Assault on Paradiseby Tatiana Lobo (298 pages)
On the one hand a hilarious swashbuckling adventure, on the other a bloody, bitter indictment of the Catholic Church in the colonizing of Central America, this novel deservedly won the Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz Prize in 1995. Pedro Albaran, first victim and then instrument of the Inquisition, arrives in Costa Rica in the first decade of the 18th century. In his tender love for a native woman, he embraces her culture without ever understanding it and then must watch his Spanish countrymen wreak havoc on her?and their daughter's?people. The novel is kept moving rapidly by its memorable cast of characters, including a sensuous tavern keeper, a deranged priest, and corrupt politicians. Born in Chile, Lobo has lived in Costa Rica since 1966.
Leader/Host: Open
Discussion Meeting: Sunday August 3rd - 7.30pm
