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Mi vida y mi cárcel con Pablo Escobar
Cuando conoció a Pablo Escobar, con solo trece años, Victoria Eugenia Henao ignoraba que su vida estaba a punto de convertirse en una pesadilla terrible, y que jamás dejarían de señalarla con el dedo por ser la mujer con la que se casó y tuvo dos hijos el mayor narcotraficante de todos los tiempos. Para este libro, y durante dos años, la viuda de Escobar se ha sumergido en su memoria y ha recordado cada uno de los horribles episodios que vivió con quien, a partir de 1982, asoló a Colombia con una estrategia de terror en la que cabían asesinatos de políticos, periodistas y defensores de derechos humanos, mientras seguía inundando el mundo de cocaína. Nunca hasta ahora un testigo tan cercano de la vida de Escobar había examinado sus actuaciones en diversos frentes. ¿Cómo fue la guerra que lo enfrentó al cartel de Cali y al Estado colombiano? ¿Hasta qué punto se relacionó con los paramilitares? ¿Cómo vivió ella las continuas infidelidades de su marido? ¿De qué forma convirtió el arte en su vía de escape? ¿Cómo fueron los últimos años de Escobar, desde estuvo encerrado en La Catedral hasta su asesinato? Y sobre ¿qué fue de su familia tras la muerte del narco?
514 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 2, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
November 29, 2023
I had watched Narcos on Netflix and picked this book up for a first-hand account of Pablo Escobar’s life from his wife. While there are many personal anecdotes & experiences, there is an undercurrent of self-exoneration which runs through the book.
In the initial sections of the book, Victoria poses the question which people (especially victims of Pablo Escobar) ask her – “How she could stay with a monster like him”. She says her simple answer is - she loved him. That is maybe part of the truth since as you go through the book, she clearly knew what kind of a man he was, including his infidelities and his drug trade (as head of the Medellin Cartel). She met him at the age of 12 (when he was 23) and they were married a few years hence. There are detailed descriptions of how she negotiated with the rival Cali Cartel to spare her and her children’s lives (especially her son Juan Pablo). This part is better than the rest of the book and I found myself empathizing with her condition at that time. The timeline is not linear, and the book delves into the immediate aftermath of Pablo’s death first before moving to their early life and then returning to the times near and after his death. She describes enduring a lot – affairs, possessiveness (Pablo briefly had people spy on her movements), lies and threats. They felt matters could get resolved when Pablo attempted to negotiate a surrender, but that was not to be There is also a strange fleeting reference to her astrological powers, and that she knew what was to come.
As far as incidents go, this book covers a lot. There are also many personal experiences she relates. There is, however, very obvious scrubbing of the narrative to make her appear completely faultless. I do think that more than love, she probably felt she had no choice and reconciled to her state, preferring to ignore what was going on. A lot of Pablo Escobar’s crimes are narrated in a dry tone, with little consideration of the human impact. The family has nevertheless been resilient in rebuilding their lives and that does come through strongly in the book.
Some interesting personal remembrances, but an average read overall.
In the initial sections of the book, Victoria poses the question which people (especially victims of Pablo Escobar) ask her – “How she could stay with a monster like him”. She says her simple answer is - she loved him. That is maybe part of the truth since as you go through the book, she clearly knew what kind of a man he was, including his infidelities and his drug trade (as head of the Medellin Cartel). She met him at the age of 12 (when he was 23) and they were married a few years hence. There are detailed descriptions of how she negotiated with the rival Cali Cartel to spare her and her children’s lives (especially her son Juan Pablo). This part is better than the rest of the book and I found myself empathizing with her condition at that time. The timeline is not linear, and the book delves into the immediate aftermath of Pablo’s death first before moving to their early life and then returning to the times near and after his death. She describes enduring a lot – affairs, possessiveness (Pablo briefly had people spy on her movements), lies and threats. They felt matters could get resolved when Pablo attempted to negotiate a surrender, but that was not to be There is also a strange fleeting reference to her astrological powers, and that she knew what was to come.
As far as incidents go, this book covers a lot. There are also many personal experiences she relates. There is, however, very obvious scrubbing of the narrative to make her appear completely faultless. I do think that more than love, she probably felt she had no choice and reconciled to her state, preferring to ignore what was going on. A lot of Pablo Escobar’s crimes are narrated in a dry tone, with little consideration of the human impact. The family has nevertheless been resilient in rebuilding their lives and that does come through strongly in the book.
Some interesting personal remembrances, but an average read overall.
January 13, 2019
I lived the horrors of this war and to read the nonchalant ways in which this lady narrates the “hell” she lived with Pablo Escobar is disgusting. She is more concern with the material items she lost and not the damaged she caused to her children. She focuses on the luxurious life she had while married to Pablo, the art pieces she once had and all the eccentricities the blood money brought her. There is no regret or sadness in her narrate, she only mourns the lost of her financial stability.
July 4, 2023
Gyvenimas vertas ir knygų ir filmų.
Prisipažinsiu, nei domėjausi, nei žinojau ką nors apie Pablą Eskobarą, tik tai kad narkobaronas ir pavojingiausias tų laikų Kolumbijos žmogus. Maniau, kad knyga man nebus įdomi. Bet visgi klydau.
Pablo žmona, surinko visą išsamią informaciją, su visom datom ir pavardėm. Daugiau, žinoma, rašė apie save, savo išgyvenimus ir ką teko patirti visai šeimai.
Daug įdomių faktų, juolab kai prieš skaitant nežinojau nieko.
Tai gyvenimas žmogaus, kuris turėjo labai didelių ambicijų, keršto troškimą, norą būti populiariu, garbinamu, taip pat trokštantis viskuo aprūpinti savo šeimą, padėti skurstantiems. Buvo etapas kai žmonės jį vadino Robinu Hudu, ir jam tai patiko. Įkūrė nuosavą zoologijos sodą, į kurį galėjo atvykti bet kas, be jokio mokesčio.. Negalintis gyventi ramaus gyvenimo, būrys moterų, vakarėliai, švaistymasis pinigais, nenustygstantis, žiauriai susidorojantis su visais.. kai priešų tapo daugiau nei draugų, viskas ėmė ristis žemyn.
Palikęs žymę ne tik Kolumbijai, bet ir pasauliui. Turistai iki šiol plūsta tiek į jo rančą, tiek į vietą kurioje buvo nušautas.
Po knygos rekomenduoju pažiūrėti filmą
🎬 "Iš meilės Pablui" / "Loving Pablo" 2017m. Kuriame vaidina aktorė Penelope Cruz.
🖋 Vaikai turėtų labiau jų klausyti; tėvų išmintis, įgyta per patirtį, yra neįkainojama.
🖋 ..kurie didesni nusikaltėliai - aš, kuris pats pasirinko tokiu būti, ar tie, kurie naudodamiesi savo padėtimi ir uniforma kankina nieko dėtus mano vaikus ir žmoną?
Prisipažinsiu, nei domėjausi, nei žinojau ką nors apie Pablą Eskobarą, tik tai kad narkobaronas ir pavojingiausias tų laikų Kolumbijos žmogus. Maniau, kad knyga man nebus įdomi. Bet visgi klydau.
Pablo žmona, surinko visą išsamią informaciją, su visom datom ir pavardėm. Daugiau, žinoma, rašė apie save, savo išgyvenimus ir ką teko patirti visai šeimai.
Daug įdomių faktų, juolab kai prieš skaitant nežinojau nieko.
Tai gyvenimas žmogaus, kuris turėjo labai didelių ambicijų, keršto troškimą, norą būti populiariu, garbinamu, taip pat trokštantis viskuo aprūpinti savo šeimą, padėti skurstantiems. Buvo etapas kai žmonės jį vadino Robinu Hudu, ir jam tai patiko. Įkūrė nuosavą zoologijos sodą, į kurį galėjo atvykti bet kas, be jokio mokesčio.. Negalintis gyventi ramaus gyvenimo, būrys moterų, vakarėliai, švaistymasis pinigais, nenustygstantis, žiauriai susidorojantis su visais.. kai priešų tapo daugiau nei draugų, viskas ėmė ristis žemyn.
Palikęs žymę ne tik Kolumbijai, bet ir pasauliui. Turistai iki šiol plūsta tiek į jo rančą, tiek į vietą kurioje buvo nušautas.
Po knygos rekomenduoju pažiūrėti filmą
🎬 "Iš meilės Pablui" / "Loving Pablo" 2017m. Kuriame vaidina aktorė Penelope Cruz.
🖋 Vaikai turėtų labiau jų klausyti; tėvų išmintis, įgyta per patirtį, yra neįkainojama.
🖋 ..kurie didesni nusikaltėliai - aš, kuris pats pasirinko tokiu būti, ar tie, kurie naudodamiesi savo padėtimi ir uniforma kankina nieko dėtus mano vaikus ir žmoną?
September 13, 2019
3/5
I won't pretend that I was ever completely in the loop with anything Pablo Escobar ever did. I knew his name, but never what he was famous for other than some kind of drug-related problem (aren't they always?). When I read the synopsis for this, I was immediately intrigued. A memoir written by the wife of one of the most notorious criminals of the last half-century - I had to know more. I wanted to understand the mind of a person who can stand by and watch their loved ones dive deeper into a criminal life and do nothing to preserve the safety of their children and families. So, of course, I requested this book. Thank you so much to Ebury Press for sending this my way!
Mrs Escobar was, to say the least, an interesting read. There are a lot of questions raised regarding why Henao, the titled Mrs Escobar, stayed with her husband, whether she was involved, and whether she lied about inheriting money and assets following Pablo's death. The memoir works to unravel the mysteries behind these questions and to provide answers that seem to satisfy our disbelief. Henao does so with the grace and strength of a mother willing to do anything to protect her children, and a wife for her husband.
I personally thought Henao did a great job of expressing the emotions she felt in her tumultuous relationship with Escobar. She writes about the minimal time she actually spent with him during their marriage, about the times she had to go into hiding with her children. She explains the rift between her family and his, especially due to the large age gap between the two lovers. She writes about their marriage and about their desire for one another as teenagers. It really did seem to lay everything bare. It was clear throughout the book that Henao has an immense love for her family.
My main issue with this book wasn't necessarily to do with the content. I actually really enjoyed this read. However, the chronology and repetition were too much at times. I was constantly jumping to different times in her life. At one moment she was living with Escobar in the house with blue walls, the next he was dead, and the next she was 15 in her home town meeting him for the first time. Often because of these time jumps, a lot of events and names were repeated which made the memoir feel unnecessarily long. I think there were parts which could have been left out or rearranged to allow the memoir to flow a lot easier than it did.
Nonetheless, Mrs Escobar was a solid memoir that truly moved me at times. I felt sympathetic for Henao, even though I did question how she could claim to be so protective of her kids, yet stayed with Pablo for the remainder of his life. It's a mind-boggling case, but to share both the ups and downs of her relationship is a big step, even 25 years after Escobar's death.
I won't pretend that I was ever completely in the loop with anything Pablo Escobar ever did. I knew his name, but never what he was famous for other than some kind of drug-related problem (aren't they always?). When I read the synopsis for this, I was immediately intrigued. A memoir written by the wife of one of the most notorious criminals of the last half-century - I had to know more. I wanted to understand the mind of a person who can stand by and watch their loved ones dive deeper into a criminal life and do nothing to preserve the safety of their children and families. So, of course, I requested this book. Thank you so much to Ebury Press for sending this my way!
Mrs Escobar was, to say the least, an interesting read. There are a lot of questions raised regarding why Henao, the titled Mrs Escobar, stayed with her husband, whether she was involved, and whether she lied about inheriting money and assets following Pablo's death. The memoir works to unravel the mysteries behind these questions and to provide answers that seem to satisfy our disbelief. Henao does so with the grace and strength of a mother willing to do anything to protect her children, and a wife for her husband.
I personally thought Henao did a great job of expressing the emotions she felt in her tumultuous relationship with Escobar. She writes about the minimal time she actually spent with him during their marriage, about the times she had to go into hiding with her children. She explains the rift between her family and his, especially due to the large age gap between the two lovers. She writes about their marriage and about their desire for one another as teenagers. It really did seem to lay everything bare. It was clear throughout the book that Henao has an immense love for her family.
My main issue with this book wasn't necessarily to do with the content. I actually really enjoyed this read. However, the chronology and repetition were too much at times. I was constantly jumping to different times in her life. At one moment she was living with Escobar in the house with blue walls, the next he was dead, and the next she was 15 in her home town meeting him for the first time. Often because of these time jumps, a lot of events and names were repeated which made the memoir feel unnecessarily long. I think there were parts which could have been left out or rearranged to allow the memoir to flow a lot easier than it did.
Nonetheless, Mrs Escobar was a solid memoir that truly moved me at times. I felt sympathetic for Henao, even though I did question how she could claim to be so protective of her kids, yet stayed with Pablo for the remainder of his life. It's a mind-boggling case, but to share both the ups and downs of her relationship is a big step, even 25 years after Escobar's death.
January 4, 2024
The book starts at the end. Well, not the end for the author but certainly the end for her husband, Pablo Escobar, the notorious kingpin of the Medellín Cartel. The family are in a safe house in El Poblado, an area of Medellín. It is September 1993. An astrologer, Mauricio Puerta, has foreseen his death and written about it in a magazine. He actually provides an introduction to this book. To be honest I do not think it takes much to predict the death of a man like Escobar.
When Pablo is caught and killed it moves onto another stage of life for Victoria as the heads of other cartels demand money from her. She has to not only keep the captains happy by handing over Pablo’s assets to them like properties and planes but she also bargain for her own teenage son’s life.
This was an interesting way to start the book but it actually takes up a chunk of it. Then she does get on to them meeting. They first met when she was 12 and he was 23. Hmmmm. Not good but this is her story. This is what happened. They married in 1976 when she was 15. She was a schoolgirl and a housewife. Then Pablo gets arrested due to a small matter of having 26kg of coca paste. Yikes! Victoria has no awareness around drugs so this was a shock to her. She was still only 15 and then she becomes pregnant. My word.
The book is not set chronologically. The chapters are subjects, parts of Pablo’s life and how they effected Victoria. She goes over the affairs; his role in Colombia politics; the Hacienda Nápoles estate; her interest in purchasing art and sculpture; the cartel / government wars; fleeing Colombia after Pablo’s death.
So, not a normal life by any stretch of the imagination. Some of the wars that Victoria had to go through were appalling as her family are targeted by bombs, kidnapping and all other manner of horrors. All brought on by her husband, of course. At other times it was extremely boring as she was cooped up in hiding at different houses / apartments with the children. It is like lockdown for them over-and-over again. Then there is the aftermath of his death. Tough times do not end for the family.
For me, the book did not flow due to the way it was constructed. Yes, there were some really interesting parts especially how they were treated when the family went to Argentina after Pablo’s death.
When Pablo is caught and killed it moves onto another stage of life for Victoria as the heads of other cartels demand money from her. She has to not only keep the captains happy by handing over Pablo’s assets to them like properties and planes but she also bargain for her own teenage son’s life.
This was an interesting way to start the book but it actually takes up a chunk of it. Then she does get on to them meeting. They first met when she was 12 and he was 23. Hmmmm. Not good but this is her story. This is what happened. They married in 1976 when she was 15. She was a schoolgirl and a housewife. Then Pablo gets arrested due to a small matter of having 26kg of coca paste. Yikes! Victoria has no awareness around drugs so this was a shock to her. She was still only 15 and then she becomes pregnant. My word.
The book is not set chronologically. The chapters are subjects, parts of Pablo’s life and how they effected Victoria. She goes over the affairs; his role in Colombia politics; the Hacienda Nápoles estate; her interest in purchasing art and sculpture; the cartel / government wars; fleeing Colombia after Pablo’s death.
So, not a normal life by any stretch of the imagination. Some of the wars that Victoria had to go through were appalling as her family are targeted by bombs, kidnapping and all other manner of horrors. All brought on by her husband, of course. At other times it was extremely boring as she was cooped up in hiding at different houses / apartments with the children. It is like lockdown for them over-and-over again. Then there is the aftermath of his death. Tough times do not end for the family.
For me, the book did not flow due to the way it was constructed. Yes, there were some really interesting parts especially how they were treated when the family went to Argentina after Pablo’s death.
May 28, 2023
I visited Bogota, Colombia on vacation. Then I watched the Narcos TV show, streaming on Netflix. Very worth watching.
The TV show left me wondering: what happened to "Tata" (Mrs. Pablo Escobar) and her family after all of that madness? I searched the Internet and discovered she'd written a book! Exciting! I ordered a used copy online.
Do you like reading lists of events with little or no description or emotional context? Do you enjoy hearing about a rich woman's complaints and excuses for her lifestyle? Are you a fan of women married to monsters, terrorists, killers, who justify their staying with their man by saying, "but I loved him"?
Then this is the book for you! Marvel at how Mrs. Escobar tells you in great detail the story of her art collection. That house that looked so luxurious in photos? She'll have you know it was the pinnacle of bad taste. But then she hired an interior decorator, who was really more of a friend than an employee, and together they made the house fantastic. A piece of art was the focus of every room! And she had an astounding collection of ancient art too! They also arranged for a spectacular mural on the outside of the building. Mrs. Escobar travelled the world looking for the perfect art pieces!
You picked up this book, of course, because you want to hear all the details of the charity art auction that Mrs. Escobar put together. The event really impressed her husband. He looked at her in a whole new light, with newfound respect. Yup.
When that car bomb went off that killed three people? She'll have you know some of her favourite pieces of art were ruined! RUINED! Shrapnel punctured the canvases! It was all so upsetting.
To be fair, Mrs. Escobar was extremely young when she got involved with Pablo. Disturbingly young. She caught his eye when she was 13. When they got married, he was 26 and she was 15. That's creepy. At no point does she question whether that was appropriate or not. In fact, there's very little reflection on the old days with the new perspective of being older and wiser. Instead Mrs. Escobar provides excuses, whitewashes, and dodges.
It's easy to imagine that, yes, Pablo did everything he could to protect Tata. He probably did keep her ignorant. Mrs. Escobar claims this often, and frequently. She knew absolutely nothing!
The problem is, decades later, she still seems profoundly ignorant, or deep in denial. Oh, sure. She claims she has pieced together what was happening around her when she was young and ignorant and kept mostly in the dark. All the same, she still seems completely disconnected from her husband's acts of terrorism.
Sometimes Mrs. Escobar uses weasel words. There was chaos going on and Pablo was in the middle of it. Yes, it seems very likely that he was responsible for a specific bad thing. He certainly benefited from an act that killed a whole bunch of people, so it is reasonable to conclude he may have been involved in it, maybe.
Why write this way? Either she is utterly in denial, or lawyers flat out told her she shouldn't acknowledge Pablo Escobar committed certain specific acts of terrorism. Could she still be sued for these things? Maybe...?
But that doesn't explain moments like the following...
Pablo has died. Other NARCOS want Mrs. Escobar to pay reparation for the "war" her husband kept going for so long, using money from his estate. Mrs. Escobar agrees, and negotiates settlements. Several times she complains that all the Narcos kept saying just the nastiest things about her husband! Really mean, terrible things. It was very upsetting. And when the police raid her home several times? They're just so mean to her and say just awful things about Pablo.
Why would they do that? Here's a thought. He was a terrorist who arranged for many, many car bombs which killed innocent civilians. He arranged for the assassination of multiple politicians. He made Colombia a terrifying place to live. When I visited, people still talk about the chaos and madness of those days with true horror. So maybe people are not going to think of Pablo all that fondly, Mrs. Escobar.
Later, she admits that yes, her husband kidnapped people. Yes, he had a bounty out on policeman. (Kill a cop? Get two million pesos! It's the Pablo deal!) But she barely dwells on these things. Nothing to do with her! She and her kids live in a whole other world. Totally unrelated. If anything, she complains about how Pablo's terrorism made it difficult for her and her kids to have a normal life.
She hardly even acknowledges that the lifestyle she lived was paid for by her husband's illegal dealings. There is shockingly little talk about cocaine in this book.
There are some truly weird flashes of emotion in all the wrong places. Mrs. Escobar says she was aware of Pablo's affairs, and found them very upsetting. Then she goes out of her way to trash one woman Pablo was banging.
"There's no denying that Virginia was a sexy, beautiful woman with a lovely smile and an intelligent mind, but she seemed obsessive about applying face powder every five minutes because she couldn't stand it when her skin was shiny."
Wow. Just, wow. Your husband was a mass murderer, lady. Do you really want to be this catty?
Most of the book is spent describing over and over the difficult years: how she and her children lived in hiding, moving from one place to another, isolated and alone. Pablo would show up only every now and then to check in. And then he'd disappear again. This is almost 80% of the book, honestly. And she does a terrible job of describing how this feels or why we should care.
I was hate-reading most of this book. And then I quit with 100 pages or so left. I just didn't want to spend any more time inside the head of Victoria Eugenia Henao.
Truly a terrible book, but bizarrely fascinating for its psychology.
The TV show left me wondering: what happened to "Tata" (Mrs. Pablo Escobar) and her family after all of that madness? I searched the Internet and discovered she'd written a book! Exciting! I ordered a used copy online.
Do you like reading lists of events with little or no description or emotional context? Do you enjoy hearing about a rich woman's complaints and excuses for her lifestyle? Are you a fan of women married to monsters, terrorists, killers, who justify their staying with their man by saying, "but I loved him"?
Then this is the book for you! Marvel at how Mrs. Escobar tells you in great detail the story of her art collection. That house that looked so luxurious in photos? She'll have you know it was the pinnacle of bad taste. But then she hired an interior decorator, who was really more of a friend than an employee, and together they made the house fantastic. A piece of art was the focus of every room! And she had an astounding collection of ancient art too! They also arranged for a spectacular mural on the outside of the building. Mrs. Escobar travelled the world looking for the perfect art pieces!
You picked up this book, of course, because you want to hear all the details of the charity art auction that Mrs. Escobar put together. The event really impressed her husband. He looked at her in a whole new light, with newfound respect. Yup.
When that car bomb went off that killed three people? She'll have you know some of her favourite pieces of art were ruined! RUINED! Shrapnel punctured the canvases! It was all so upsetting.
To be fair, Mrs. Escobar was extremely young when she got involved with Pablo. Disturbingly young. She caught his eye when she was 13. When they got married, he was 26 and she was 15. That's creepy. At no point does she question whether that was appropriate or not. In fact, there's very little reflection on the old days with the new perspective of being older and wiser. Instead Mrs. Escobar provides excuses, whitewashes, and dodges.
It's easy to imagine that, yes, Pablo did everything he could to protect Tata. He probably did keep her ignorant. Mrs. Escobar claims this often, and frequently. She knew absolutely nothing!
The problem is, decades later, she still seems profoundly ignorant, or deep in denial. Oh, sure. She claims she has pieced together what was happening around her when she was young and ignorant and kept mostly in the dark. All the same, she still seems completely disconnected from her husband's acts of terrorism.
Sometimes Mrs. Escobar uses weasel words. There was chaos going on and Pablo was in the middle of it. Yes, it seems very likely that he was responsible for a specific bad thing. He certainly benefited from an act that killed a whole bunch of people, so it is reasonable to conclude he may have been involved in it, maybe.
Why write this way? Either she is utterly in denial, or lawyers flat out told her she shouldn't acknowledge Pablo Escobar committed certain specific acts of terrorism. Could she still be sued for these things? Maybe...?
But that doesn't explain moments like the following...
Pablo has died. Other NARCOS want Mrs. Escobar to pay reparation for the "war" her husband kept going for so long, using money from his estate. Mrs. Escobar agrees, and negotiates settlements. Several times she complains that all the Narcos kept saying just the nastiest things about her husband! Really mean, terrible things. It was very upsetting. And when the police raid her home several times? They're just so mean to her and say just awful things about Pablo.
Why would they do that? Here's a thought. He was a terrorist who arranged for many, many car bombs which killed innocent civilians. He arranged for the assassination of multiple politicians. He made Colombia a terrifying place to live. When I visited, people still talk about the chaos and madness of those days with true horror. So maybe people are not going to think of Pablo all that fondly, Mrs. Escobar.
Later, she admits that yes, her husband kidnapped people. Yes, he had a bounty out on policeman. (Kill a cop? Get two million pesos! It's the Pablo deal!) But she barely dwells on these things. Nothing to do with her! She and her kids live in a whole other world. Totally unrelated. If anything, she complains about how Pablo's terrorism made it difficult for her and her kids to have a normal life.
She hardly even acknowledges that the lifestyle she lived was paid for by her husband's illegal dealings. There is shockingly little talk about cocaine in this book.
There are some truly weird flashes of emotion in all the wrong places. Mrs. Escobar says she was aware of Pablo's affairs, and found them very upsetting. Then she goes out of her way to trash one woman Pablo was banging.
"There's no denying that Virginia was a sexy, beautiful woman with a lovely smile and an intelligent mind, but she seemed obsessive about applying face powder every five minutes because she couldn't stand it when her skin was shiny."
Wow. Just, wow. Your husband was a mass murderer, lady. Do you really want to be this catty?
Most of the book is spent describing over and over the difficult years: how she and her children lived in hiding, moving from one place to another, isolated and alone. Pablo would show up only every now and then to check in. And then he'd disappear again. This is almost 80% of the book, honestly. And she does a terrible job of describing how this feels or why we should care.
I was hate-reading most of this book. And then I quit with 100 pages or so left. I just didn't want to spend any more time inside the head of Victoria Eugenia Henao.
Truly a terrible book, but bizarrely fascinating for its psychology.
November 5, 2021
3.75/5
(1).Pentru cei interesați de subiectul Pablo Escobar această carte aduce detalii noi și merită citită.
(2).Pentru restul cititorilor este doar o carte de memorii combinate cu autobiografie.
Pentru mine este o carte bună,nici prea lungă ,dar nici prea scurtă ,care se citește ușor și care oferă o perspectivă nouă asupra poveștii din spatele faimosului narcotraficant. O nouă perspectivă venită din partea unei persoane în mare parte absentă din celelalte cărți ,filme sau seriale legate de acest subiect.
Merită citită mai ales pentru poveștile legate de obiectele de artă colecționate de aceasta,dar mai ales pentru tonul cald și plăcut cu care a reușit să relateze evenimente crude și pline de suferință.
(1).Pentru cei interesați de subiectul Pablo Escobar această carte aduce detalii noi și merită citită.
(2).Pentru restul cititorilor este doar o carte de memorii combinate cu autobiografie.
Pentru mine este o carte bună,nici prea lungă ,dar nici prea scurtă ,care se citește ușor și care oferă o perspectivă nouă asupra poveștii din spatele faimosului narcotraficant. O nouă perspectivă venită din partea unei persoane în mare parte absentă din celelalte cărți ,filme sau seriale legate de acest subiect.
Merită citită mai ales pentru poveștile legate de obiectele de artă colecționate de aceasta,dar mai ales pentru tonul cald și plăcut cu care a reușit să relateze evenimente crude și pline de suferință.
January 7, 2019
He leído la historia de Pablo Escobar escrita por muchas otras personas, pero definitivamente esta es la voz que nos faltaba escuchar.
Y tiene mucho que decir...
Conmovedor y atrapante.
Y tiene mucho que decir...
Conmovedor y atrapante.
January 19, 2021
After having read Pablo Escobar: Beyond Narcos, my views on this book are completely divided. It was definitely a difficult read but the thing you need to remember before starting this book is that this is an account of Victoria or Maria Isabela and her life with Pablo, not on Pablo Escobar. We see how they started, how things went on from there, and how she lived. I am aware that this book might seem shallow to those who were affected by that war or who lost family members in that war. Because obviously, they don't want to hear about her high-end life or the later troubles that seem small compared to the killings and utter destruction that happened because of Escobar. I felt the woman was very far away from reality and didn't really process the magnitude of the havoc that Escobar unleashed on the world. That being said, I also believe that in some way she was also one of his many victims. She was 12 years old when Pablo(a 23-year-old man) started pursuing her and by the time she was 14, they were involved sexually too. In modern times, it would be seen as grooming and abuse but I feel people minimized her situation because they were so mad at Escobar, which I guess is understandable but not ok. The abortion at 14 just proves that Pablo took charge over her life completely and dictated her every move from thereon. Yes, girlie sounds kinda unhinged when she rants about her art collection, valuables, and other materialistic stuff but that's the life she always knew. She came from a rich family, lived a uber-rich life with Escobar, and didn't know anything else. I do feel bad for her kids, who really were innocent, especially the girl. The narration is slow and steady. It becomes a bit dull in the middle. Overall, I would recommend it to curious people but not to people who actually witnessed the destruction firsthand or via other loved ones.
April 11, 2025
Patiko labai ♥️♥️ Sužinojau tikrajį Escobaro šeimos gyvenimą,ką teko išgyventi 😓
July 8, 2019
It took me sometime, but I’ve finished it, it’s kinda slow at middle but has a good story. The other view that provides to understand the family life of a criminal and its impact till now, makes you understand how hard and not worthy to live with a criminal.
If you have read the stories, this one is really need.
If you have read the stories, this one is really need.
February 26, 2021
Es un libro muy fuerte, con una historia cruda y sin tapujos. No puedo ponerle 5 estrellas porque aún cuando quise no pude sentir empatía por muchas de las cosas narradas aquí. Fue muy valiente de su parte lanzar todo esto a la luz.
August 8, 2021
*i read this book in lithuanian* oh damn the epilogue was shocking to read. This whole book was just an eye-opener on the Escobar family and how badly affected they were even after Pablo Escobar's death.
April 4, 2024
Estoy tan impactada, que no sé ni por dónde empezar.
Como de costumbre al acabar un libro lo primero que hago es leer las reseñas que tiene, empezando por las puntuaciones más bajas. Y no me cabe en la cabeza como alguien que realmente haya leído este libro puede opinar que esta mujer no ha sido una víctima más (pese a que ella nunca se ha definido como tal). ¿Cómo es posible no entender la justificación de que hizo muchas cosas por amor? ¿Quién puede pensar que no es válida cuando se trata de la relación sentimental en los años 70, en Colombia, entre una niña de 13 años y un hombre de 25? En algunos pasajes del libro cuenta que tomó en consideración la idea de divorciarse (especialmente por las amantes y las juergas de Pablo). Pero también cuenta como cada vez que intentó escapar de su marido se vio controlada, hostigada y manipulada, tanto por él, como por los hombres que estaban a su servicio.
He leído críticas acerca de su exposición de arte, sobre todo por la pena que le causó perder muchas obras en los atentados. Ella misma dice que su colección de arte eran sus únicos bienes propios, lo único que había adquirido por sí misma. No solo veo lógico que esté apenada por ello, sino que además entiendo completamente que los haya comprado, Se trata es una mujer que actuó conforme a su poder adquisitivo en el momento y que, una vez más, se vio despojada de aquello que le distrajo en los momentos más difíciles y de aquello que desde cero intento construir como puerta a la independencia.
Para mí, este libro no es el testimonio de la viuda de Pablo Escobar. Es el testimonio de una madre que se ha pasado años escapando de la justicia a causa de los atentados de su marido, que ha tenido que abandonar su hija recién nacida la suerte de unos hombres que la trasladaron de un país a otro, que ha tenido que dejar a su hijo en medio de la selva escapar, junto a su padre, sin poder rechistar, que he tenido que abandonar a su familia, amigos, conocidos, y sobre todo verlos morir, en muchas ocasiones, sin tener ninguna relación con el narcotráfico y la guerra de Colombia.
Ni siquiera creo que este libro lo haya escrito por ella, ni para dar su versión de los hechos (pese que lo considero especialmente necesario porque todo el mundo está en desacuerdo con los actos de Pablo Escobar, pero en la mayoría de series y películas lo retratan como un hombre que, en el fondo, quizás podía tener algún tipo de conciencia y, sobre todo, como un hombre que se hizo así mismo y que merece algún tipo de reconocimiento). Lo que pienso que este libro en realidad se dirige más bien a dar a conocer la cara oculta de Pablo Escobar para impedir que sigan haciendo estragos los daños que éste causó en su familia y, especialmente, en sus hijos: dos niños pequeños, que se vieron arrancados en numerosas ocasiones de los brazos de su madre y engañados y manipulados por su padre.
Pese a que que me gustaría incidir y opinar sobre algunos aspectos de la obra, voy a tratar evitar spoilers. Así que concluyo con la recomendación este libro a todas aquellas personas interesadas en el tema.
Como de costumbre al acabar un libro lo primero que hago es leer las reseñas que tiene, empezando por las puntuaciones más bajas. Y no me cabe en la cabeza como alguien que realmente haya leído este libro puede opinar que esta mujer no ha sido una víctima más (pese a que ella nunca se ha definido como tal). ¿Cómo es posible no entender la justificación de que hizo muchas cosas por amor? ¿Quién puede pensar que no es válida cuando se trata de la relación sentimental en los años 70, en Colombia, entre una niña de 13 años y un hombre de 25? En algunos pasajes del libro cuenta que tomó en consideración la idea de divorciarse (especialmente por las amantes y las juergas de Pablo). Pero también cuenta como cada vez que intentó escapar de su marido se vio controlada, hostigada y manipulada, tanto por él, como por los hombres que estaban a su servicio.
He leído críticas acerca de su exposición de arte, sobre todo por la pena que le causó perder muchas obras en los atentados. Ella misma dice que su colección de arte eran sus únicos bienes propios, lo único que había adquirido por sí misma. No solo veo lógico que esté apenada por ello, sino que además entiendo completamente que los haya comprado, Se trata es una mujer que actuó conforme a su poder adquisitivo en el momento y que, una vez más, se vio despojada de aquello que le distrajo en los momentos más difíciles y de aquello que desde cero intento construir como puerta a la independencia.
Para mí, este libro no es el testimonio de la viuda de Pablo Escobar. Es el testimonio de una madre que se ha pasado años escapando de la justicia a causa de los atentados de su marido, que ha tenido que abandonar su hija recién nacida la suerte de unos hombres que la trasladaron de un país a otro, que ha tenido que dejar a su hijo en medio de la selva escapar, junto a su padre, sin poder rechistar, que he tenido que abandonar a su familia, amigos, conocidos, y sobre todo verlos morir, en muchas ocasiones, sin tener ninguna relación con el narcotráfico y la guerra de Colombia.
Ni siquiera creo que este libro lo haya escrito por ella, ni para dar su versión de los hechos (pese que lo considero especialmente necesario porque todo el mundo está en desacuerdo con los actos de Pablo Escobar, pero en la mayoría de series y películas lo retratan como un hombre que, en el fondo, quizás podía tener algún tipo de conciencia y, sobre todo, como un hombre que se hizo así mismo y que merece algún tipo de reconocimiento). Lo que pienso que este libro en realidad se dirige más bien a dar a conocer la cara oculta de Pablo Escobar para impedir que sigan haciendo estragos los daños que éste causó en su familia y, especialmente, en sus hijos: dos niños pequeños, que se vieron arrancados en numerosas ocasiones de los brazos de su madre y engañados y manipulados por su padre.
Pese a que que me gustaría incidir y opinar sobre algunos aspectos de la obra, voy a tratar evitar spoilers. Así que concluyo con la recomendación este libro a todas aquellas personas interesadas en el tema.
August 19, 2024
Victoria Eugenia abre o jogo sobre sua vida com Pablo Escobar, nos anos que viveu um relacionamento intenso, onde foi de aproveitar as coisas boas da vida (como ter quadro do Salvador Dali com 22 anos de idade) para anos de sofrimento familiar e reclusão involuntária. Mesmo décadas depois, a sociedade cobra a dívida e justiça para tentar apaziguar o passado de terror causado pelo ex-marido de Victoria, Pablo Escobar.
May 22, 2022
Puedo decir que viví tantas emociones con este libro, de primero pre dispuesta al pensar que ella es una viuda que sabia lo que hacía su marido y se quedaba callada, disfrutando las riquezas después un poco de empatia en cuanto a su situación y como llego a ese sufrido matrimonio. Y por último lamente mucho que a tan corta edad se enredo con este hombre.
Y termino siendo una víctima más.
Y termino siendo una víctima más.
November 13, 2020
Coming from a Hispanic catholic and machista country I understand the reasons why Tata never left. Also, she was easy influenced by Pablo who was more experienced than her that was barely a teen when married an almost 30 yr old street smart man. But , after she became a wiser women in her lates twenties early 30s she stayed because she wanna to, and I don’t feel a minimum pity for your life next to a man that treated you as mother not a wife and never as a woman.
I wished she explained in more detail about Pablo’s feelings and reactions after the Monaco bomb. Was nice that she picked a hobby and enjoyed but I would prefer she took the hobby of getting independent financially in another country where her money, life and children would be safe. Unfortunately, no one believes that they stayed without money and people will continue to try to get a piece of what they believe they have. Because I read Juan Pablo’s book 📚 I was feeling that some chapters were copy and paste and she didn’t add any other information or her point of view.
December 7, 2019
I struggled with this, specifically about the whitewashing of Escobar. I'd watched Narcos and read up on Escobar, so was aware of the horrors he inflicted. I understand that this was his wife's view of things, but at times it seemed romanticised and the monster she married downplayed. It was also slow, especially towards the end.
October 10, 2020
Interesting enough read. Got tired of the "my husband this and my husband that" though. Not sure why he wasn't always just Pablo. Even after all he put her and their kids through, she still seems to put him on pedestal.
June 1, 2025
tragic story but terribly written, not in the chronological order, I was confused most of the time
April 6, 2024
Pensé mucho sobre si darle 3 o 4 estrellas, pero al final me decido por las 4 estrellas porque le abono mucho la valentía que tuvo de contar su historia. Creo que siempre es importante saber la historia de los dos lados y conocer un poco más al respecto. Sin duda ella fue una víctima de ese hombre, es muy fácil de verlo, ella tenía solo 12 años cuando ese hombre (que tenía 23 añosss!!!) se interesó por ella. Era una niña todavía y no vivió su adolescencia de la manera normal en la que debió de haberla vívido y obviamente aún sus hijos y ella viven con esa marca en la frente de estar relacionados con este señor.
Debo reconocer que me sorprendió saber que al parecer él de alguna forma intentaba protegerlos, pero obviamente se notaba que amaba más el dinero, la ambición, el orgullo y el poder. Me disgustó bastante leer las partes en las que su machismo fue taaaaan evidente, tan descarado e indignante!
Soy colombiana, no había nacido cuando todas las cosas que hizo u ordenó este personaje ocurrieron, pero aún así estoy muy al tanto del HORROR que se vivía en las calles y la incertidumbre por lo que podía pasar, por lo que a pesar de saber que ella también fue una víctima de ese hombre, por respeto a todo lo que pasó y a las vidas involucradas no puedo simpatizar completamente con ella. Para mí es claro que ya cuando llevaban ciertos años y que él tenía ya mucho poder iba a ser muy complicado si ella lo dejaba, porque creo que todos hemos visto lo que suele suceder cuando dejan a un hombre machista que cree que la mujer es de su propiedad y que tiene todos los recursos para hacer lo que quiera.
En cuanto a la escritura del libro no me gusta que tiene saltos en el tiempo, la cronología no es lineal como prefiero que sean los libros autobiográficos así que me sacó un poco de la lectura esos cambios. Me agradó que ella abordó algunos mitos y cosas que siempre se han dicho que al parecer no eran tan ciertas. Me gustó también la parte en la que menciona a Virginia Vallejo (no me cae bien) y me reí con algunas cosas. Que un hombre se gaste 2 millones de dólares en gasolina para verte no signifique que te ame y que debas enamorarte de él solo por eso! Y más si ese hombre está casado, tiene una familia y un antecedente criminal bastanteeeee amplio.
Creo que ya es hora de que ellos puedan seguir con sus vidas sin que la gente tenga ese estigma sobre ellos. Los colombianos necesitamos conocer nuestra historia para nunca repetirla o permitir que suceda de nuevo.
Debo reconocer que me sorprendió saber que al parecer él de alguna forma intentaba protegerlos, pero obviamente se notaba que amaba más el dinero, la ambición, el orgullo y el poder. Me disgustó bastante leer las partes en las que su machismo fue taaaaan evidente, tan descarado e indignante!
Soy colombiana, no había nacido cuando todas las cosas que hizo u ordenó este personaje ocurrieron, pero aún así estoy muy al tanto del HORROR que se vivía en las calles y la incertidumbre por lo que podía pasar, por lo que a pesar de saber que ella también fue una víctima de ese hombre, por respeto a todo lo que pasó y a las vidas involucradas no puedo simpatizar completamente con ella. Para mí es claro que ya cuando llevaban ciertos años y que él tenía ya mucho poder iba a ser muy complicado si ella lo dejaba, porque creo que todos hemos visto lo que suele suceder cuando dejan a un hombre machista que cree que la mujer es de su propiedad y que tiene todos los recursos para hacer lo que quiera.
En cuanto a la escritura del libro no me gusta que tiene saltos en el tiempo, la cronología no es lineal como prefiero que sean los libros autobiográficos así que me sacó un poco de la lectura esos cambios. Me agradó que ella abordó algunos mitos y cosas que siempre se han dicho que al parecer no eran tan ciertas. Me gustó también la parte en la que menciona a Virginia Vallejo (no me cae bien) y me reí con algunas cosas. Que un hombre se gaste 2 millones de dólares en gasolina para verte no signifique que te ame y que debas enamorarte de él solo por eso! Y más si ese hombre está casado, tiene una familia y un antecedente criminal bastanteeeee amplio.
Creo que ya es hora de que ellos puedan seguir con sus vidas sin que la gente tenga ese estigma sobre ellos. Los colombianos necesitamos conocer nuestra historia para nunca repetirla o permitir que suceda de nuevo.
October 26, 2020
Mano nuomonė: Man patinka skaityti moterų biografijas ar atsiminimus. Na Pablo Eskobaro gyvenimas ir veikla mums pakankamai gerai žinoma. Tačiau kaip jautėsi moteris gyvendama su juo, man buvo tikrai įdomu.
p. VictoriaEugenija Henao gana atvirai pasakoja apie savo gyvenimą su Pablo Eskobaru. Ši knyga sukėlė daug emocijų. Skaitant bandžiau sau atsakyti į klausimą, ar tai moters pasiaukojanti meilė ir nuolankumas vyrui ar begalinis naivumas ir baimė? O gal turtai ir statusas buvo svarbesni? Supratau, kad tai be galo stiprios moters išpažintis, kuri gal būt per vėlai suprato su kokiu siaubingu žmogumi ji susituokė. Arba ne? Tiesiog buvo gudri ir protinga ir sugebėjo išgyventi visą tą pragarą, kaip ji pati vadina metus praleistus su Pablo.
Skaitant knygą, man buvo susidaręs toks ispūdis, kad p. Victoria Eugenija bando pasiteisinti ir atsiprašyti visų nuskriaustųjų šeimų. Tikriausiai daugelis iš mūsų būtų tai darę irgi. Bet buvo knygoje ir melo. Ji pasakojo, kaip ji derėjosi su karteliais, kad viską iš jie is jos atėmė, o ko neatėmė kartėliai, konfiskavo valstybė. Save bandė pavaizduoti nuskriaustą moterį. Bet likusį gyvenimą ji niekur nedirbo ir dar buvo pasodinta į kalėjimą, ir užstatas, kad ją paleistų buvo 200 000 dolerių. Jūs isivaiduokit kokie tai pinigai? Bet visgi tie pinigai už ją buvo sumokėti. Ji sako, kad tai padarė advokatas, bet mažai tikėtina, kad jai nereikėjo jam grązinti tos skolos. :)
p. VictoriaEugenija Henao gana atvirai pasakoja apie savo gyvenimą su Pablo Eskobaru. Ši knyga sukėlė daug emocijų. Skaitant bandžiau sau atsakyti į klausimą, ar tai moters pasiaukojanti meilė ir nuolankumas vyrui ar begalinis naivumas ir baimė? O gal turtai ir statusas buvo svarbesni? Supratau, kad tai be galo stiprios moters išpažintis, kuri gal būt per vėlai suprato su kokiu siaubingu žmogumi ji susituokė. Arba ne? Tiesiog buvo gudri ir protinga ir sugebėjo išgyventi visą tą pragarą, kaip ji pati vadina metus praleistus su Pablo.
Skaitant knygą, man buvo susidaręs toks ispūdis, kad p. Victoria Eugenija bando pasiteisinti ir atsiprašyti visų nuskriaustųjų šeimų. Tikriausiai daugelis iš mūsų būtų tai darę irgi. Bet buvo knygoje ir melo. Ji pasakojo, kaip ji derėjosi su karteliais, kad viską iš jie is jos atėmė, o ko neatėmė kartėliai, konfiskavo valstybė. Save bandė pavaizduoti nuskriaustą moterį. Bet likusį gyvenimą ji niekur nedirbo ir dar buvo pasodinta į kalėjimą, ir užstatas, kad ją paleistų buvo 200 000 dolerių. Jūs isivaiduokit kokie tai pinigai? Bet visgi tie pinigai už ją buvo sumokėti. Ji sako, kad tai padarė advokatas, bet mažai tikėtina, kad jai nereikėjo jam grązinti tos skolos. :)
August 2, 2021
El libro tiene una estructura interesante, me gusta el hecho de que se centré en lo mucho que sufrió su familia durante la vida de pabo escobar y despues de ella, tiene muchos datos interesantes pero más allá de los datos familiares me gustaría que se centrara en el dolor que pablo causo a tantas familias, pero bueno es de repente pedirle mucho a la autora, sin duda el libro confirmo mi teoría de que todas las drogas deben de ser legalizadas , sin duda eso evitaría que el mundo tuvieera moustros como Pablo Escobar
August 30, 2025
No me ha gustado nada, mal redactado, desordenado y lo peor de todo es que he empatizado 0 con ella. De hecho, antes de leerlo tenía una percepción sobre ella de ser víctima pero después de leerlo he cambiado de opinión, una persona que dice 858 veces en un mismo libro que desconocía lo que hacía su marido es que en el fondo sí que algo sabía. He sentido que intenta en todo momento limpiar su imagen en vez de contar la historia tal cual fue. No dudo que vivió una situación muy dura y que no tuvo que ser fácil pero tampoco lo fue para todas las víctimas de Pablo Escobar.
August 2, 2020
I really wanted to love this book as the protagonist has such an interesting story!! While the story itself is fascinating and it leaves a lot for the reader to think about, it was hard to follow. The author jumped around a lot and there was no chronology. As a result of this, stories were often repeated and the book dragged out a bit. Such a fascinating life though and I’m glad that I persevered and finished the book off!
November 2, 2020
Yeah so so. Can't put my finger on why this book didn't hold my attention as well as it should
August 9, 2021
Interesting enough, but as someone not terribly familiar with the history of Pablo Escobar, I struggled a little to understand who was who amongst the many names that were mentioned.
January 27, 2019
What a strange book. I kept expecting it to be a sincere confession and/or apology for the fact that the author lived rich on Pablo Escobar's money, earned through drugs and violence. The author did say some things to that effect, sort of, but she never earned my trust. She actually seemed rather self-absorbed, even painting herself as another of Escobar's victims.
It was just weird. Even if you love someone, if that person is capable of, say, blowing up an airplane full of innocent people in an attempt to kill a political rival -- how do you not turn that person in? How do you keep telling yourself he's basically good?
The book itself could be really fascinating, especially in the details:
-- In one of their last hide-outs, the entryway was guarded by a ferrocious goose. The house was painted Pablo's favorite shade of blue, and the nightstand by the bed was filled with self-help books. Pablo spent a couple hours each day on hygiene, especially cleaning his teeth, because if he were to get a toothache he'd have no way of seeing a dentist.
-- There was a guy in the neighborhood where Pablo grew up who owned a car. Little Pablo would see him every day while walking to school, but they guy went on past and never offered a ride. Later, as an adult, Pablo had one of his sicarios go out and burn up the guy's car. From that point onward, this man was under surveillance, and every time he'd get a new car, Pablo's men would destroy it, so he'd know what it felt like to have to walk everywhere.
-- Daughter Manuela had about the most miserable life I can imagine. The family was in exile at the time she was born, and from the time she had any idea what was going on, there were people trying to kill her. A car bomb explosion caved a bunch of rubble into her crib. She had to stop going to school, and later her nurse and a teacher who tried to help were murdered. At the time the family tried to flee to Germany for fear of their life, they were turned back, and had to live like prisoners, and poorly protected ones at that. At this time, Manuela, who would have been about eight, was still using a baby bottle. And at the time they finally found some kind of a home in Argentina after Pablo's death, teen Manuela still had no real idea who her father had been. She apparently thought he was in the coffee business.
-- One of Pablo's mistresses got pregnant, which was against his rules. So he had her drugged and then had an abortion performed on her. They weren't together after that, and she started seeing one of his sicarios instead. (What the hell was she thinking??) But Pablo got wind she might turn on him, so he had her new lover murder her. The author only found out about this when she happened to see an episode of the Colombian telenovela "El Patron del Mal," and didn't believe it, but when she checked with Pablo's men she found out it was true.
The author and her son continue to have problems with the law, and have been accused of money laundering. She claims total innocence, and I have no idea whether she's telling the truth. She seems like one of those people who can come off really stupid one minute, but sly as a fox the next. I have no idea what to make of her.
It was just weird. Even if you love someone, if that person is capable of, say, blowing up an airplane full of innocent people in an attempt to kill a political rival -- how do you not turn that person in? How do you keep telling yourself he's basically good?
The book itself could be really fascinating, especially in the details:
-- In one of their last hide-outs, the entryway was guarded by a ferrocious goose. The house was painted Pablo's favorite shade of blue, and the nightstand by the bed was filled with self-help books. Pablo spent a couple hours each day on hygiene, especially cleaning his teeth, because if he were to get a toothache he'd have no way of seeing a dentist.
-- There was a guy in the neighborhood where Pablo grew up who owned a car. Little Pablo would see him every day while walking to school, but they guy went on past and never offered a ride. Later, as an adult, Pablo had one of his sicarios go out and burn up the guy's car. From that point onward, this man was under surveillance, and every time he'd get a new car, Pablo's men would destroy it, so he'd know what it felt like to have to walk everywhere.
-- Daughter Manuela had about the most miserable life I can imagine. The family was in exile at the time she was born, and from the time she had any idea what was going on, there were people trying to kill her. A car bomb explosion caved a bunch of rubble into her crib. She had to stop going to school, and later her nurse and a teacher who tried to help were murdered. At the time the family tried to flee to Germany for fear of their life, they were turned back, and had to live like prisoners, and poorly protected ones at that. At this time, Manuela, who would have been about eight, was still using a baby bottle. And at the time they finally found some kind of a home in Argentina after Pablo's death, teen Manuela still had no real idea who her father had been. She apparently thought he was in the coffee business.
-- One of Pablo's mistresses got pregnant, which was against his rules. So he had her drugged and then had an abortion performed on her. They weren't together after that, and she started seeing one of his sicarios instead. (What the hell was she thinking??) But Pablo got wind she might turn on him, so he had her new lover murder her. The author only found out about this when she happened to see an episode of the Colombian telenovela "El Patron del Mal," and didn't believe it, but when she checked with Pablo's men she found out it was true.
The author and her son continue to have problems with the law, and have been accused of money laundering. She claims total innocence, and I have no idea whether she's telling the truth. She seems like one of those people who can come off really stupid one minute, but sly as a fox the next. I have no idea what to make of her.
September 14, 2021
Lei este libro para dar clausura a todos los libros que he leído sobre Pablo Escobar. Ya había leído Amando a Pablo, odiando a Escobar, Matar a Pablo Escobar y muchos otros de los cuales no recuerdo los nombres. Pero este fue escrito por su viuda y me daba mucha curiosidad ya que ella era la persona mas cercana a él (y que podía responderle y regañar sin miedo a perder la vida por ello) y había permanecido en las sombras, en un silencio que yo sabía guardaba muchas cosas que nadie más podía decir. Las esposas somos así a veces, sabemos y callamos mucho. Pero si el esposo es Pablo Escobar pues la cosa se complica.
El libro me gustó lo suficiente como para terminarlo pero no lo bastante como para decir que estuvo genial ni nada parecido. Muchas de las cosas ya las conocía y las novedades fueron pocas. Lo mejor es la parte como lo conoció (ella teniendo solo 12 años y ya él la miraba como mujer). Era una niña y aunque no justifico sus malas decisiones, puedo entender su poco dicernimiento y madurez.
Me gustó saber que no era una mujer ignorante como la han querido proyectar algunos. Su gusto por las artes demuestra su conociemiento e intelecto aunque que le dedicara un capítulo entero a ese tema me parecio demasiado. Esa parte me aburrió.
Me hizo reir en varias ocasiones. Como en la parte donde Escobar se puso celoso y cuando discretamente hace ver que Virginia Vallejo no significó nada para él (esos temas siempre son jugosos).
En resumen, sacando esos detalles y la fotos que contenia el libro, no me pareció grandioso. Por ratos me dio mucha tristeza lo que ella y sus hijos sufrieron pero en verdad en esta vida uno siempre puede elegir apartarse del mal (aunque sea el padre de tus hijos) y recomenzar desde cero (aunque se tenga que comer tierra).
Y con este libro, termino de leer sobre Pablo Escobar y espero que nunca más el mundo (especialmente Colombia) tenga que volver a vivir esos horrores por la locura desmedida de un hombre.
El libro me gustó lo suficiente como para terminarlo pero no lo bastante como para decir que estuvo genial ni nada parecido. Muchas de las cosas ya las conocía y las novedades fueron pocas. Lo mejor es la parte como lo conoció (ella teniendo solo 12 años y ya él la miraba como mujer). Era una niña y aunque no justifico sus malas decisiones, puedo entender su poco dicernimiento y madurez.
Me gustó saber que no era una mujer ignorante como la han querido proyectar algunos. Su gusto por las artes demuestra su conociemiento e intelecto aunque que le dedicara un capítulo entero a ese tema me parecio demasiado. Esa parte me aburrió.
Me hizo reir en varias ocasiones. Como en la parte donde Escobar se puso celoso y cuando discretamente hace ver que Virginia Vallejo no significó nada para él (esos temas siempre son jugosos).
En resumen, sacando esos detalles y la fotos que contenia el libro, no me pareció grandioso. Por ratos me dio mucha tristeza lo que ella y sus hijos sufrieron pero en verdad en esta vida uno siempre puede elegir apartarse del mal (aunque sea el padre de tus hijos) y recomenzar desde cero (aunque se tenga que comer tierra).
Y con este libro, termino de leer sobre Pablo Escobar y espero que nunca más el mundo (especialmente Colombia) tenga que volver a vivir esos horrores por la locura desmedida de un hombre.
February 17, 2020
Kicsit csalódtam a könyvben. Olyan sok hűha dolog nem derül ki belőle, a wikipediáról okosabb lettem. Mivel nemrég olvastam Michelle Obama könyvét, ami szerintem csodásan lett megírva, itt nagyon megszenvedtem vele. Alább meg is magyarázom, miért:
Az a baj, hogy nem szerencsés a tematizálás – mert ezáltal csapong az idősíkok között és nem könnyű követni. Célszerűbb lett volna időrendben haladni.
A másik bajom, hogy – lehet az én műveltségi szegénységem, hogy nem vagyok tisztában a Kolumbiai politikai helyzettel és személyekkel – de rengeteg név tűnik fel a könyvben, akikről úgy beszél, mintha evidens lenne, hogy az olvasó tudja melyik miniszter volt melyik a 60as-80as években, illetve melyik kartell melyik és kik a vezetőik.
Többször ki kellett google-znom az adott esemélyeket, és a megértést nem könnyítette, hogy egyszer 1984-ben, aztán 1993-ban, aztán megint 1977-ben vagyunk egy oldalon belül.
Azt érzem, hogy ez a „titkok leleplezése” megint csak inkább az, hogy mégtöbb bőrt lehúzzunk egy rókáról.
Igen, borzalmas, ami ezzel a családdal történt, a tények megrendítők, de ez a könyvet sajnos nem sikerült jól megírni, bocsánat Victoria :(
Az a baj, hogy nem szerencsés a tematizálás – mert ezáltal csapong az idősíkok között és nem könnyű követni. Célszerűbb lett volna időrendben haladni.
A másik bajom, hogy – lehet az én műveltségi szegénységem, hogy nem vagyok tisztában a Kolumbiai politikai helyzettel és személyekkel – de rengeteg név tűnik fel a könyvben, akikről úgy beszél, mintha evidens lenne, hogy az olvasó tudja melyik miniszter volt melyik a 60as-80as években, illetve melyik kartell melyik és kik a vezetőik.
Többször ki kellett google-znom az adott esemélyeket, és a megértést nem könnyítette, hogy egyszer 1984-ben, aztán 1993-ban, aztán megint 1977-ben vagyunk egy oldalon belül.
Azt érzem, hogy ez a „titkok leleplezése” megint csak inkább az, hogy mégtöbb bőrt lehúzzunk egy rókáról.
Igen, borzalmas, ami ezzel a családdal történt, a tények megrendítők, de ez a könyvet sajnos nem sikerült jól megírni, bocsánat Victoria :(
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