards the end, Rudy returns to , a disgusting hole of a place. And he is shocked that he ever entered there [and kudos to Mr. Martin for describing it in detail then rather than earlier]. It is a measure of our humanity that we do what it takes to survive, but the choices we make along the way appal us in the end.
Less-experienced Rudy scorned civilisation - wanted to strip its veneer away. I hope - though I’m not sure - that he’s learned that it’s the veneer that protects humanity from its raw state. Not garden-party manners and courtesy protecting the civilised from the riffraff, but each individual from himself. Civilisation helps us hide just how shocking we are. Because we’re all riffraff underneath. We don’t like to see that rawness. Especially in ourselves.
Negatives first. Lost half a star for some formal-style issues [lack of commas preceding name of addressee on occasion]; and [I, being pedantic] ellipsis style - I did not care for Mr. Martin’s! LOL.] And lost another half star because I didn’t always believe Jorge was deaf, and rather than buying/begging cigarettes, Rudy might have thought of new socks and nail clippers [I know I would have, but . . .].
However . . .
Oh, however!
Like a thick river, the prose carries you along - unrelenting and unhurried, but not muddied. It doesn’t drag you down, but pulls you along, from one near-stream of consciousness into eddies of quick and frequently violent action. And along again. You’re battered. And just when you think you might drown, the author relents - lets you breathe - before taking you down river again. You don’t want rescue, though. Because you can’t. Stop. Turning. The. Pages.
Rudy is a nineteen-year-old pissant who has left home out of - I’ve concluded - boredom and an elevated sense of, well, being a nineteen-year-old pissant. A runaway, he travels to Barcelona on a whim. There, he is brutalised and robbed. Without money and with his passport held hostage by the villain of the piece, he's forced to live on the streets. The people he meets, the things he must do, the things he doesn’t do and should . . . Rudy learns the hard way that there is nothing quite so boring as hunger, and sloth, and lack of intellectual stimulation.
There are pockets of eloquent description, socio-political rants, and despairing observations of self. His many opinions on the world [e.g., the wealthy - “Wealth . . . can only hold you down."] are rescued from irony as he knows the flip side of things . . . in this instance, that his poverty holds him down harder.
There are two central themes in this novel, IMO.
The first theme is hope. Throughout, Rudy holds onto hope - perhaps by the thinnest thread, but it is almost always evident. It is that hope - even when frail - that makes Rudy set the goal of getting to Mallorca. The Promised Land, the golden dream.
The other main theme is survival; what humans are capable of enduring. Towards the end, Rudy returns to , a disgusting hole of a place. And he is shocked that he ever entered there [and kudos to Mr. Martin for describing it in detail then rather than earlier]. It is a measure of our humanity that we do what it takes to survive, but the choices we make along the way appal us in the end.
Less-experienced Rudy scorned civilisation - wanted to strip its veneer away. I hope - though I’m not sure - that he’s learned that it’s the veneer that protects humanity from its raw state. Not garden-party manners and courtesy protecting the civilised from the riffraff, but each individual from himself. Civilisation helps us hide just how shocking we are. Because we’re all riffraff underneath. We don’t like to see that rawness. Especially in ourselves.
October 15, 2014
Interesting book. Warrants a longer review when I get a moment. //
Several days later, I finally got around to writing up a formal review. I did post this over at Fivecentmonkeys.com
In my days as a twenty something lad, I dreamed of traveling Europe on little to no money and seeing as much as the world as I could. I was also a tad rebellious that wanted to break contact with family and strike out on my own. Unlike Rudy, the main character in Mad Days of Me: Escaping Barcelona, I took a safer route and joined the US Navy instead. I was fortunate to do a bit of traveling around the globe and saw some amazing sites around the globe.
Although I never able to fathom where Rudy was originally from, which may have been intentional, he left home to travel to see the sites of Europe and discover more about himself with ties to his family or friends. With broken English and Spanish, he heads out for a short visit to Barcelona, Spain. Once there, Rudy is quickly robbed of more than his wallet and finds himself trapped with no way to leave. Struggling with language barriers, he has to fend for himself on the streets and is forced to learn how to survive. He is determined not to call home and ask for help from his family so he tries to make it own his own. His apathy of what his friends or family think, he ends up surviving with some less than desirable friends.
The days turn into weeks and the weeks turn into months with little to no hope of ever escaping the life of homelessness. Reading about Rudy heading to the depths of despair made me ponder how I might have reacted if I would have been transposed into his position. Even though it seemed that he had hit the lowest point possible, a spark of hope would strike and something would happen that gave Rudy an opportunity to be released from his Barcelonian cage.
Henry Martin did an incredible job of creating a book that shows the underside of a major city and continually challenged me to make comparisons to my own life. His character portrayals had me hating nasty characters that Rudy would encounter and made me cheer on the positive things that would happen to Rudy. I became invested in characters and Rudy's outcome, which I couldn't ask anything more from any author. The descriptions when Rudy would see himself in the mirror or finally had a chance to clean himself up were some of the most vidid descriptions that made my skin crawl and make me want to wash up in that instant.
At the end of the book, I was sorely disappointed that the conclusion was not what I was expecting, but then I smacked my own forehead when I found out that this was a trilogy and the next book quickly shot up the to-read list.
I give Escaping Barcelona a 4 out of 5.
Several days later, I finally got around to writing up a formal review. I did post this over at Fivecentmonkeys.com
In my days as a twenty something lad, I dreamed of traveling Europe on little to no money and seeing as much as the world as I could. I was also a tad rebellious that wanted to break contact with family and strike out on my own. Unlike Rudy, the main character in Mad Days of Me: Escaping Barcelona, I took a safer route and joined the US Navy instead. I was fortunate to do a bit of traveling around the globe and saw some amazing sites around the globe.
Although I never able to fathom where Rudy was originally from, which may have been intentional, he left home to travel to see the sites of Europe and discover more about himself with ties to his family or friends. With broken English and Spanish, he heads out for a short visit to Barcelona, Spain. Once there, Rudy is quickly robbed of more than his wallet and finds himself trapped with no way to leave. Struggling with language barriers, he has to fend for himself on the streets and is forced to learn how to survive. He is determined not to call home and ask for help from his family so he tries to make it own his own. His apathy of what his friends or family think, he ends up surviving with some less than desirable friends.
The days turn into weeks and the weeks turn into months with little to no hope of ever escaping the life of homelessness. Reading about Rudy heading to the depths of despair made me ponder how I might have reacted if I would have been transposed into his position. Even though it seemed that he had hit the lowest point possible, a spark of hope would strike and something would happen that gave Rudy an opportunity to be released from his Barcelonian cage.
Henry Martin did an incredible job of creating a book that shows the underside of a major city and continually challenged me to make comparisons to my own life. His character portrayals had me hating nasty characters that Rudy would encounter and made me cheer on the positive things that would happen to Rudy. I became invested in characters and Rudy's outcome, which I couldn't ask anything more from any author. The descriptions when Rudy would see himself in the mirror or finally had a chance to clean himself up were some of the most vidid descriptions that made my skin crawl and make me want to wash up in that instant.
At the end of the book, I was sorely disappointed that the conclusion was not what I was expecting, but then I smacked my own forehead when I found out that this was a trilogy and the next book quickly shot up the to-read list.
I give Escaping Barcelona a 4 out of 5.
February 28, 2014
2-28-14 Escaping Barcelona by Henry Martin
There were a lot of different messages in Escaping Barcelona. The undertones of different societies; the underdog, drugs, sex and lies among the norms of coffee, cigarettes, and tourism were in every aspect of the story. Through Rudy’s journey I began to be more and more frustrated by him. His poor decision making, his aloof behavior; he acted like a spoiled and defiant child. Once on his journey to find himself and get away from the woes of everyday life he tended to fling himself into every bad scene he could find. These constant naïve decisions he made proved more and more that he was a spoiled human being, or at least that’s how I felt. This man was wondering around as if he’d never been out in the world before. So trusting of everyone; thinking everything is good.
His naivety brought him into some brutal and scary environments. He learned quickly how to survive the best he could. Yet, I still was frustrated by his choices in how to survive. He seemed to have given up so easily to his situation. It was like he embraced becoming nothing and disappearing. It was really his pride that kept him down.
What I concentrated on in this story was how the author paints a portrait of the two parallel lives being lived all at once; the so-called normal and then the rest that doesn’t belong in “society’s” mainstream standards. As everyday life moves forward for the typical working man, the house wife, the retailer, the business person. There is a whole other set of people living a life of survival. These two worlds run at the same time and it’s as if the everyday man can’t see the other darker world. ; A world where survival consists of drugs, sex, lies and violence.
For the poor, homeless underdogs everyday survival is living in filth, starving and making things happen out of nothing however you can make it happen. People do things they regret but must do to survive. All this happening while an everyday man is getting Starbucks and contemplating which color shoe to wear. This book gives a good glimpse into how another set of life looks and how it’s happening all around us as we go about our societal norms.
I could’ve focused on how irritating Rudy, the main character, was and how bad his decisions were. I could’ve looked at how things would’ve been different had Rudy paid more attention and wasn’t so aloof to his surroundings. Instead I chose to focus on the portrayal of the underdog and the lives lived in squalor. I enjoyed the contrast in life portrayals.
The story flows well and keeps you hooked because like Rudy or not you must know how his tale turns out. I just wished Rudy wasn’t so oblivious; it makes me want to smack him.
There were a lot of different messages in Escaping Barcelona. The undertones of different societies; the underdog, drugs, sex and lies among the norms of coffee, cigarettes, and tourism were in every aspect of the story. Through Rudy’s journey I began to be more and more frustrated by him. His poor decision making, his aloof behavior; he acted like a spoiled and defiant child. Once on his journey to find himself and get away from the woes of everyday life he tended to fling himself into every bad scene he could find. These constant naïve decisions he made proved more and more that he was a spoiled human being, or at least that’s how I felt. This man was wondering around as if he’d never been out in the world before. So trusting of everyone; thinking everything is good.
His naivety brought him into some brutal and scary environments. He learned quickly how to survive the best he could. Yet, I still was frustrated by his choices in how to survive. He seemed to have given up so easily to his situation. It was like he embraced becoming nothing and disappearing. It was really his pride that kept him down.
What I concentrated on in this story was how the author paints a portrait of the two parallel lives being lived all at once; the so-called normal and then the rest that doesn’t belong in “society’s” mainstream standards. As everyday life moves forward for the typical working man, the house wife, the retailer, the business person. There is a whole other set of people living a life of survival. These two worlds run at the same time and it’s as if the everyday man can’t see the other darker world. ; A world where survival consists of drugs, sex, lies and violence.
For the poor, homeless underdogs everyday survival is living in filth, starving and making things happen out of nothing however you can make it happen. People do things they regret but must do to survive. All this happening while an everyday man is getting Starbucks and contemplating which color shoe to wear. This book gives a good glimpse into how another set of life looks and how it’s happening all around us as we go about our societal norms.
I could’ve focused on how irritating Rudy, the main character, was and how bad his decisions were. I could’ve looked at how things would’ve been different had Rudy paid more attention and wasn’t so aloof to his surroundings. Instead I chose to focus on the portrayal of the underdog and the lives lived in squalor. I enjoyed the contrast in life portrayals.
The story flows well and keeps you hooked because like Rudy or not you must know how his tale turns out. I just wished Rudy wasn’t so oblivious; it makes me want to smack him.
November 1, 2014
Disclosure: I purchased Escaping Barcelona in August 2014. I do not know the author, but I have had communication with him on the Goodreads site. The comments that follow are my own personal opinion. I received NO compensation of any kind, or from anyone, to provide this review.
I enjoyed the relaxed pace of this book. My reading was interrupted by my life about half way through. I decided I would start at the beginning again and read it through when I knew I would be able to finish it. I’m very glad I did.
Rudy is stuck in Barcelona. At nineteen, he finds himself a derelict, roaming the streets in search of food and safety. He has no money, no passport, no friends, and no way to communicate and no way to leave. This book takes you on the journey with Rudy as he attempts to survive in a foreign city and find a way to escape its dark side.
I liked Rudy and found his personality very realistic. There was not only a running account of his circumstances, a brief insight into the other characters, but also a familiarity with Rudy’s inner thoughts. He exhibits, through language and actions, both the childish emotions and mature logic, often found in young men his age. Despite horrible starvation, and the events he endures trying to stay alive, he also muses about social conditions and relationships, but with an underlying hopefulness. This viewpoint helps the reader see, despite a depressing story, a glimpse of light at the end of a dark tunnel. The other characters, settings, and scenes of the city were clear, but without excessive description. The pace increased when he reflected on the end of his time in Barcelona and the hope of an escape.
I am not a fan of first person POV and usually avoid books written in first person, but in this case, the book developed the character very well. The writer has an excellent command of this writing style and the story flowed beautifully. The pace adjusted perfectly for the story line, and I did not feel the halting jerks usually found in first person writing. The book read well and I found no spelling or grammar errors.
This book was a rare and enjoyable insight into a desperate person. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a modern story line with a very likable character. This was Book 1 in the series Mad Days of Me. I’m excited to read the next two books.
I enjoyed the relaxed pace of this book. My reading was interrupted by my life about half way through. I decided I would start at the beginning again and read it through when I knew I would be able to finish it. I’m very glad I did.
Rudy is stuck in Barcelona. At nineteen, he finds himself a derelict, roaming the streets in search of food and safety. He has no money, no passport, no friends, and no way to communicate and no way to leave. This book takes you on the journey with Rudy as he attempts to survive in a foreign city and find a way to escape its dark side.
I liked Rudy and found his personality very realistic. There was not only a running account of his circumstances, a brief insight into the other characters, but also a familiarity with Rudy’s inner thoughts. He exhibits, through language and actions, both the childish emotions and mature logic, often found in young men his age. Despite horrible starvation, and the events he endures trying to stay alive, he also muses about social conditions and relationships, but with an underlying hopefulness. This viewpoint helps the reader see, despite a depressing story, a glimpse of light at the end of a dark tunnel. The other characters, settings, and scenes of the city were clear, but without excessive description. The pace increased when he reflected on the end of his time in Barcelona and the hope of an escape.
I am not a fan of first person POV and usually avoid books written in first person, but in this case, the book developed the character very well. The writer has an excellent command of this writing style and the story flowed beautifully. The pace adjusted perfectly for the story line, and I did not feel the halting jerks usually found in first person writing. The book read well and I found no spelling or grammar errors.
This book was a rare and enjoyable insight into a desperate person. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a modern story line with a very likable character. This was Book 1 in the series Mad Days of Me. I’m excited to read the next two books.
July 4, 2013
Alone in a foreign country. Unable to speak the language but enjoying solitary freedom and adventure nonetheless. Then, brutally attacked and assaulted, robbed of most of your belongings, including your money and your passport. This is the scenario that faces Rudy in Escaping Barcelona, the first volume in the Mad Days of Me trilogy by independent author Henry Martin. What begins as an adventurous trip and a path to a fresh start, quickly descends into a nightmare spiraling out of control that Rudy is unable to escape.....
As Rudy finds himself trapped into life on the streets, he hits rock bottom. Along the way, he comes to many poignant realizations about life. He begins to appreciate the simple things that he once took for granted-a shower, clean clothes, a hot meal, a bed to sleep in. He meditates on how we as humans look down on the less fortunate among us and now that he finds himself in those ranks, he understands how much the blank stares, the careless ignorance, and rude dismissal directed towards the homeless can hurt. However, Escaping Barcelona not only paints a vivid picture of the worst of the human experience, but it also shows the best of the human spirit. Every time Rudy is about to give up, he finds the strength and inner resolve to keep pushing. No matter how many times he is knocked back down, he gets back up. He is also helped by friends, many of whom are in just as bad a situation as he, but together they share what little they have and snatch small bits of light out of the darkness. Escaping Barcelona is not just about escaping a city, it is about escaping despair and hopelessness and finding the strength to survive and even thrive no matter what life throws at you.
To read my entire review, check out my blog, Book Talk With Alana, http://booktalkwithalana.blogspot.com
As Rudy finds himself trapped into life on the streets, he hits rock bottom. Along the way, he comes to many poignant realizations about life. He begins to appreciate the simple things that he once took for granted-a shower, clean clothes, a hot meal, a bed to sleep in. He meditates on how we as humans look down on the less fortunate among us and now that he finds himself in those ranks, he understands how much the blank stares, the careless ignorance, and rude dismissal directed towards the homeless can hurt. However, Escaping Barcelona not only paints a vivid picture of the worst of the human experience, but it also shows the best of the human spirit. Every time Rudy is about to give up, he finds the strength and inner resolve to keep pushing. No matter how many times he is knocked back down, he gets back up. He is also helped by friends, many of whom are in just as bad a situation as he, but together they share what little they have and snatch small bits of light out of the darkness. Escaping Barcelona is not just about escaping a city, it is about escaping despair and hopelessness and finding the strength to survive and even thrive no matter what life throws at you.
To read my entire review, check out my blog, Book Talk With Alana, http://booktalkwithalana.blogspot.com
August 11, 2013
In Escaping Barcelona, Henry Martin demonstrates a subtle mastery of first-person fiction. His protagonist Rudy is an aimless but amiable narrator whose decision to backpack to Barcelona is just a slacker lark until he's assaulted and robbed upon his arrival. Traumatized and penniless, Rudy suddenly has to fend for himself.
For an American kid who never had to worry about bare necessities before, life on the streets hits Rudy hard. He gets used to hunger and bad hygiene, but the indifference and inhumanity he encounters leaves him deeply disillusioned. Pietro, the petty thief who ends up with Rudy's passport, exploits his helplessness, manipulating him with an ever more remote hope of escape. As often as he gets help or mercy from strangers, others revel in their ability to mistreat this anonymous vagrant with impunity.
Perceptive readers will realize that Martin isn't simply painting a realistic picture of homelessness and poverty. He's describing alienation at its core. Unplugged from family and friends, the media and the social life of civilization, Rudy's world becomes the network of streets and the humans he encounters. He needs strength to fight despair in the face of so much inhumanity. The cultural aspect of Barcelona is conspicuous in its absence; the amazing architectural and artistic wonders of the city are mere surfaces, and only its subway has any utility in Rudy's degraded, animal existence.
Henry Martin is never gratuitous or cynical in his portrayal of life on the streets. Rudy doesn't give up hope, and the reader ends up rooting for him in his final bid for freedom. Will one of his schemes pay off before the streets do him in? This is an exciting, intelligent book full of vivid, realistic dialogue and characters.
For an American kid who never had to worry about bare necessities before, life on the streets hits Rudy hard. He gets used to hunger and bad hygiene, but the indifference and inhumanity he encounters leaves him deeply disillusioned. Pietro, the petty thief who ends up with Rudy's passport, exploits his helplessness, manipulating him with an ever more remote hope of escape. As often as he gets help or mercy from strangers, others revel in their ability to mistreat this anonymous vagrant with impunity.
Perceptive readers will realize that Martin isn't simply painting a realistic picture of homelessness and poverty. He's describing alienation at its core. Unplugged from family and friends, the media and the social life of civilization, Rudy's world becomes the network of streets and the humans he encounters. He needs strength to fight despair in the face of so much inhumanity. The cultural aspect of Barcelona is conspicuous in its absence; the amazing architectural and artistic wonders of the city are mere surfaces, and only its subway has any utility in Rudy's degraded, animal existence.
Henry Martin is never gratuitous or cynical in his portrayal of life on the streets. Rudy doesn't give up hope, and the reader ends up rooting for him in his final bid for freedom. Will one of his schemes pay off before the streets do him in? This is an exciting, intelligent book full of vivid, realistic dialogue and characters.
January 16, 2013
“Mad Days of Me: Escaping Barcelona” by Henry Martin is a difficult and an emotional read but one well worth your time. The main character Rudy is down and out in Barcelona after he has been robbed and raped. Without passport and money and unwilling to ask his parents to rescue him he gets stuck with homeless people, backpackers and seedy world of drugs and crime.
The writing is superb, reminiscent at its best of Henry Miller and Charles Bukowski with their raw emotions and heartfelt honesty. The dark tone, the anger and the bitterness of Rudy feels towards life, his parents and all other people of authority however were something I had to get used to, at times I found it challenging and uncomfortable but at closer analysis I understood that given the life circumstances of Rudy he has little option but to feel that he is a victim. Once he has hit rock bottom there is no one to help him. Like so many people, I did not want to be reminded of the existence of so many whose harsh everyday reality is just like that of Rudy. It is a raw and uncomfortable read at certain moments but a great thought provoking one. The story is not all doon and gloom however and not without flirtations, suspense, action and hope. As Rudy stays in Barcelona he also grows up and overcomes some of his personal issues.
This is a story of a backpacking holiday gone wrong, it is about the thin dividing line between fine and not so fine, personal freedom and many other issues I invite you to check out for yourself.
The writing is superb, reminiscent at its best of Henry Miller and Charles Bukowski with their raw emotions and heartfelt honesty. The dark tone, the anger and the bitterness of Rudy feels towards life, his parents and all other people of authority however were something I had to get used to, at times I found it challenging and uncomfortable but at closer analysis I understood that given the life circumstances of Rudy he has little option but to feel that he is a victim. Once he has hit rock bottom there is no one to help him. Like so many people, I did not want to be reminded of the existence of so many whose harsh everyday reality is just like that of Rudy. It is a raw and uncomfortable read at certain moments but a great thought provoking one. The story is not all doon and gloom however and not without flirtations, suspense, action and hope. As Rudy stays in Barcelona he also grows up and overcomes some of his personal issues.
This is a story of a backpacking holiday gone wrong, it is about the thin dividing line between fine and not so fine, personal freedom and many other issues I invite you to check out for yourself.
April 7, 2014
Rudy, the main character in Henry Martin's "Escaping Barcelona," falls down the rabbit hole and keeps spiraling deeper and deeper into trouble. He arrives in Barcelona through a random choice at the train station while trying to escape his dead-end life and his own past mistakes. He starts his journey full of optimism, only for the adventure to quickly turn into a nightmare. Within days, Rudy is raped and robbed of all his possessions.
While Rudy's nationality is never divulged, he doesn't speak Spanish and only some English. Stranded in a city where he can't speak the language, without a passport or anyone to turn to, Rudy soon becomes one of the invisible street people the world tries not to see.
With its realistic, graphic depiction of homelessness, "Escaping Barcelona" reads more like a memoir than fiction. Martin deftly conveys all the horror of Rudy's predicament and the terror of being completely vulnerable to attacks by everyone, from predatory gangs to the police. The vivid, gritty descriptions of the physical ravages of near-starvation and a lack of hygiene, recorded through the detached observations of Rudy (who is most likely suffering from PTSD) are both repulsive and heartbreaking.
...read more at UndergroundBookReviews(dot)com
While Rudy's nationality is never divulged, he doesn't speak Spanish and only some English. Stranded in a city where he can't speak the language, without a passport or anyone to turn to, Rudy soon becomes one of the invisible street people the world tries not to see.
With its realistic, graphic depiction of homelessness, "Escaping Barcelona" reads more like a memoir than fiction. Martin deftly conveys all the horror of Rudy's predicament and the terror of being completely vulnerable to attacks by everyone, from predatory gangs to the police. The vivid, gritty descriptions of the physical ravages of near-starvation and a lack of hygiene, recorded through the detached observations of Rudy (who is most likely suffering from PTSD) are both repulsive and heartbreaking.
...read more at UndergroundBookReviews(dot)com
March 26, 2013
Even though this was probably intended for a young (under 30) audience, I found the story and the characters to be believable – to the point that I hope to never meet most of them – and the first person narrative writing easy to read.
At age 19, Rudy thinks only about the adventure of leaving his hometown and family, of being an independent young man and not of the harsh reality that unfortunately awaits him.
What follows can be, at times, a depressing, unromantic tale of teenage ennui and youthful innocence lost, but it is also a story of perseverance and resilience.
The story moves at a good pace and I was never bored while reading. The characters can be selfish and self-absorbed while simultaneously demonstrate their caring and giving nature.
I was pleasantly surprised. You will be too.
At age 19, Rudy thinks only about the adventure of leaving his hometown and family, of being an independent young man and not of the harsh reality that unfortunately awaits him.
What follows can be, at times, a depressing, unromantic tale of teenage ennui and youthful innocence lost, but it is also a story of perseverance and resilience.
The story moves at a good pace and I was never bored while reading. The characters can be selfish and self-absorbed while simultaneously demonstrate their caring and giving nature.
I was pleasantly surprised. You will be too.
April 21, 2016
Wow! I really didn't think I would like this, but it was a really good read. This is literary fiction, and it isn't my normal genre. I have encountered very few books in this genre that I like.
There are skme things about this that I think readers should be forewarned about. The main character is raped by another man. If this is something that you think will bother, stay away.
Could you imagine walking around a foreign country, broke, no identity, and only the clothes on your back? It would be terrifying. Add to that that you are the victim of a homosexual rape. Police are out of the question. What would you do? Rudy, the main character, experiences all this. It makes for a very eye opening read.
I won this in my obsession to win an Amazon Giveaway! I did finally win, twice in a row!
There are skme things about this that I think readers should be forewarned about. The main character is raped by another man. If this is something that you think will bother, stay away.
Could you imagine walking around a foreign country, broke, no identity, and only the clothes on your back? It would be terrifying. Add to that that you are the victim of a homosexual rape. Police are out of the question. What would you do? Rudy, the main character, experiences all this. It makes for a very eye opening read.
I won this in my obsession to win an Amazon Giveaway! I did finally win, twice in a row!
October 23, 2014
I don’t read a lot of literary fiction. I picked this up on a whim, based on a few good reviews and an interesting blurb. Starting this novel, I thought I had a decent idea what I was getting into. I was wrong.
Escaping Barcelona is the first in the Mad Days of Me series by Henry Martin. It’s the story of Rudy, a nineteen year old runaway, who finds himself trapped in Barcelona without money or a passport, after a violent attack.
Written entirely in first person present tense, Escaping Barcelona begins with promise. We’re immediately introduced to our main character, and the dramatic events that lead to his predicament unfold promptly.
From there, however, I had some issues with the narrative. Rudy reads both too young and too old. His reflections on modern life are both poignant and insightful, yet the decisions he makes occasionally come across as either immature or convenient for the sake of plot.
This was, I believe, the reason I struggled to connect with Rudy. First person perspective often allows for a very close relationship between the reader and the main character, but I suffered a disconnect here. There were several moments in which I didn’t relate at all to Rudy, and I blame that as much on the quirks of his personality as the lack of details provided by the author.
What was Rudy’s native language? Where was he from? Why did he feel such a strong need to leave home in the first place? If it was THAT bad there (that he couldn’t ask his family for help) one would think the reasons would reveal themselves through the narrative. Instead, Rudy is left perhaps purposefully vague.
The setting, on the other hand, came across vibrantly. Descriptions were neither lacking nor overdone. The author paints just enough vivid pictures for the reader to visualize each scene with ease. This was a definite bonus for me.
In spite of my critique, I would still say this was quite an addictive read. At no point did I lose interest, or have trouble picking it back up. I always wanted to know what was going to happen next and, at the conclusion, I was both content and curious. Rudy’s journey is far from over, and I look forward to seeing where this author takes him next.
Escaping Barcelona is the first in the Mad Days of Me series by Henry Martin. It’s the story of Rudy, a nineteen year old runaway, who finds himself trapped in Barcelona without money or a passport, after a violent attack.
Written entirely in first person present tense, Escaping Barcelona begins with promise. We’re immediately introduced to our main character, and the dramatic events that lead to his predicament unfold promptly.
From there, however, I had some issues with the narrative. Rudy reads both too young and too old. His reflections on modern life are both poignant and insightful, yet the decisions he makes occasionally come across as either immature or convenient for the sake of plot.
This was, I believe, the reason I struggled to connect with Rudy. First person perspective often allows for a very close relationship between the reader and the main character, but I suffered a disconnect here. There were several moments in which I didn’t relate at all to Rudy, and I blame that as much on the quirks of his personality as the lack of details provided by the author.
What was Rudy’s native language? Where was he from? Why did he feel such a strong need to leave home in the first place? If it was THAT bad there (that he couldn’t ask his family for help) one would think the reasons would reveal themselves through the narrative. Instead, Rudy is left perhaps purposefully vague.
The setting, on the other hand, came across vibrantly. Descriptions were neither lacking nor overdone. The author paints just enough vivid pictures for the reader to visualize each scene with ease. This was a definite bonus for me.
In spite of my critique, I would still say this was quite an addictive read. At no point did I lose interest, or have trouble picking it back up. I always wanted to know what was going to happen next and, at the conclusion, I was both content and curious. Rudy’s journey is far from over, and I look forward to seeing where this author takes him next.
February 23, 2014
While this is an entertaining read I felt disappointed in the overall delivery. While I agree with the author's views about our sad sad society and the effects of the media and materialism etc... I felt that these wise words wouldn't come from the protagonist, Rudy. Rudy was a inexperienced naive kid. He certainly hasn't had enough life experiences to have such strong and intelligent views. It was clear that this was the voice of the author, which made a huge disconnect for me in reading this book. I couldn't get into it because I felt Mr. Martin's voice kept coming through disguised as Rudy, which simply wasn't believable. I see what the author was trying to portray though. I saw Rudy as a metaphor for the human spirit. Society/media/materialism is basically raping the true human spirit and leaving us fighting through hell to survive, to stay true to ourselves.
December 19, 2020
I got hooked on this story of a 19-year-old man who becomes accidentally homeless foreigner in Barcelona, following him around the city of Barcelona, hungry, dirty and rather desperate.
The characters are alive, I cared about them. It changed my mind about homeless people.
I do not want somebody like Rudy go hungry if I can help it. The book is very good, unusual, well written, and moral. If I was an editor, I would cut out some of the philosophy musings of the main character. Only some, though.
The characters are alive, I cared about them. It changed my mind about homeless people.
I do not want somebody like Rudy go hungry if I can help it. The book is very good, unusual, well written, and moral. If I was an editor, I would cut out some of the philosophy musings of the main character. Only some, though.
January 13, 2013
Thank you goodreads and Mr. Martin for my First Reads copy!
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I hope my thoughts will be constructive. Oh, the pressure of being the first reviewer!
My biggest issue with the novel was Rudy, the protagonist. I spent 200 pages in his head but found him totally unbelievable. It was as though he swallowed both a thesaurus and a book of cliches. I appreciated his reflectiveness; after all, he was robbed, raped, and doing drugs, but his language and internal dialogue was over-the-top at times.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I hope my thoughts will be constructive. Oh, the pressure of being the first reviewer!
My biggest issue with the novel was Rudy, the protagonist. I spent 200 pages in his head but found him totally unbelievable. It was as though he swallowed both a thesaurus and a book of cliches. I appreciated his reflectiveness; after all, he was robbed, raped, and doing drugs, but his language and internal dialogue was over-the-top at times.
March 23, 2017
Whatever flaws we might identify or frustrations we might feel are trivial in comparison to a reader's pure joy in losing himself/herself in a narrative. When all the elements come together: an intriguing plot, thoughtful, profound themes, complex, troubling, characters, and language that make us shudder for its honesty, clarity, and confidence; we gratefully set all analysis aside and give ourselves up to the sheer magic of a great book. And for me, Mad Days of Me: Escaping Barcelona is such a book. It’s a well crafted story that will draw you in from the opening page.
However, this somewhat dark tale is not for the faint hearted. It’s a story about a nineteen year old boy, Rudy, who finds himself stranded in Barcelona with no money or passport. He can’t speak the language and has no way to leave. It’s a story that will take you on a shocking and emotional journey. Readers should be forewarned that the main character is raped by another man. In addition to the appalling starvation, and the other events he continues to go through while endeavoring to stay alive, he in contrast reflects on the social conditions and connections, but with an underlying hopefulness.
This is my first time reading this author and I must say I was very impressed. This story had every element a good story should have. An exciting plot, attention to detail, but best of all fleshed out, well-written and well-rounded character development. There’s an abundance of well illustrated scenes that really make you feel like you are right there in the story, and that's something I really look for in a good book.
This captivating and commendable work had me immersed from the beginning. The story flows from scene to scene with ease, and the author shows exceptional skill when it comes to storytelling. There are twists and turns in this page turner that will take the reader on a mesmerizing and alluring journey!
It’s one of those stories that come along once in awhile that makes you want to read it non-stop until you get to the end. I’m giving nothing further away here. And this, I hope, will only add to the mystery and enjoyment for the reader!
I’ll certainly be looking forward to reading more from Henry Martin in the future. This story has all the hallmarks of making a great series. I would definitely recommend this book. Five stars from me.
However, this somewhat dark tale is not for the faint hearted. It’s a story about a nineteen year old boy, Rudy, who finds himself stranded in Barcelona with no money or passport. He can’t speak the language and has no way to leave. It’s a story that will take you on a shocking and emotional journey. Readers should be forewarned that the main character is raped by another man. In addition to the appalling starvation, and the other events he continues to go through while endeavoring to stay alive, he in contrast reflects on the social conditions and connections, but with an underlying hopefulness.
This is my first time reading this author and I must say I was very impressed. This story had every element a good story should have. An exciting plot, attention to detail, but best of all fleshed out, well-written and well-rounded character development. There’s an abundance of well illustrated scenes that really make you feel like you are right there in the story, and that's something I really look for in a good book.
This captivating and commendable work had me immersed from the beginning. The story flows from scene to scene with ease, and the author shows exceptional skill when it comes to storytelling. There are twists and turns in this page turner that will take the reader on a mesmerizing and alluring journey!
It’s one of those stories that come along once in awhile that makes you want to read it non-stop until you get to the end. I’m giving nothing further away here. And this, I hope, will only add to the mystery and enjoyment for the reader!
I’ll certainly be looking forward to reading more from Henry Martin in the future. This story has all the hallmarks of making a great series. I would definitely recommend this book. Five stars from me.
November 28, 2014
Full review coming soon
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