4.0 

Theatre of War

By Andrea Jeftanovic & Frances Riddle
Theatre of War by Andrea Jeftanovic & Frances Riddle digital book - Fable

Publisher Description

This assured debut novel from acclaimed Chilean author Andrea Jeftanovic explores the devastating psychological effects of the conflict in the Balkans on a family who flee to South America to build a new life. It is told from the perspective of the young Tamara, as she tries to make sense of growing up haunted by a distant conflict. Yet the ghosts of war re-emerge in their new land – which has its own traumatic past – to tear the family apart.Staging scenes from childhood as if the characters were rehearsing for a play, the novel uses all the imaginary resources of theatre director, set paint- er and lighting designer to pose the question: how can Tamara salvage an identity as an adult from the ruins of memory, and rediscover the ability to love? With themes that echo Elif Shafak’s The Bastard of Istanbul , a sensitive narrator recalling Eimear McBride’s A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing , and a focus on the body in the style of Elfriede Jelinek, this is an artfully construct- ed, widely praised work from one of the most exciting novelists at work in Latin America today.

Download the free Fable app

app book lists

Stay organized

Keep track of what you’re reading, what you’ve finished, and what’s next.
app book recommendations

Build a better TBR

Swipe, skip, and save with our smart list-building tool
app book reviews

Rate and review

Share your take with other readers with half stars, emojis, and tags
app comments

Curate your feed

Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communities
app book lists

Stay organized

Keep track of what you’re reading, what you’ve finished, and what’s next.
app book recommendations

Build a better TBR

Swipe, skip, and save with our smart list-building tool
app book reviews

Rate and review

Share your take with other readers with half stars, emojis, and tags
app comments

Curate your feed

Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communities

Theatre of War Reviews

4.0
“So I had to do a double take today when I read up her profile and it turns out that she is in fact NOT a poet. This was unexpected for me because her writing (or maybe the translation?) is just dripping with poetic imagery. For a while there, I was convinced that she might have been part of a strange sister-with-different-mothers thing with Ocean Vuong. But somehow, despite almost the total proliferation of Latina poetas-autoras, Andrea isn't one of them. So it's pretty clear now how I view her writing - like a Chilean Ocean Vuong (or maybe it's more apt to say that Ocean Vuong is like a Viet Andrea Jeftanovic). They also have a lot of similarities: both grew up with extremely war traumatized parents, experienced their own traumas as 1.5 generation immigrants to a foreign land, have the gift of poetic voices, and write fictionalized memoires of their own experiences (the genre of almost autobiography which I really enjoy). That said, I'm not used to reading poetry, so a lot of the beautiful language and the poetic writing just bonks right off of my sense noggin. I enjoy most of what I read, but some of it did feel like quicksand where I couldn't find a way to free myself from the words on the page no matter how hard I try. Still, this book definitely made me feel raw after reading it, and I definitely enjoyed the experience even if it isn't my usual cup of tea. (Finished on my last day in Santiago, having metroed over to the terminal de bus on my way down to the Patagonias)”

About Andrea Jeftanovic

Andrea Jeftanovic was born in Santiago de Chile in 1970. A critically acclaimed novelist, storyteller and essayist, Jeftanovic is considered one of the most prominent literary figures of her country and the region. She is the author of two novels and two collections of short stories. She studied Sociology at the Catholic University in Santiago and completed a PhD in Latin American Literature at the University of California, Berkeley. Jeftanovic has received several awards, including the Chilean Art Critics Circle Award and the National Book and Reading Council Award. Her work has been translated into several languages and has appeared in anthologies in Chile as well as internationally. She is a regular contributor to QuimeraLetras Libres , and El Mercurio . First published in 2000, Theatre of War was her debut novel and is her first book to appear in English.

Frances Riddle

Frances Riddle has translated numerous Spanish-language authors including Isabel Allende, Claudia Piñeiro, Leila Guerriero, and Sara Gallardo. Her translation of Theatre of War by Andrea Jeftanovic was granted an English PEN Award in 2020. Her work has appeared in journals such as Granta, Electric Literature , and The White Review , among others. She holds a BA in Spanish Language Literature from Louisiana State University and an MA in Translation Studies from the University of Buenos Aires. In 2022, Frances’ translation of Elena Knows by Claudia Piñeiro was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize. Originally from Houston, Texas she lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Start a Book Club

Start a public or private book club with this book on the Fable app today!

FAQ

Do I have to buy the ebook to participate in a book club?

Why can’t I buy the ebook on the app?

How is Fable’s reader different from Kindle?

Do you sell physical books too?

Are book clubs free to join on Fable?

How do I start a book club with this book on Fable?

Notification Icon