A Heart So White

It was, once again, wonderful to see each other. Before the Book Blub evening had fully begun, a few people had already shared their opinions about A Heart So White by Spanish author Javier Marías. Their facial expressions already revealed a lot about how they felt about the book. We were all looking forward to the discussion, because when people have strong opinions about a book, it always makes for an interesting conversation.
The book is about Juan, an interpreter who has just gotten married and slowly discovers that his father is carrying a secret connected to his previous marriages. The story is full of intrigue, secrets, and layered meanings. It takes place in the early 1990s. The main setting is Madrid, Spain, but the protagonist also finds himself at times in Havana (Cuba) and New York (USA).

Most people liked the story itself, but not the author’s writing style. Nearly everyone found it too wordy, with too many commas and not enough clear pauses. It was, therefore, a difficult book to read for almost everyone. However, most participants did find the author to be intellectual and skilled. The insights we shared during the discussion were very interesting as well. One person in the group said she found the author courageous because he fully commits to his own style, even though it is not easy to read. Most hadn’t considered it that way before, but they did agree with her point of view.
The ratings people gave the book varied widely, one person gave it a one, while another gave it a four.

All in all, it was a very enjoyable evening, and the tapas and turrón were highly appreciated.