South America comes alive in Lily Tuck's latest historical novel, and features fictionalized versions of two real characters from Paraguay's war-torn past: Francisco Solono Lopez and Ella Lynch. Lopez was the overbearing, egotistical ruler of the small nation, and in 1864 he went to war against three of his neighbors - Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay - all at once. Unfortunately for Lopez (and Paraguay), his ego caused him to bite off more than he could chew: after five years of war that devastated Paraguay's economy and cost the lives of half of the country's male population (including Lopez himself), there was certainly no victory to celebrate.
Ella Lynch was Lopez' mistress, a pale Irish beauty who married a French officer at 15 and by 19 was divorced and living with a Russian count. Her financial struggles make her quite susceptible to the attentions of Franco Lopez, a stout, brooding character who would only later rise to become the future dictator of Paraguay. Their chance meeting in a park in Paris causes him to pursue her, and his wealth and generosity to her make him attractive enough as a lover. Indeed, it makes him attractive enough that when he invited her to return to Paraguay with him, she accepted without hesitation.
As they return to Paraguay, Franco vows to make his small nation "a country exactly like France." Unfortunately, Franco's family - especially his sisters - take an immediate dislike to his foreign beauty, setting up an enmity that lasted for years. Tuck builds her narrative through a somewhat distant, analytical (and perhaps omniscient) perspective, leaping lightly from one character to the next and back again, incorporating diary entries, letters and more into a fairly cohesive overall structure.
Tuck's focus remains primarily upon Ella as the spoiled, self-centered mistress, the woman trapped somewhat by convention into the lifestyle of the courtesan, yet also hungry for the trappings that wealth and position could offer her. Once established as Franco's mistress, Ella bears him a number of sons: at one point, Franco uses that an excuse for the succession of "other" mistresses he keeps in another house: "If Franco had to give a reason for the women, he would have said that Ella was always pregnant or pregnant a lot of the time. Another reason, a more truthful one, was that the women were a physical need, like eating or drinking or going to the toliet - Franco would only admit to the last crude comparison after several glasses of brandy."
Article comments
1 - vikk
Enjoyed reading your review but I admit it left me sad at the end for what might have been. Nicely done.
By the way, I tried clicking on your name to go through to your blog but received an error page.
2 - Brad Dye
I enjoyed this book very much, but I too I felt sad at "what it might have been." I think it must be hard to write a "historical" novel, trying to keep clear what is truth and what is fiction. There are some unfortunate factual errors that do a disservice to the reader who has never been to Paraguay. I suspect that the author may not have had the pleasure of visiting this wonderful country.
The first thing you learn on arriving in Paraguay is that "sopa paraguaya" is not Paraguayan Soup. (Sopa paraguaya--manioc soup the consistency of pudding--p. 55.) Rather, it is a delightful corn bread with cheese, onions, and other ingredients that my Midwestern (US) grandmother never thought to include. The next surprise is that the Gran Chaco area of Paraguay is not "always humid and hot" as stated on p. 170. I suffered far more from the cold weather in Paraguay than the "hot" weather. Dallas in the summertime is far more disagreeable and much hotter.
I do not claim to have the multiple language ability of the author, although I am fluent in Spanish and speak (or spoke) basic Guaraní. I did notice times when the languages seemed to be a little mixed together in the book. Like when the Paraguayan mayor domo responded to Madame Lynch on page 161 with, "Non sé nada." I know Paraguayans routinely mix Spanish and Guaraní together, but where did this "non" come from? It was not a simple typo since the same phrase is repeated later on in the book.
Although there are no true crocodiles in Paraguay, use of this word throughout the book is forgivable since it is often used to refer generically to crocodiles, alligators, and caimans. The ones I saw there were caimans.
So, this could have been a great book is the author had paid more attention to factual details and less attention to fantasizing events that could not have happened like the rape of the young lady in the river by the mythical dog-headed snake. Character development, in some places was good and believable, but overall it was shallow.
3 - David
Hey there.. I'm paraguaian and I do think that Francisco Solano Lopez is a fag... he thought he was that big to fight three nations at the same time and now we're living in poorness because of him....
By the way Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay are nasty nations... they've always wanted our territory till they had the chance with that war, and till now they're bad neighboors they just bring bad things to this area of America
Greetings from this Heroic Country.. .Paraguay!!!