I take great pleasure in reading the books of little known authors and providing whatever spotlight I can on their work. The literary world has recently been rocked by a scandal with the release of ‘American Dirt.’ This is one of those major releases that received a seven figure advance and had the likes of Oprah and Salma Hayek featuring it on their social media pages. Sadly, ‘American Dirt’ has been accused of cultural appropriation as it presents an immigrant story through the eyes of a writer who is distinctly from a background of privilege.
Unfortunately, the tale of ‘American Dirt’ is a common one in our current literary environment. It is odd how individuals who think of themselves as champions of marginalized groups, will absolutely refuse to read a novel by a legitimate member of any minority community. The attitude is comparable to a film critic who eschews the work of independent auteurs and claims the only place to find quality cinema is in blockbuster studio releases.
The translator of ‘Woman of the Old Roads’ contacted me after reading on Twitter that I am open to book reviews. His name is Joey Carney, and I was intrigued to hear he shared a similar background to mine. I picked up a copy of ‘Woman of the Old Roads’ by Juan Rodriguez Perez and I can honestly say it’s one of the most authentic tales I’ve read in a long time.
There are always some difficulties inherent to translating a novel. There are nuances of meaning that exist in one language that are difficult to preserve in another, and sometimes a strong component of the narrative voice is lost. I found that Carney’s translation hit a very pleasant medium. It was an accurate reproduction and did not draw undue attention unto itself. The grammar is smooth and easy to read which makes the book accessible to readers of all levels.
‘Woman of the Old Roads’ deals with life in the Peruvian jungle during an era of cocaine trafficking. The characters sometimes encounter difficulties due to personal flaws, but more often they are caught in circumstances beyond their control. Through it all they survive with a certain, noble sense of hope that better days are ahead if only they can persist through the terrible moment.
The book is presented as a series of stories that are long enough to be engaging, but short enough to keep you wanting more. We get snapshots of individuals, and they all seem appealing as protagonists. Then, Perez gives us an unvarnished look at the same character from another angle and shows how they are decidedly a villain. Villains, too, become more sympathetic when it is time for their tale to be told. The effect is similar to the Akira Kurosawa movie ‘Rashomon,’ but the technique is more subtly applied here.
The other classic work that I was reminded of was ‘In Our Time’ by Ernest Hemingway which is also a collection of more than cursorily related short stories. But again, where ‘In Our Time’ sometimes feels choppy, ‘Woman of the Old Road’ flows together naturally like the waters of an indomitable river.
‘Woman of the Old Roads’ is the kind of book people are looking for when they say they are in search of authentic storytelling. This is not a work that has been appropriated and reshaped into a form that is more pleasing to any entitled community. Unless you’ve shared the experience of Amazon life, you’ll find the actions and beliefs of the characters of this book foreign and unexpected. But at the same time you’ll encounter a profound sense that something true about the human experience has been captured within its pages.
Books like ‘Woman of the Old Roads’ deserve a look, and I would be interested in hearing what more readers had to say. The language creates a powerful ambiance that strikes some notes of magical realism, but creates an overall sound that is all its own. This was a work I greatly enjoyed, and I left it with the sense that it’s one of those stories that will continue to resonate with every subsequent reading.
Peruse the free excerpt from ‘Woman of the Old Roads’ here:
