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Villa Pacifica
'Tangled with darkness like its lush, decaying setting, Villa Pacifica had me gripped to the very end.'—Emily Perkins A couple arrive in a dead-end coastal village somewhere in South America. The only place to stay is Villa Pacifica, part hotel and part animal sanctuary run by eccentric ex-pats. Travel guide-writer Ute and her husband Jerry are joined by an assortment of in-your-face American Max; sporty flight attendants from Australia; musicians Luis and Helga – all looking for something out of the ordinary. Ute begins to meet the locals and explore the villa's surrounds. She senses that the place taps into her most intimate fears. Its disturbances may well be beyond the rational mind. Soon, personalities and relationships begin to crack. When a huge storm descends on the coast, travellers and locals are thrown back on their own devices. The hot-house world that prowls below the surface of Villa Pacifica rises to engulf everyone. Madness begins to take hold. An ever-present air of sensuality and danger haunts Kapka Kassabova's new novel. Villa Pacifica is an exotic romp through a place where the primal, spiritual and cerebral collide. This is a visceral, gripping story from one of New Zealand's most talented writers.
321 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2010
4 people are currently reading
143 people want to read
About the author
Kapka Kassabova
34 books389 followersKapka Kassabova was born and raised in Sofia, Bulgaria in the 1970s and 1980s. Her family emigrated to New Zealand just after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and she spent her late teens and twenties in New Zealand where she studied French Literature, and published two poetry collections and the Commonwealth-Writers Prize-winner for debut fiction in Asia-Pacific, Reconnaissance.
In 2004, Kapka moved to Scotland and published Street Without a Name (Portobello, 2008). It is a story of the last Communist childhood and a journey across post-communist Bulgaria. It was short-listed for the Dolman Travel Book Award.
The music memoir Twelve Minutes of Love (Portobello 2011), a tale of Argentine tango, obsession and the search for home, was short-listed for the Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust Book Awards.
Villa Pacifica (Alma Books 2011), a novel with an equatorial setting, came out at the same time.
Border: a journey to the edge of Europe (2017 Granta/ Greywolf) is an exploration of Europe's remotest border region.
Her essays and articles have appeared in The Guardian, The Times Literary Supplement, Vogue, The Sunday Times, The Scottish Review of Books, The NZ Listener, The New Statesman, and 1843 Magazine.
In 2004, Kapka moved to Scotland and published Street Without a Name (Portobello, 2008). It is a story of the last Communist childhood and a journey across post-communist Bulgaria. It was short-listed for the Dolman Travel Book Award.
The music memoir Twelve Minutes of Love (Portobello 2011), a tale of Argentine tango, obsession and the search for home, was short-listed for the Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust Book Awards.
Villa Pacifica (Alma Books 2011), a novel with an equatorial setting, came out at the same time.
Border: a journey to the edge of Europe (2017 Granta/ Greywolf) is an exploration of Europe's remotest border region.
Her essays and articles have appeared in The Guardian, The Times Literary Supplement, Vogue, The Sunday Times, The Scottish Review of Books, The NZ Listener, The New Statesman, and 1843 Magazine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
August 3, 2019
Novel set on the West Coast of South America
My review opens with a comment from the Villa Pacifica guestbook: “Everyone who stays here writes something down. Those who don’t, either never arrived, or never left”
I had been eyeing this title up for a little while but there seem to be only a few copies on sale. Anyway, suffice it to say, I did eventually track one down and it is quite an unusual novel.
Ute is a travel writer (Lonely Planet, no less) and arrives at the fairly luxurious Villa Pacifica with her husband Jerry. She is writing a travel guide and that is her main reason for being in the area. Jerry starts to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and settles into a writing routine. She, on the other hand, is ready to explore and make her notes. Yet, she feels, something is not quite right.
She wanders along the shore to Puerto Seco (meaning dry port), the local village which is dead, save for the local Cafe El Fin del Mundo – the end of the earth. Arid, end of the world it certainly is…. these names all filter into her subconscious and underline her unease about the area.
At Villa Pacifica on the other side of the estuary is an animal sanctuary, where wild animals are given a home after being trafficked. It almost feels like a metaphor, the caged animals are almost like the caged people at the Villa Pacifica. Predator Max, from the USA, is someone who is larger than life and soon has the residents side stepping and avoiding him. His japes drag others into life-threatening situations.
Ute suffers from outbreaks of eczema, it seems that this affliction is an outward expression of her internal emotional turmoil. Finally, El Niño hits and this is a storm that is well known for affecting the mental equilibrium of the people caught in its path….
This is a novel that certainly has something about it. The author’s observational skills are good and she captures nuances. The story keeps a good pace and takes the reader on a journey through South America but also through Ute’s psyche where reality and dreamland cross over.
My review opens with a comment from the Villa Pacifica guestbook: “Everyone who stays here writes something down. Those who don’t, either never arrived, or never left”
I had been eyeing this title up for a little while but there seem to be only a few copies on sale. Anyway, suffice it to say, I did eventually track one down and it is quite an unusual novel.
Ute is a travel writer (Lonely Planet, no less) and arrives at the fairly luxurious Villa Pacifica with her husband Jerry. She is writing a travel guide and that is her main reason for being in the area. Jerry starts to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and settles into a writing routine. She, on the other hand, is ready to explore and make her notes. Yet, she feels, something is not quite right.
She wanders along the shore to Puerto Seco (meaning dry port), the local village which is dead, save for the local Cafe El Fin del Mundo – the end of the earth. Arid, end of the world it certainly is…. these names all filter into her subconscious and underline her unease about the area.
At Villa Pacifica on the other side of the estuary is an animal sanctuary, where wild animals are given a home after being trafficked. It almost feels like a metaphor, the caged animals are almost like the caged people at the Villa Pacifica. Predator Max, from the USA, is someone who is larger than life and soon has the residents side stepping and avoiding him. His japes drag others into life-threatening situations.
Ute suffers from outbreaks of eczema, it seems that this affliction is an outward expression of her internal emotional turmoil. Finally, El Niño hits and this is a storm that is well known for affecting the mental equilibrium of the people caught in its path….
This is a novel that certainly has something about it. The author’s observational skills are good and she captures nuances. The story keeps a good pace and takes the reader on a journey through South America but also through Ute’s psyche where reality and dreamland cross over.
February 8, 2012
I was really enjoying Villa Pacifica up until Part 3 when I had to reread it in case I had missed a vital part that gave me a clue as to what the hell was going on with Ute after she left Villa Pacifica in the rain storm and arrived in Agua Sagrada. The Postscript didn't shed any light either so for me it was a disappointing ending to a promising book. Maybe I should have read Part 3 after "rolling up a joint with some mossy-looking substance from a cloth pouch."
March 30, 2020
El libro tres me confundió, esta muy fumada esta historia... Chamanes, mariguana y latinos....
April 13, 2021
"So, you are a writer?" Liz turned to Jerry. "What are you writing now?"This was an interesting book with a strange ending. There is a lot of geographical diversity here, the action is set in an eco retreat on the Pacific Coast of South America, in an unspecified country (could be Colombia, Ecuador or Peru). The protagonist, Ute is from Finland her husband is from England. There are a mix of nationalities at Villa Pacifica and the author herself was born in Bulgaria, educated in New Zealand and now lives in the Scottish Highlands.
"Well, I'm writing a story called Villa Pacifica," Jerry said. "It's about a bunch of strangers who are drawn together by chance in a place not too dissimilar to here."
"Am I in it?" Tim wanted to know.
"is it funny?" Eve asked.
"What happens at the end? Max asked. "Somebody get killed?"
The relationships of the characters are strained and there is the dark brooding stormy menace of El Nino. The weird parts: I don't know if they arose from too many pot smoking sessions tsungki is mentioned or whether Ute's mind is playing tricks on her or if it is a play on magical realism. The author seems to provides us with a few alternate endings.
This is a haunting and exotic tale, that will play on your mind long after you have put it down.
August 30, 2017
What a fascinating, exotic, thought provoking book. So glad I read it. On the surface it's a story about stumbling upon a little-known holiday "resort" in the back of beyond in South America, and instructive as to the way "professional" travellers go about investigating a location, meeting and talking to the locals, not just following the beaten track. On another level it's a depiction of relationships in a literally and figuratively heated environment. There are some very compelling characters, notably Max the bighead you can't help but detest, and Carlos with his Gaucho hat, the guy everyone wants to go to bed with, even some of the men.
There is something eerie about the place, but exactly what does not become clear until the very end. This is the sort of book that leaves a lasting impression on the reader. Some books I've forgotten six months after I've read them, but I've a feeling this one will stay with me for years.
There is something eerie about the place, but exactly what does not become clear until the very end. This is the sort of book that leaves a lasting impression on the reader. Some books I've forgotten six months after I've read them, but I've a feeling this one will stay with me for years.
November 30, 2011
There's a haunting quality to the novel which reminds me of "State Of Wonder" by Ann Patchett and to a lesser extent, "The Beach" by Alex Garland. Yes you have a mysterious cluster of housing in the middle of the hills. There is a beach. There is a mountaintop. Hippies abound. Artisans. Animals.
An interesting fact was that the book was originally published in New Zealand in 2010 but has been re-published for the UK market (modified?)
Don't treat it as a page turner and you might be awashed/transported into the tropics. Just watch out for El Nino.
An interesting fact was that the book was originally published in New Zealand in 2010 but has been re-published for the UK market (modified?)
Don't treat it as a page turner and you might be awashed/transported into the tropics. Just watch out for El Nino.
December 7, 2012
The writing itself is good and yet by the end I found it very confusing and yet understood all at once... I'm glad that I read it but it has left me feeling hollow, maybe because of the confusing ending or maybe because the story is incredibly unnerving!
January 24, 2016
You spend 90% of the book asking yourself "gosh, when is something finally going to happen?" Then, in the last 10%, you get it's happening, it's happening, right there... but perhaps it was already too late :(
January 11, 2019
Wow. This book turned out to be weird. I like it!
June 29, 2017
Once I started this book I found it difficult to put down; I became drawn into and captivated by the developing story. The individual characters are vivid and believable, and their human frailties and strengths are well portrayed as they deal with the enforced intimacy of living in a luxury resort, set in an otherwise poverty stricken region.
The story is haunting, full of tension, and the plot has many twists and turns, as well as moments of “madness”. It conveys an evocative sense of time and place, and I particularly enjoyed the “magic realism” underlying the story telling.
I thought that the author’s use of metaphors and similes was generally well done, but occasionally one would strike me as rather over-blown, e.g. “the sun was an egg poached in the clouds”. However, this was a minor irritation because essentially I felt engaged by the writing and I find that I am still thinking about the characters and the story.
The story is haunting, full of tension, and the plot has many twists and turns, as well as moments of “madness”. It conveys an evocative sense of time and place, and I particularly enjoyed the “magic realism” underlying the story telling.
I thought that the author’s use of metaphors and similes was generally well done, but occasionally one would strike me as rather over-blown, e.g. “the sun was an egg poached in the clouds”. However, this was a minor irritation because essentially I felt engaged by the writing and I find that I am still thinking about the characters and the story.
June 7, 2022
I felt like the branding on this novel did it a disservice. I absolutely loved the story and the writing - haunting and strange and beautiful, like A Summer of Drowning by John Burnside, or State of Wonder by Ann Patchett. The cover art made it seem like popular 'women's fiction,' so my expectations were quite low.
Absolutely gorgeous book.
Absolutely gorgeous book.
December 24, 2024
If you like white lotus, the resort, blink twice and that whole tropical spooky trouble with gringos genre then you are gonna love this. The book came like ten years before all of that, I wonder if kassabova is like dang guys I was all over this ages ago. Although I guess it is an even older lit tradition. Still. On trend 2020s.
September 17, 2021
Weird and cool book.
October 31, 2023
Quite a tale. Some interesting concepts, and you couldn't guess where it would lead you.
May 9, 2012
An entertaining 'light' read that immerses the reader in the heady scents and exotic locale of a fictional coastal region somewhere in South America. We follow the protagonist - a travel guide writer, and her WASPish husband as they meet the colorful and quirky characters on their adventure of exploration, both physical - into the astonishingly varied surrounding environs of dry and cloud forests, its beaches and sad little town; as well as uncovering the more spiritual and supernatural aspects of the place and its effects on their mental state.
The story really takes a dramatic turn in the last few chapters, when it goes from the realm of travel writing into science fiction, as the concept of time itself is stretched and twisted such that the sequence of events becomes confused. One is left wondering if its really all in the character's head as she slowly loses her sanity and enters the spiritual dimension (with some help from artificial substances). There are also two endings to the story, open to the reader's intepretation, and purposefully ambiguous. A speedy and exciting page-turner of a climax that builds up very quickly from the langorous beginning.
Kassabova is a talented writer, and combined with a story that takes place in a harsh but beautiful setting, makes for an exciting ride that will continue to haunt the reader long after the last page has been turned.
The story really takes a dramatic turn in the last few chapters, when it goes from the realm of travel writing into science fiction, as the concept of time itself is stretched and twisted such that the sequence of events becomes confused. One is left wondering if its really all in the character's head as she slowly loses her sanity and enters the spiritual dimension (with some help from artificial substances). There are also two endings to the story, open to the reader's intepretation, and purposefully ambiguous. A speedy and exciting page-turner of a climax that builds up very quickly from the langorous beginning.
Kassabova is a talented writer, and combined with a story that takes place in a harsh but beautiful setting, makes for an exciting ride that will continue to haunt the reader long after the last page has been turned.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 16, 2023
Good but weird.
January 18, 2011
I picked this book from the library because I have read some of her works, but also because she bought a painting from a good friend. This is a travel novel in a gothic Latin American setting. The characters have delicious flaws and are not at all what you expect. The tropical setting, with the political and eco fanatics makes an exotic read. It is well crafted, and gripping. To anyone who is well travelled and knows about the guide book industry this will have a special relevance, but the unravelling of the lives is careful and not what you would predict.
August 10, 2012
I picked this at random from the library's 'new' shelf, though it isn't all that new. I was gripped from early on and really enjoyed the unsettling atmosphere and the interesting range of characters holed up in an unpromising part of South America. The ending was as unsettling as the beginning. Not surprised to discover that the author has also contributed to a number of travel guides and I'm looking forward to reading more of her novels.
April 15, 2012
The dialogue is flat and mechanical. The characters are one-dimensional and uninteresting and far too many pages are wasted on describing them when the focus could have been put to developing what might have been a good sci-fi storyline. The twist is decent but not enough to make reading this worthwhile.
March 8, 2013
This is about everything that can go wrong with a holiday when you get involved with a series of completely inexplicable events. To explain any more would be to give the plot away. You really must read this book for yourself, and give yourself a fantastic treat. I choose my words carefully here.
April 16, 2013
An enjoyable novel that struck a lot of chords with some of my own experiences in Latin America. Kapka has a very minimal, smooth style, and the strangely metaphysical ending was quite unexpected after all that had preceded it. Ultimately though, the writing and the world of the novel were a bit more limited than I was hoping for
August 10, 2013
I didn't actually mind this book, the writing was very clever however I found the ending of the story almost a little disturbing. However the story kept me captivated right till the end as I wanted to know what was going to happen. It was a very interesting story and I felt like I learned a lot through reading this. Good library borrow!
August 24, 2011
un-nerving.
July 20, 2012
Weird ending
January 1, 2013
Neither mysterious nor exotic but rather weird
January 7, 2013
Disappointing - good to read in the middle, plenty of excitement and anticipation, but the ending fizzled out. The writing was pretty cringeworthy in places, too. Not an author I'll read again.
March 9, 2013
Lovely book by a talented New Zealand author. I liked the atmosphere she created at this isolated South American "resort".
June 13, 2016
A gripping story about several people, tourists at the end of the world where time literally goes by at a different speed for them than for the locals...
September 1, 2013
доста приятно четиво, а и добре написано.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews