Delirium: A Novel (Vintage International)

I have been travelling through Colombia for the last few weeks and deliberately went about reading as many Colombian writers as possible (without the appellido "Garcia Marquez") before I left. Restrepo was a real revelation and I was very impressed by this novel. It deals quite movingly with a husband's attempt to keep on top of the "madness" consuming his wife --- in fact, a severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. (I haven't come across anyone in contemporary literature writing about the subject of OCD which blights the lives of millions of people -- a brave and valuable insight in itself. Restrepo describes it as the "fear that won't stay still ... a growing beast that must be fed and that swallows everything up."Aguilar's great labour of love is set against a number of related dysfunctional family histories which provide context for understanding Augustina (and Aguilar's) condition and conundrum. There is also the backdrop of Colombia sliding into social and political chaos -- the madness of its politics in the 80s and 90s -- which provides another fascinating dimension, especially for a reader fortunate enough not to have had to live through such traumatic times and social circumstances.This is a really brilliant book. I look forward to reading more of Restrepo's work. A great, sadly unheralded, voice of Latin American literature (in English at least).

This is the fictional story of 4 people - Agustina, a woman who has sunk into madness; her husband Aguilar who tries his best to care for her; Midas - a drug traffiker who used to be Agustina's lover; Nicolas - Agustina's grandfather. The author blends their stories together to weave a picture of how Agustina decends into madness.This was a pretty good book. You have to really pay attention because there are a lot of run on sentences (style) and back and forth between the characters and no chapter breaks. The book blends the characters lives together among the backdrop of Columbia during a turbulent time in their history.I am glad I read this. When I first started it, I was afraid I was going to be put off by the style, but I got invested in the stories of all the characters, and thought that the author developed them well. Good read.

Though there isn't magical realism in this book per se, the multiple points of view, the blending of personal histories as well as the interplay of the past with the present - and all this set against the turbulent and violent time in Colombia's recent history - creates a complex and compelling environment in which to try to understand who Angelina is and what happened to her. Read it. A gripping and well written book. I'd like to read it in Spanish.

I really don't like to quit reading a book once I start but I've got too many waiting to be read not to LOVE what I am currently reading.I gave this book maybe 30 pages before I set it aside. It gave me enough time to realize this wasn't going to be a fun or interesting read. Boring writing style and make believe stories don't do it for me.

I think that Laura Restrepo is a fine writer and her book Delirium captures the damage that violence does to societies and to individuals. I really liked the construction of the novel which had different voices relating the story and the plot with many twists and turns was compelling.

What a great book. Great literary style but very easy to read (just pay attention to who is talking at any given moment). I loved this book and ordered two more Laura Restrepo novels.

From the opening quote by Gore Vidal, attributed to the great Henry James, to the end of Delirium, we are forced to piece together a life that Aguilar-who is an unemployed literature professor that now sells dog food for a living-is immersed in by being married to Agustina, who is, quite literally, mad. While the narrative is initially spotty with the point of view moving between each of the married unit, you can follow with great ease since they have completely different inner and outer monologues.The action takes place in Bogóta, Columbia, where there is an immediate disdain for Americans as Aguilar fills in town and family history. Anyone with a physical ailment-and money-can go to Houston to be cured, however may come back to Columbia more messed up than they left (a minor commentary on the States' health care conundrum). Out of the blue, Aunt Sofi shows up at Aguilar's flat to take care of Agustina, although he isn't sure who this aunt really is and why she is at his apartment. Sofi seems to be able to calm Agustina's obsessive-compulsive side, but also works with her in persistently cleaning and lining water buckets all over the flat. This is an interesting portrayal of a woman's madness as well as the heated political environment in Columbia, which is why Aguilar is no longer teaching, as the university shut down because of the political unrest.Author Restrepo explores the reality of madness and how it affects every societal caste system, government and family. While some things are ambiguous, such as the reason for Agustina's breakdown, the novel is an interesting look at insanity.This is translated eloquently and is an exceptionally written book that looks at the demons we all have to face, in one way or another, it just depends on whether we can survive them.Armchair Interviews agrees.

Horrible!

didn't enjoy....

I liked the way the story of the main characters were told - but it was not plain who was the lover from the hotel room, and which part of the story was told by the husband. At first I thought it was all being told from the perspective of the husband. Also, I took issue with the sentence structure at points. This was probably the choice of the translator if there was one? Anyway, the sentences seemed to run into one another with few stops. But I must admit that the story itself was gripping and well told. Definitely one of the best books I have read recently, but I would not have said that it was the best in recent memory.

This book is definitely a unique one. The writer creates an ambiance that is so descriptive it literally warps you into Colombia. It is a blend of emotions that really effect the reader, it is a novel that is orchestrated so well you actually feel you are involved in whats going on. Highly suggested.

Could not get on with this at all, it felt like swimming in porridge. Head hopping and wearisome. Translation may have been an issue, but I don’t think it would have worked for me in Spanish and it would have taken me even longer to read.

This book is so dense that I do not think I can go on and finish it. This is a shame because it seems to have great possibility. For me it just needs to break a little, more chapters.