Brickmakers A Novel
Brickmakers by Selva Almada is a novel published by Graywolf Press on November 2, 2021. This 160-page work is written in English and set in rural Argentina, where it explores themes of violence and masculinity through the lens of two feuding families of brickmakers. The narrative begins with the teenage sons, Pájaro and Ángelito, caught in a tragic moment, reflecting on the events that led to their dire circumstances, shaped by the longstanding animosity between their fathers.
Readers will find a poignant examination of family dynamics and relationships as the story unfolds, revealing the complexities of love amidst conflict. The novel delves into the lives of the Tamai and Miranda families, drawing parallels to classic literary feuds while highlighting the impact of stubborn pride and machismo. Almada’s writing is noted for its lyrical quality, contributing to a deeper understanding of the characters’ struggles and the realities of working-class life.
Official synopsis Publisher
A piercing and passionate novel, set in rural Argentina, about violence and masculinity
Oscar Tamai and Elvio Miranda, the patriarchs of two families of brickmakers, have for years nursed a mutual hatred, but their teenage sons, Pájaro and Ángelito, somehow fell in love. Brickmakers begins as Pájaro and Marciano, Ángelito’s older brother, lie dying in the mud at the base of a Ferris wheel. Inhabiting a dreamlike state between life and death, they recall the events that forced them to pay the price of their fathers’ petty feud.
The Tamai and Miranda families are caught, like the Capulets and the Montagues, in an almost mythic conflict, one that emerges from stubborn pride and intractable machismo. Like her heralded debut, The Wind That Lays Waste, Selva Almada’s fierce and tender second novel is an unforgettable portrayal of characters who initially seem to stand in opposition, but are ultimately revealed to be bound by their similarities.
Almada enlarges the tradition of some of the most distinctive prose stylists of our time. In Brickmakers, she furthers her extraordinary exploration of masculinity and the realities of working-class rural life. This is another exquisitely written and powerfully told story by a major international voice.
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