Perpendicular Lives

Jerónimo Rodriguez Loera, born into a tumultuous family in 1930s Guadalajara, navigates class struggles and past lives, revealing the complexities of identity and societal expectations in a humorous, unconventional narrative.

Perpendicular Lives by Álvaro Enrigue follows the life of Jerónimo Rodriguez Loera, who is born under unusual circumstances to a wealthy teenager and a much older entrepreneur. His early life is marked by challenges, escalating as he navigates a family dynamic riddled with infidelities and favoritism. The narrative unfolds through a collection of records, letters, and personal testimonies, offering a humorous yet poignant exploration of class struggles within Mexican society.

Set against the backdrop of 1930s Guadalajara, Jerónimo's journey to adulthood is anything but straightforward. As he grapples with the complexities of his family life, the story also reveals his previous incarnations, including a Mongolian widow and a gunslinging monk-hunter. These past lives provide a rich tapestry that highlights the absurdity and depth of human experience, reflecting the chaos of his current existence as he contends with the disintegration of his parents' marriage and the political unrest surrounding him.

Enrigue's writing is both inventive and engaging, drawing comparisons to literary greats like Mark Twain and James Joyce. Perpendicular Lives is more than just a coming-of-age story; it is an exploration of the connections that transcend class, geography, and time. Through Jerónimo's eyes, readers are invited to contemplate the ties that bind us, making this novel a thought-provoking and memorable addition to contemporary Latin American literature.