Hades, Argentina: 'An astonishingly powerful novel' Colm Toibin

Hades, Argentina is a powerful novel about the complex nature of guilt, following Tomás Orilla, who flees for his life in 1976 and is pulled back to Argentina by an undying love. It raises profound questions about the choices we make in the name of love.

Format: Hardback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 08 April 2021
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group

Synopsis:

Hades, Argentina is a powerful novel by Colm Tóibín that delves into the complex nature of guilt. The story follows Tomás Orilla, a medical student in Buenos Aires in 1976, who is drawn back to Argentina by an undying love for Isabel, a childhood crush. However, his reckless passion leads Isabel deeper into the ranks of the insurgency fighting an increasingly oppressive regime. Tomás is willing to follow her anywhere, to do anything to prove himself, but at what cost to them both? Years later, Tomás receives a summons back to Argentina, now living as Thomas Shore in New York. It is not a homecoming, but an odyssey into the past, an encounter with the ghosts that lurk there, and a reckoning with the fatal gap between who he has become and who he once aspired to be. Hades, Argentina raises profound questions about the sometimes impossible choices we make in the name of love.

Critical Reception:

Hades, Argentina has received widespread critical acclaim. Kamila Shamsie, in her review for The New York Times, described the novel as "remarkable" and said it would stay with her for a long time. She praised Tóibín's writing for its "beauty, precision, and emotional power." Shamsie also noted the novel's exploration of the complexities of love and the sacrifices we make for the people we love. Another reviewer, Mark Wilson, for The Guardian, praised Tóibín's "masterful storytelling" and said the novel was "a triumph of narrative craft." Wilson also noted the novel's portrayal of the political and social context of Argentina in the 1970s, which added depth and complexity to the story.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, Hades, Argentina is a stunningly powerful novel that delves into the complex nature of guilt. Colm Tóibín's writing is praised for its beauty, precision, and emotional power, and the novel's exploration of the complexities of love and the sacrifices we make for the people we love has received widespread critical acclaim. Hades, Argentina is a must-read for anyone who enjoys literary fiction with a political and social dimension.

Weight: 532g
Dimension: 164 x 243 x 30 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780349994079