Redemptions: A Costa Rican Novel

by Carlos Gagini

Carlos Gagini's novel "El árbol enfermo" (here translated as "Redemptions") is a classic novel of Costa Rica, first published in 1918. This is the first English translation, and one of the few Central American novels available in English. Set in and around San José during the first years of the twentieth century, when the influence of the United States-economic, political, military, and cultural-was intensifying rapidly, "Redemptions" tells the story of the seduction and betrayal of a young Costa Rican woman (and symbolically of her country and region) by a North American entrepreneur. In the same genre as novels and essays by Uruguayan José Enrique Rodó and Mexican José Vasconcellos, "Redemptions" is a work of cultural nationalism which urges Costa Ricans to take pride in their traditions, to resist the encroachment of outside forces, and to recognize and solve their own problems. Originally published in 1985.

Genres: 20th Century, Classics

130 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1918

About the author

He was born in Costa Rica, in a family of Swiss descent. He was a significant figure in linguistics and literature in Costa Rica. His work in language studies formed the basis for a large part of Costa Rican academic exploration during the twentieth century.

Reviews

[Dani Chaves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nostálgica novela ambientada en la Costa Rica de finales del siglo antepasado. El autor hace un despliege del tradicionalismo costarricense, la diferencia de clases, los estereotipos y el sistema social de la época. Describe la naturaleza y el San José antiguo de una forma bella, lenta y sensible. Los personajes llenan sus roles de forma un poco empalagosa, que se entiende por ser precisamente una representación romántica de la vida de la época. Llena de romance, filosofía y política, creo que llama a la reflexión sobre temas de nacionalismo e identidad cultural que aun son actuales, y más aún, crea espacio para la discusión sobre la relación del ser humano con el arte, el descanso y el trabajo, desde un punto de vista de educación y bagaje cultural.

[Geovanny Jiménez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mi novela preferida de juventud. Es la obra cumbre del autor, por su crítica social anti-imperialista que acompaña con un desamor simbólico de ese colonialismo cultural. Muy bien escrita para su época. Valiosa y recomendada.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

E. Bradford Burns' introduction to this novel says it best:
"Among the many reasons recommending the reading of Redemptions, literary merit does not figure. A kind of old-fashioned melodrama, the novel is unsophisticated literature."

I don't believe it can be summed up better than that. The novel is bland and lacks nuance. That being said, my copy contains an afterword by Daniel Quiros written in 2018 that gives a great modern interpretation and context to the novel. It made reading this novel interesting, though I would liken the experience more to a mandatory class reading than a leisure activity.

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Global Read Challenge 79: Costa Rica

This book is pretty predictable and lays it on pretty thick. I'm happy to read an allegory of how terrible America was in Latin America in this time period. But this was a little too on the nose.

[Diego Mora · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crítica profunda al capitalismo yanqui, una novela pionera temáticamente en Costa Rica y que me marcó profundamente por su convicción y por una historia muy bien contada y sensible.

[Ale Corea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tiene pocas estrellas porque Don Rafael y Fernando no quedaron juntos.

[Stephen Kelly · Rating 1 out of 5]

The main character is a pompous, effete moralizer who's wholly ineffective as a hero despite his inflated sense of self-worth. He repeatedly does ridiculous things in an effort to uphold his gentlemanly honor, and this results only in catastrophes. When the US American villain challenges his gentlemanly behavior, I found myself siding with the villain (if such "siding" can be said about a situation in which I was quite bored). Clearly, acting like an aristocratic gentleman with lofty romantic ideals has gotten him nowhere; he should take some advice from the "villain" and start looking at reality--perhaps then he would be able to accomplish something and save his country, since his didactic play about the "evils of luxury" has failed to do that. But that's not the point of the book; unfortunately, Gagini wants the reader to sympathize with his nonsensical notions. No thanks.

[Virginia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gives contrast of nationalism and outsiders coming in and raping the country for money.

[Julio Thames · Rating 3 out of 5]

Otro libro de literatura costarricense; un extrangero nos hace ver todas nuestros problemas como sociedad costarricense.. nos duele que nos digan la verdad..

[Kar Barrantes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Libro costarricense, orgullosa. Muy bueno, nos muestra sin más lo que no queremos ver.

[Ninna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely!!!