My Tender Matador: A Novel
Chile and its capital, Santiago, were in turmoil in 1986. The Pinochet regime was under fire from within, and the country was rife with activists, strikes, and riots. Lemebel crafts a wonderful snapshot of this period of Chile's history--pairing fictional characters against real ones. The Queen of the Corner is a cross-dressing, effeminate gay man who embroiders for a living and harbors an unrequited love for Carlos, a handsome young revolutionary from the university. At first, Carlos only wishes to store mysterious boxes at the Queen's house. Then late-night "study meetings" with his compatriots from the university become more and more frequent. Deftly woven into the stories of the fictional characters are the activities of the paranoid Pinochet himself and his fashion-obsessed wife. The Queen eventually comes to realize that his house is serving as a front for the revolutionaries, and a touching tale of love and danger emerges. Lemebel's tender story of a time of great unrest provides an extremely engaging read and a portrait of love and loss under a cruel dictator.Michael SpinellaCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.