The All Saints' Day Lovers

by Juan Gabriel Vásquez, Anne McLean (Translator)

Achingly sad and beautifully crafted, The All Saints' Day Lovers is a remarkable and intense exploration of relationships, loneliness and cruelty. Set mainly in the starkly beautiful landscape of Belgium's Ardennes, these stories have been compared to Maupassant, Chekhov, John Cheever and Antonio Tabucchi.

A Colombian writer is witness to a murder which will mark him forever. A woman sits alone in her house, waiting for her husband to return, while he lies in another woman's bed twenty kilometres away. Through blood-soaked betrayal, a love affair, murder and long-meditated revenge, Vasquez achieves an extraordinary unity of emotion, morality and landscape with these fragmented lives.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Belgium, Latin American, Ebooks, Spanish Literature

251 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2001

About the author

Juan Gabriel Vásquez is a Colombian writer, journalist and translator. Regarded as one of the most important Latin American novelists working today, he is the author of seven novels, two volumes of stories and two books of literary essays, as well as hundreds of pages of political commentary.

Reviews

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

These stories are not new; they were first published in Spanish over 14 years ago. Their themes, however, are ageless: mostly flawed men at their middle point of life who, for have reached crisis points in their relationships and indeed, in their very souls.

Set primarily in France and Belgium, some are more compelling than others. In the eponymous story (slightly retitled: The All Saints’ Day Lovers), the timing itself is fortuitous; a night when the curtain that separated this world from the other was torn.” As the narrator’s marriage teeters, he is compelled to spend the night with a grieving widow, taking her dead husband’s place and even wearing his pajamas. “Nobody wants nights like these,” he later says. But there’s a suggestion that we’re all together…alone.

In another, At The Café of the Republique, the narrator – a man losing his anonymity as a potentially cancerous growth takes over his neck – uses his struggle to convince his abandoned wife to get together one more time to visit his estranged father. We witness the push-pull of his desire for two mutually exclusive goals.

The shortest and most unusual of the collection – The Return – is the only story which pairs two sisters, one of whom killed the other’s fiancée (as well as her chance for future happiness) for love of a house. We follow the jailed sister, devoid of emotion, until we learn the very unusual revenge her sister has wrought.

I am a fan of Juan Gabriel Vasquez; his novel “Sound of All Things Falling” is magnificent. And although is craftsmanship is in full display here, I couldn’t help but feel distanced. The somberness – the similarity of narrators living in the twilight of their relationships and the pessimism of their condition – seemed too unremittingly dark. I admired the writing and the ability of Mr. Vasquez to capture a scene or an emotion with a few well chosen phrases…but that admiration never rose to the level of love.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the last year or so I've really struggled with my reading. Never quite finding the same enthusiasm I had previously when I could spend most of my time away from work with my head stuck in a book. I worried if this was simply going to be it for me now struggling to get through a book a week and losing a thing that once gave me such joy. But then between Christmas and new year, something clicked back into place for me and I found that joy again. So once I had made my way through the few books I had been gifted I decide it was time to re-examine my to-be-read pile. This is no mean feat as that thing got away from me a long time ago. So having spent some time shifting through multiple piles and shelves not really finding anything that caught my eye I came across The All Saints Day Lovers. It was stuffed up the back of a shelf still with its discount sticker on the cover. And being short in stature and by an author I had yet to read anything by I figured what is the worst that could happen.

As you make your way through each of these stories you start to become aware of the slightly dream-like qualities. It's like slipping into the most perfect warm bath with your favorite music playing. I know it sounds weird but it's the only way I can really describe the feeling this author's writing gives you. It's also funny in that sort of way as each of these tales is most definitely not that. They are the setting suns of a tale each time only catching the fall out of some terrible life choice. They are tales of heartache and missed regrets. People who too late realize there might just have been another path for them to follow and an ending that whilst might not have been full of sunshine and rainbows could have at least brought contentment. I suppose the word I'm really reaching for is a sort of melancholy but in a way that I have only seen from other writers from South America. They seem to have this knack for making even the most gut-wrenching and woeful of tales seem like it's an ok place to sit and wallow even if it's just for a little while. And Vásquez is defiantly a master at this writing style, the way he quickly lures you into caring about these people is a skill I have to bow down to. I wish I could be half as good as him.

Whilst each of the tales had something that caught me I think the final of the book is the one that dug deepest under my skin, Life on Grimsey Island. Two lost people searching for connection and meaning in their lives. But as the reader, it feels like they are swirling the plug like a pair of desperate spiders trying to fight the tide of an enviable outcome. We cheer and fight for them to find the brief moments as the sun reappears on the horizon knowing this is no Disney tale. Happy endings are for big-screen films not sadly for this little corner of the world. Once finished it took me a good long minutes before I could close the book and move away. And more power to anyone who can elicit that sort of reaction from me as it doesn't happen all that often. I for one think anyone who goes to pick up this book will have one story over the others that they hold closest. The author time and again within these tales showed what a truly skillful writer he is. And in fairness, it wasn't until after finishing that I looked up his body of work. I can only assume that whenever I bought this book I must have simply gone off the blurb on the back. But it does feel like that, he does deserve any credit he gets just from this one book alone. Which has got to mean something right?

This is one of the books that I can only describe as having a romantic sense of sadness that pulses at its very heart. Tales of missed connection and just being a few seconds too late for something that could have made all the difference. As bold a statement as it is I have never come across a writer from my home country that delivers stories such as these. Vásquez manages within two hundred and fifty-six pages to get me to become a fan of his work. I would be more than happy now to go out and grab a whole lot more of his work if not for attempting to make head away with all the books I already have.

[Xian Xian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Brief Plot Discussion
Lovers on All Saints' Day is a short story collection centering on the theme of romance, but these stories take place during a time when the estranged couples try to regather the remnants of a relationship that once was fulfilling and genuine. "Hiding Places" is about  a journalist who witnesses the dysfunctional relationships of some peers of his after a child is murdered. "The Lodger" is about a divorced man who goes hunting with an ex and her family members, just so a father can spontaneously commit suicide. In "At the Café de la République", a man thinks he has come down with terminal cancer and decides to visit his ex girlfriend and father to make amends for his lack of presence in their lives. "The Solitude of the Magician" is about a married women who gets seduced by an alluring, enigmatic magician. "The Return" is one of the shortest stories in the collection, centering around a women who returns to her beloved mansion after being imprisoned for murdering her husband.  Much of the stories are centered around betrayal and the failure to make amends with those you once loved.

The Feel
Lovers on All Saints' Day is beautifully written, despite this collection's lack of magical realism, the prose still contains the dreaminess and vibrancy associated with that genre. Vasquez is also compared to other Latino writers like Roberto Bolaño, a favorite writer of mine, and oh yes, he writes those magnificent run-on sentences that make you feel winded. Although, Vasquez actually does it to a point where I actually got confused a couple of times and had to re-read some sentences. Vasquez was overkill with the run-on sentences.

The stories in this collection were a mixed bag and I was kind of hoping for some lack of melodramatic realism at some point. My favorite short stories, were "Hiding Places" and "The Lodger", due to the darkness and suspense of the stories. "At the Café de la République" was sort of humorous in a dark way and stood out to me because it focused less on the brokenness and instead on reconnection. Unlike most of the stories, the couple stay as friends, rather than a more tragic result. "The Return" was quite forgettable, while "The Solitude of the Magician" and "Life on Grimsey Island" I found to be melodramatic and the way the female characters were written were almost silly and sort of.... nonsensical? Especially in "The Solitude of the Magician", there was no clear reason why the woman cheated on her husband other than the fact that the magician put a spell on her, but I think if the woman truly loved her husband, she would've fought it somewhat, but that's the point and I don't like it.

I guess my feel for that story is rather opinionated rather than critical, I just found it very meh compared to the other stories. "Life on Grimsey Island" was also in my opinion a little over dramatic and illogical, I basically have the same feeling for this story just like the prior one I just discussed. I think more than anything I was annoyed at the narrator because I felt that he was a cold, wooden board asshole. I don't have much experience in romance and relationships, but I felt that he made little effort to fix the relationship and spotting signs that the girlfriend may have been troubled? The way she talked about wanting always to flee away to some country and live freely, was a sign that she was unhappy with where she wanted to be and the relationship with this woodboard man wasn't helping much. For this story I just imagined those melodramatic 80s or 90s movies with the main character guy wearing a leather bad boy jacket and fake crying.

It also didn't help that one time I saw a meme post on Tumblr, where a blogger said that they hated literary novels written by men sometimes because it's always literally men gawking at women's tits. And a few times that has actually happened in this book which is funny as hell. But I have to admit that the way the women characters written in this book were kind of frustrating and I usually don't always make comments about books like this. But half of this collection was very obviously about the "I don't understand women" trope. The first three stories were far better in quality and had better character and plot, with the breaking point of the relationships not only focusing on the "strangeness of beautiful women."

Conclusion
I have mixed feelings about Lovers on All Saints' Day. The collection is supposed to be about the temporariness of life and love and how it's usually impossible to get them back. But I guess I'm tired of reading stuff like this? Perhaps, Roberto Bolaño did it better and short stories aren't a good medium for Vásquez. Maybe, a whole collection centered on this theme is just not my cup of tea? I'm still going to read The Sound of Things Falling because I still like his prose, I just wasn't a huge fan of the plot and themes.

Rating 3/5

Crossposted from Across From Here.

[Bob H · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-crafted series of short stories, set in present-day Belgium, usually in the Ardennes region or nearby. The stories are unrelated; each tends to have a few characters dealing with problems in relationships and their pasts. The author introduces the characters effectively, with very brief brush strokes and evocations of mood, and the mood and emotions grow subtly. The tone is somber. The English translation is appropriate and clear, with no false notes or distractions. Highly recommend, especially to readers who appreciate the art of the short story and of capably-written contemporary literature.

[Professor Weasel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful, brutal endings. Sometimes I found the beginnings a bit slow and confusing, but the middles + endings always gripped me hard. Lots of hunting trips, depressed lovers, failed love, rural scenes in Belgium. Vásquez writes in the introduction that he was inspired by Tobias Wolff, that “a book of stories should be like a novel in which the characters don’t know each other,” which perhaps explains many of the eerie repetitions. Overall I don't know how many of these individuals stories will stand out for me but I'm impressed by Vásquez's understated writing style and his ability to show how violence and greed can split people's lives open irregardless of the promise of love.

[Camilo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Vine buscando algo que no encontré, en cambio pensé:

- Semi-rich Colombian goes once to Brussels
- Hombre en su mid-life crisis hace tener un orgasmo a una mujer y escribe un cuento al respecto
- Honestamente parece todo sacado de un fait-divers de 1995
- Me dan risa las descripciones trasnochadas de los flamencos vs wallones, él realmente dijo separatismo
- Bruselas es el Wild West, los belgas son fríos y estúpidos: “Le puse una mano en el hombro, era una de las primeras veces que la tocaba (ella era o es belga y a pesar de nuestra amistad el contacto físico era o es inusual y contenido), y Claire levantó la cara y vi que lloraba calladamente sin escándalo” —> qué es esta estupidez.

En conclusión, bastante decepcionante este recuento de clichés sombríos y tontos.

[Jeff Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are introduced to the characters of Juan Gabriel Vasquez's book of short stories in the afterglow of events. The sun has set prior to the start of the tale. The monsters and ghouls have come the night before and we only see what remains. Couples have already decided to split, it's just a question of when to leave.  Others experience the loss of a loved one and must still find the strength to remain upright. Everyone is searching for a new way forward, but none will find it.

The titular story combines all of the elements that are sprinkled in the rest of the work. A young couple already knows it isn't working out. A hunting party demonstrates their differences and further sets off a whole chain of events. The characters search for what was lost, but they return with less and less. All of the stories are so subtle, like a whisper. The imagery evokes so much emotion with so little action. We come away feeling empty at the end of these stories. This is the subtle brilliance in all of Vasquez's work.

Favorite passages

I've always had the impression or sense of the fragility of living beings, as if each moment required an arduous energy to remain upright. P 25

[Chris Roberts · Rating 1 out of 5]

Falling in, out, about, for love is tedious, time consuming

an awfully counter-fulfilling emotional pursuit-and-or-investment

and much of this transpires, conspires to drive the characters

and an extraordinary effort is required to turn the page

it is the same that came before and before and before

Dear God, what a head exploding bore what has become of

the masculine, writing of adventures set in the see through outdoors

the pages turning themselves and ardor is a mountain climbed

and so do not read this trifling ode to the heart, save your eyes

and put on Tina Turner's "What's Love Got to Do with it" and it will

take you there because that's All That Is.

The world made me this way.

I am nearest to my goal of becoming completely unhinged.

* Nobody is welcome to comment on this review. I want it all to myself.

Chris Roberts

[Arma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Este libro es una colección de historias sobre personas que caen dentro y fuera del amor. La prosa es rica. El tono es sombrío. Mi historia favorita se llama "El Retorno" porque se trata de una mujer extraña enamorada de su casa.

Se nos presentan los personajes del libro en el resplandor de los acontecimientos. El sol se ha puesto antes del comienzo de la historia. las relaciones rotas son el eje de estos cuentos. El amor que se acaba, el adulterio, la pérdida física y/o emocional. Las parejas ya han decidido dividir, es sólo una cuestión de cuándo salir. Otros experimentan la muerte de un ser querido y aún deben encontrar la fuerza para permanecer de pie. Todo el mundo está buscando un nuevo camino, pero nadie lo encontrará.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short stories about lovers, usually unhappy ones. Adultery, longing and discontent abound.

Though these are new stories (not yet published in the US), they have an old feeling to them. A voice from the past, a feel of women in fashionable head scarves and men hunting in tweed. Cigar smoke and such.

One story in particular, is about a woman in love with (and betrayed by) a house. You heard me. A house. That one will stick with me long after the rest of the dissatisfied lovers have blended together a in a blob of ill-content.

[Guido Eekhaut · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vasquez, waarvan ik eerst al 'De vorm van de Ruines' las, heeft me nu helemaal voor zich gewonnen met deze bundel schitterende, bedachtzame, vaak ook eenzame maar altijd treffende verhalen, waarin hij precies de juiste hoeveelheid gevoelige nostalgie etaleert.

[Isabelle Del'haye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hoe haalt een Colombiaanse schrijver het in zijn hoofd om over de Ardennen te schrijven ? Het lukt hem wonderwel om in 7 kortverhalen de Ardennen te benoemen, de mensen, de streek, de jacht... hoewel geen vrolijke verhalen, toch is het leuk lezen. Je herkent mensen, gevoelens, situaties...
Eén minpunt, maar dat is misschien eigen aan kortverhalen, is dat ik heel snel vergat waarover het ging. Een kortverhaal beschrijft slechts een stukje, een doorsnede, uit iemands leven. Niet zelf gevonden, deze vergelijking, maar goed verwoord door een lid van onze leesclub. Ere wie ere toekomt.
Ik lees nog van deze auteur.

[Bert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vasquez in België. Het is even wennen. En toch niet vreemd. De ardennen zouden zomaar in Zuid-Amerika kunnen liggen. Ik moet denken aan Marquez, de broers Dardenne, en de eenzaamheid van een vergeten frietkotcultuur. Maar ik mis de magie, de hardheid en een beetje heimwee. Ik ben blij dat Vasquez is teruggekeerd naar Bogota...

[Aninha · Rating 3 out of 5]

De Stijl is bedwelmend. Je belandt in een andere Sfeer en wereld. Helaas een negatieve sfeer. Mensen ontmoeten elkaar, hebben seks en verdwijnen weer als schepen in de nacht. Verhalen missen plot en boodschap. Wat overblijft is een negatief mensbeeld.

[Blaise Carland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Melancholy. But good. He can write a better novel but his lack of allowing an editor to simplify it gets in the way.

[Alan Gerstle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The publisher's press release calls this short story collection "hypnotic." I suppose if falling asleep can be a result of a hypnotically induced suggestion, I'd provide it with the same fulsome adjective. Subtle fictions with tense, anomic undercurrents of tone that complement the activities of the characters that inhabit them can be rewarding, but by adding "turgid" to the mix, the result in an experience like selecting items from the bins of a Whole Foods Salad Bar a half-hour before closing, and realizing that someone should have monitored the freshness of the well-prepared ingredients, and closed off the self-service section two hours earlier--at least that was my reaction. Nevertheless, there were a few interesting ones among this grouping, set primarily in the Ardennes(if you do decide to read the collection, be forewarned about the story about the boar hunt).

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

“...only the hay bales wrapped in white plastic broke through the darkness, big and round like balloons of light” (39-40).
“In the irises of her eyes, I saw the brief reflection of the illuminated window” (42).
“The night smelled of dry grass despite the imminence of winter, which kills fragrance” (95).
“...a thick glass, striped from use…” (101).
“Selma would fall in love with his rough fingers, his concealing palms, his wrists so thin that the glass face of watches slipped around to the underside and forced Chopin to look at the time as ladies once did” (161).
“It wasn’t sunny, but the slanted winter light still managed to play with the prism of water in the bag. On Oliveira’s wrist and arm it drew red, yellow, and purple figures” (192).
“...reminded Oliveira of the English wax his father had used to seal his love letters, whether or not they were addressed to his mother” (235).

[Julieth Leal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Personalmente esperaba algo diferente. Digamos que es un libro de historias cortas. Yo esperaba una novela larga (pues de todo el libro). A pesar de que el autor me gusta mucho y tiene una escritura muy fluida, en el momento en que leí este libro sencillamente no me atrapó.
Sin embargo, no puedo decir que el libro es malo. Tiene historias interesantes y hay una, especialmente, que recuerdo mucho.

No tengo mucho más que decir, sencillamente si usted es amante de un libro que contenga historias cortas dentro de él, probablemente vaya a disfrutarlo mucho y no se arrepentirá de empezarlo a leer.

[Sebastian Uribe Díaz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Olvídense del realismo mágico para hablar sobre la literatura actual de Colombia. Un nuevo enfoque ha surgido de la mano de una nueva camada de escritores entre los que destaca Juan Gabriel Vasquez. Relatos localizados entre Bélgica y Francia, con temas como el dolor, la tristeza, el engaño y la pérdida narrados de forma casi poética. Cosmopolita pero a la vez un viaje a la intimidad. Recomendable a pesar de lo difícil de conseguir un ejemplar

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is a set of short stories previously published in Spanish but recently translated into English and the location is mainly Belgium and france. the common theme is relationships either sorrow ,revenge, breakups, tainted love but enjoy the prose used and made me think but it isn't the lovey style romance book though

[Liz Mueth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vasquez writes beautifully, however the content of the stories is a bit drab. Many of the stories incorporate hunting and large prestigious estates in Europe. All the relationships are lonely, unhappy, and often make mistakes. The stories definitely exude solitude and loneliness, I just didn't find the stories very compelling.

[Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

*ARC for indie bookstore*
Lover's on all Saint's Day follows various protagonists in Europe through a series of depressing short stories. Depressing in a good way, think Carveresque.

[Rambling Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

didn't finish the stories. not feeling it.

[Kevin Clouther]

Review forthcoming in BOOKLIST

[Damien Travel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are « local » writers better placed to describe their country, their region or their city? A good question which Juan Gabriel Vásquez gave me the opportunity to investigate further. Born in Bogota, he spent one year in Belgium at the age of 26 in 1999, and published a collection of short stories entitled « The All Saints’ Day Lovers » (Los Amantes de Todos los Santos) ». The majority of the stories takes place in the Belgian Ardennes. It is a region which I happen to know relatively well and I was therefore curious to read how it would appear under the eyes of a young Colombian author.
Several of the short stories are set in the Ourthe valley, south of Liège. They describe a comfortable rural bourgeoisie which enjoys hunting. Men gather in the misty autumn morning in a circle to hear the instructions for the battue. The rituals are time-honored and the families are linked together over generations.
In a world where tradition reigns but that can be rough, Vásquez has a very canny eye for details, describing with precision gestures, objects and atmospheres: the way a glass of Port is poured, the skinning of a hare, a Browning rifle being loaded. The authority in the voice of the family head who does not allow any dissent. His acute look also allows him to lay bare, beyond what is left unsaid and the politeness exchanged between neighbors, the bitterness, the secrets and the betrayals. Disguised accidents, adultery, suicides or murders: the green valleys of the Ardennes hide many dramas under the soft cover of their forests and behind the imposing grey stones of their mansions.
http://www.travelreadings.org/2017/02...

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The stories that make up The All Saints' Day Lovers are timeless, ageless things. These are stories of deeply flawed people, for whom life has stagnated at some kind of crisis point. They are the tales of the broken-hearted, of the desperate and isolated, they speak of loves failed, of loss and death and learning to let go. Loosely connecting these tales is the currant of despair that flows throughout this novel. It's central theme, a sense that even together, we are so deeply alone, helps to bind the stories together.

This is quite a somber little collection, without a single moment of optimism across its pages. Almost overwhelming in its hopelessness, this novel takes on a dreamlike quality. Slow starts and harsh endings are a shared feature of each story, with a quiet sense of sadness rippling below the surface. Reading these stories back to back gives an eerie sense of repetition, it's subtle at first, only really noticeable when you take stock of what you're actually reading.

It's difficult to place what genre this is, or really, to think of a specific type of reader these stories are for. Regardless, The All Saints' Day Lovers is a great time, as long as you're prepared to be in a constant state of sadness.

[SooYoung · Rating 2 out of 5]

I always have a hard time with short stories, because I want to know more and I'm always left asking, what is the point, why this story? I didn't even read through all the stories in this book. I didn't care for the writing style (unsure if that's Vasquez' fault or the translator's), very long, meandering sentences. I also assumed it would be sort of magical realism based on the back of the book's reviews. So, I was caught off-guard when most of the stories are about Belgium, France and hunting. Turns out the back of the book reviews were about Vasquez' other book: The Sound of Things Falling. I'm still willing to give that one a try, (i.e. this book didn't put me off entirely).

UPDATE: Apparently, I did read The Sound of Things Falling... in 2014! I gave it 4 stars at the time. I cannot remember anything about it for the life of me, even after reading my review of it. Yikes. Perhaps, I am done with Vasquez.

[Emma Claus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reseña: En el café de la République — Juan Gabriel Vásquez

Un cuento sobre el miedo al abandono

«Tu nombre y tu dirección aparecen mecanografiados en el sobre, pues he querido evitar que conozcas mi letra y tires la carta a la basura sin siquiera abrirla».

Así comienza En el café de la République, uno de los siete relatos que conforman la antología Los amantes de todos los santos, escrita por Juan Gabriel Vásquez y publicada en 2008 por Alfaguara. Además de ser el inicio del cuento, es también el principio de una carta que el narrador le dirige a su exesposa. Desde esa primera línea me invadió la curiosidad: ¿por qué cree que no será leída? ¿Qué ocurrió entre ellos? ¿El remitente llegará a leer su propia carta? Esa inquietud me llevó a seguir leyendo sin pausa. Es, justamente, lo que significa “enganchar al lector”. Y conmigo, Vásquez lo consiguió.

Una historia de enfermedad, soledad y deseo de redención

El cuento narra la historia de un hombre que, tras separarse de su esposa, enferma. A pesar de los múltiples exámenes médicos, no ha recibido un diagnóstico claro, lo que lo lleva a pensar que padece una enfermedad incurable y que su muerte está cerca. Hace más de un año que no ve a su padre —con quien mantiene una relación tensa—, por lo que le pide a su exmujer que lo acompañe a visitarlo. No se siente capaz de hacerlo solo ni de enfrentar la explicación de su separación.
En el fondo, su deseo es ver por última vez a las personas más importantes de su vida. Vásquez construye este viaje como un intento de reconciliación, no solo con los otros, sino con uno mismo.

La soledad como elección (y como condena)

El autor aborda aquí la soledad, pero no la impuesta por el destino, sino aquella que se elige por miedo al abandono y a la dependencia emocional. Es una soledad que duele, pero que se mantiene como una forma de control.
El protagonista se interroga constantemente, incapaz de expresar su tristeza o revertir su decisión:

«¿Habrán sido iguales para ella todos estos primeros meses de soltería y soledad? (…) ¿Te has acostumbrado? ¿Has dejado de quererme?»

«Y de un tiempo para acá ese miedo se ha sumado a los otros, y he pensado mucho si la habré perdido ya, si la habré perdido para siempre».

Estas líneas revelan una introspección honesta y vulnerable, donde el miedo a ser olvidado pesa tanto como el amor que aún persiste.

La vida que sigue (aunque duela)

El relato muestra cómo la vida continúa para los tres personajes que han sufrido la ausencia, cada uno a su manera. Vásquez expone la transformación silenciosa del tiempo, que diluye lo que alguna vez fue vital:

«Cuando llegamos al apartamento, me doy cuenta de que Vivianne no se ha abandonado ella misma, de que su vida no ha cedido a la incoherencia».
Con el paso de los días, el dolor se calma y la vida retoma su curso, aunque nada vuelva a ser igual:
«En todas partes veo testimonios de la vida que cambia. Cada objeto me dice que el orden minúsculo al que pertenecí ya no existe».

París, escenario de luces y sombras

La historia se desarrolla en París, pero no en la versión idealizada de las postales. Aquí se presenta una ciudad real, vivida, desgastada:

«(…) me he sentado a esperarla en una banca olorosa a lejía, al café que un vagabundo demora en tomarse a mi lado y al sudor de los trotadores de fin de semana».

Vásquez demuestra una vez más su habilidad para unir escenario y emoción. Sus descripciones escapan de los lugares comunes y logran que el lector camine por esas calles empedradas:

«El edificio de mi padre está en un barrio de calles empedradas que no por eso deja de ser hostil y oscuro. Los graffitis abundan, pero no son epigramas ingeniosos como en otras ciudades del mundo, sino signaturas abstractas que conservan algo de blasón de guerra».

El entorno refuerza el estado anímico del protagonista: tristeza, nostalgia, indecisión, miedo a lo desconocido… pero también una leve esperanza. No es casual que el cuento transcurra al final del invierno, cuando la primavera comienza a insinuarse:

«El frío ha cedido un poco: ya es posible ver gente caminando con el suéter en la mano, ya los días se alargan y amanece sin niebla, y el barro sutil de los andenes se ha derretido».

Ecos de Hemingway

Los diálogos de En el café de la République evocan al cuento “Colinas como elefantes blancos” de Hemingway. En ambos, los personajes dicen menos de lo que sienten; las frases cortas y contenidas esconden emociones profundas. Hay silencios que pesan más que las palabras.
Esta sutileza refleja una verdad universal: muchas veces callamos lo que más nos duele por miedo al rechazo, al juicio o a parecer débiles. Vásquez logra capturar ese instante frágil en que el amor y el orgullo se enfrentan.

Un cuento para sentir y reflexionar

En el café de la République es un relato de gran carga emotiva, que explora las heridas del desamor y la dificultad de reconciliarse con uno mismo. Vásquez escribe con una melancolía elegante, sin caer en el dramatismo.

Comparto uno de mis fragmentos favoritos, por su honestidad y vulnerabilidad:

«Al principio te odié, ¿sabes?, me pareciste cruel, me decía todo el tiempo que no te merecías a alguien como yo. Luego pensaba que yo no merecía nada. Si era incapaz de conservar a alguien como tú, debía ser que no valía nada. Yo te amaba, eso es lo que pasa. Todavía te quiero, claro, pero antes te amaba más que a mi vida».

Una confesión que sintetiza el tono del cuento: humano, íntimo y profundamente verdadero.

En conclusión

Juan Gabriel Vásquez vuelve a demostrar su maestría para narrar las emociones contenidas. En el café de la République es una historia sobre la pérdida, el miedo y la esperanza, pero también sobre la belleza que persiste en medio del dolor. Una lectura breve, intensa y necesaria para quienes alguna vez han amado —y han tenido que aprender a dejar ir.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is a collection of short stories set in Europe. It shows themes of love and humanity in seven short stories in various relationships and situations.

I usually like reading short stories but, these felt a bit disappointing. I am not sure if it was the translation but, I had a trouble following some of the stories. I felt like that there was some nuances that were lost in translation. Some of the stories did have a bit of staying power when I really thought about it but, others were pretty forgettable.Some of the stories felt like they really didn't deliver because the story wasn't fleshed out properly. A lot of the stories had a darker and bleak than I was expecting. However, I would be open to reading other works by the author.

[Irma Sincera · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh my beloved Juan Gabriel Vasquez.
Kiekvieną kartą paėmus į rankas jo knygą, iš pirmų puslapių atpažindavau jo balsą, braižą, su niekuo nesumaišomą, dėl to jis ir yra mano vienas mėgstamiausių autorių. Tačiau šioje knygoje jo neišgirdau, nepajaučiau, net po kelių istorijų tikrinausi ant viršelio ar nesumaišiau autorių. Istorijos neįtraukė, nebuvo net vienos, kuri paveiktų. Kitais atvėjais sakyčiau, kad ne visi autoriau geba rašyti short stories, bet kitas autoriaus rinkinys Songs for the Flames yra viena mano mėgstamiausių knygų apskritai ir trumpų istorijų etalonas.
Manau dalis šios knygos magijos galėjo dingti ir vertime. Nepaisant visko, iš mano mylimiausių autorių altoriaus jis nebus išprašytas ir dar šiais metais laukia, bent viena jo knyga eilėje.