The fat man at the fair

BOOK REVIEW

THE FAT MAN AT THE FAIR

Author: Esther García Llovet From the reader report by: Annette Vázquez Sánchez

The Spanish book, Gordo de Feria, is Esther Garcia Llovet’s latest work deemed by the critics as a type of dark fiction. It is a narrative with an odd blend of horror, suspense, thriller, and dark comedy. Odd, because it begins with an anaphora that has a purpose and incites suspicion. Why the redundancy in this piece? Is there something amiss? The only way to decipher the enigma is to plow through the minutia to understand the story.

Overall, the complexity of the storyline takes the reader on a journey to experience a host of undescriptive emotions that include shock, horror, and other things I cannot say here. The key is to pay attention to the facts and to continue turning the pages.

In regards to translation, the only issue I foresee is maintaining the style in the target language. Additionally, some of the characters may require changes to their names. If those changes are implemented, I think the book may fare well in the United States. The book already has mixed ratings.

PUBLISHED IN NEW SPANISH BOOKS DE | US | FR

EDITORIAL ANAGRAMA

Title THE FAT MAN AT THE FAIR GORDO DE FERIA

Author Esther García Llovet Genre Literature Pages 160

ISBN 978-84-33999-05-4 Year of publication 2021 Number of editions 1 Language Spanish Spanish retail price 16,90 €

Author’s biography: Esther García Llovet (Málaga, 1963) has lived in Madrid since 1970, and studied Clinical Psychology and Film Directing in that city. She has published Coda (2003), Submáquina (2009), Las crudas (2009) and Mamut (2013), as well as stories in various anthologies and magazines. She is a translator from English and a regular contributor to Jot Down magazine. With Anagrama she has published How to stop writing (2017): “García Llovet is a good shot, with strong footwork and a precise aim” (Carlos Zanón, El País).

Synopsis: A surreal, outrageous and terrifying black comedy. A unique version of Madrid is once again the setting for the author’s story. This time the protagonist is a comedian with the nickname Beaver, famous for his television monologues. Beaver’s life is governed by luck and chance. And just by chance, he meets his doppelganger, a waiter named Julio. They are like two peas in a pod, and it occurs to Beaver that Julio could stand in for him at soirees, which is something he hates. But it doesn’t take long for things to get complicated, kickstarting a mad succession of events. The novel goes on to include a daring escape, a kidnapping, a pair of comedians, a nightclub in the middle of the Almería desert, a scam, a scammer about to become a murderer, some Chinese businessmen investing in real estate and television, a cruise and a UFO.

Publisher: Editorial Anagrama S.A. Founded in 1969, this publishing house has released around 4,000 titles. Its particular mission is to search for new voices in fiction and essay writing, reviving neglected or lost 20th century classics and exploring the political, moral and cultural debates of our time.

Publishing rights available from: Editorial Anagrama S.A. - CIF A58134388 Pedro de la Creu 58, Barcelona www.anagrama-ed.es/libro/narrativas-hispanicas/ gordo-de-feria/9788433999054/NH_659 Contact: Paula Canal [paula@indentagency.com] Phone: (+34) 678 592 459