2026 Reading Challenge discussion

This thread is to discuss Hopscotch by Julio Cortázar.

Pages: 564 pages

Length: 1 month (March)

Participants: Lorraine, Valerie

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

Hi Lorraine, I’m going to say where I am up to in the main story as the chapter order has these in normal order with the other seemingly random chapters interspersed between them - hope that makes sense to you!
I’m at the end of chapter 3. In the main story (view spoiler)[ I like La Maga, she sounds like an interesting person to occasionally hang out with (before returning to a clean well ordered home). Horacio seems to be completely self absorbed- I’m not sure if the author wants us to take him seriously or not so far. Useful to have a brother who sends you money, huh? (hide spoiler)]
The best I can say about the other chapters is that they are mercifully short but early days so far.

Wow, I had to read your message two times! But I finally got it! 😊 Good idea! Right now, I'm on chapter 4. (view spoiler)[ Going back to Chapter 1, I'm starting to wonder if Horacio is okay in his head... I mean, it's okay to think a lot about yourself, but is he doing alright? That whole thing about looking everywhere for a piece of sugar to keep bad stuff away? That's kind of weird, right? Then, in Chapter 2, he's with his girlfriend but he's thinking about 'bread crumb dumplings'... like, seriously? That's so strange! (hide spoiler)] I guess I'll just have to stop thinking too hard if I want to make it through this book! This is exactly what I mean when I say some authors are hard for me to follow!

Yes he definitely has some other issues along with the rampant narcissism!

End of chapter 14. Interesting to get to know more characters in this disparate circle of ‘friends’ (view spoiler)[ I did smile as their night progressed and they felt more and more insightful and clever in direct proportion to their alcohol intake. Been there, done that myself! There’s certainly too many self important egos to fit easily in a small apartment or club so I foresee problems between the men at least. (hide spoiler)]
The extra chapters seem to be about (view spoiler)[ trying to understand the meaning of life. Some are interesting, others are completely incomprehensible to me! I’m not sure if we are hearing the voice of Horacio or the author here (hide spoiler)]
Going to take a break for a few days and start another book. I’ll carry on later in the week.

I've just finished Chapter 27, which brings me to about 30% of the way through the book. Honestly, I'm still not entirely sure what this book is about. (view spoiler)[While there's a storyline revolving around Horatio and his friends, I find there's also multiple commentary on arts, literature, and music. The author frequently references various literary figures, with, in my opinion, James Joyce being particularly prominent (or maybe I see Joyce more than the others because I have read Ulysses?).
This book strongly reminds me of Joyce's 'Ulysses,' which similarly delves into various forms of literature while chronicling a day in Leopold Bloom's life. (hide spoiler)]
I can't say that I dislike the book, but I'm not ready to sing its praises either. I'm planning to take a break this weekend and delve into some articles I've found about the author and the book itself. I'm also curious about the historical context of Argentina during the time this book was written.
Overall, this book feels incredibly surreal!

I’m at a similar point - end of chapter 25 - and in a similar frame of mind about the book. My neighbour is a jazz musician and he and his friend were playing a long and complicated piece while I was reading which seemed appropriate. I was also tempted to knock back a few vodkas!
I thought Horacio was the classic young rebel without a cause but once I discovered he was older, he became something sadder, lost and without purpose. It’s true that he very much observes life from outside rather than living it. One of the things that all the characters (except La Maga) have in common is that they use language to obscure and mystify rather than to communicate.
Time for another break for me!

Ahaha, I was thinking of listening to jazz while reading this book. As for vodkas, I believe I would succumb if I were reading this book at night!

I’m around half way through (maybe?.) at the end of chapter 29.
Chapter 28 was quite shocking (view spoiler)[ not because of the child’s death which I had seen coming, but because of the reaction of Horatio and his ‘friends’. For all their intellectual and philosophical pretentious, in the face of death and sorrow they are simply moral cowards. The lack of humanity shown here is simply breathtaking- especially when Horatio disappears for a week and then expects to find La Maga waiting for him (hide spoiler)]
After 28, the book really does hopscotch around but I found these chapters easier to read as (view spoiler)[ there was a lot less literary criticism and much more background to the main stories- the ones about dreams were interesting (hide spoiler)] although there are a few completely random ones.
Time for another break for me until later in the week.

End of chapter 36 where there seems to be a natural divide in the main story.
Chapter 34 (view spoiler)[ hard work to make sense of - definitely need to be an active reader for this chapter. I did wonder if it was meant to be a reflection of his disturbed mind as he’s on the downward slope to losing it (hide spoiler)]
Chapter 99 (view spoiler)[ when the club members were excited about getting into Morelli’s apartment, I suddenly saw them as exactly like the kids in an Enid Blyton like The Famous Five or The Secret Seven on an adventure! (hide spoiler)]
Chapter 36 (view spoiler)[ Horacio seems to have hit rock bottom- two ways this could go (hide spoiler)]
Another break for me.

I just finished chapter 34 of " La Marelle" and I'm taking a break for a few days. (view spoiler)[ I completely agree with your thoughts on how the characters all reacted similarly in chapter 28. It seems like the author is trying to show how in some circumstances, people can be driven to act in a very inhuman way. This makes me wonder if it's also a commentary about the dictatorial of the Argentinian regime during that time period.

One thing for sure is that the author doesn't shy away from making us dislike the characters. (hide spoiler)]

Same place as you. Finished Chapter 36.
Chapter 34: (view spoiler)[ you have to skip a line. Line 1 goes with 3, then 5, amd so on.While line 2 goes with 4, then 6 and so on. Interesting chapter as you have one with very rational narrative. As the other one is more internal and subjective. (hide spoiler)]
Chapter 36: I agree with you.
Never read or heard about Enyd Blyton but will certainly try to find one of her book

She’s a children’s author that just about all children in the English speaking world grew up reading (at least if they are my generation). I don’t know if there is a French language equivalent but the books I am thinking of have gangs of children solving mysteries and having adventures as a sort of secret society.

Thanks for breaking the code on chapter 34. I did sort of understand the two narratives but it would have been less hard work if I’d realised there was a logic to it.

At the end of chapter 50. Was not expecting the turn the story took (view spoiler)[ I had thought that his arrest (and deportation) would lead to some kind of epiphany but he doesn’t seem any different - probably because he’s got people looking after him and making his life easy. What do they see in him? The dynamic between the main four characters is puzzling but probably won’t end well in my opinion (hide spoiler)]
Final break, then I should finish this towards the end of the week.

Finished. An ending which leaves more questions than answers and resolves nothing - wouldn’t have expected anything else from this book really!
I have mixed feelings about the book as a whole. On the one hand, it is certainly clever and original in structure which makes it a very different reading experience. On the other hand, it is far too long, rambling, at times frustratingly irrelevant, and certainly self-indulgent. A skilled and ruthless editor is needed but the author would never have accepted one.
Overall I’m glad I read it but rather than recommending it to anyone I will hand it in to the book exchange so an unsuspecting stranger can choose it.

Also finished. Will comment tomorrow.

I waited to comment on this book because I wasn't sure how I felt. It's well-written, but the story itself left me confused. The jumping around didn't seem to add anything to the narrative.
Even the ending is ambiguous, leaving me wondering if the characters are in an asylum or if some, like Oliveira and Traveler, are even separate people. While I appreciate the author's attempt at an unconventional reading experience, it ultimately fell flat for me.
On the positive side, the author's prose is undeniably strong. However, I won't be rereading this one. I love your idea of passing it on in a book exchange – hopefully, it will spark a livelier discussion for someone else!