Ghosts

César Aira's 'Ghosts' is a book that, by design or no, is constructed from elements that reflect the in-between moments; the middle stages that make up the difference between departing and arriving, beginning and completion, life and death. It describes the afternoon and evening of the last day of the year, culminating at midnight - a moment that is part of neither the old or the new. Primarily, it follows the Viñas family - Chilean, but who are living in Argentina - temporarily living on top of a partially constructed building for which the father acts as the night watchman. Of this family, it is Patri, the oldest daughter, on whom the focus comes to rest. As the stepdaughter of the watchman - part of the family, yet also apart - and a teenager - neither child nor adult - Patri glides through the day until she receives a one time opportunity to attend a party like none other. During it all, ghosts - neither a part of this world nor the next - drift in and out of the family's daily routine. I had not read any books prior to this one that adhered to the conventions of Magical Realism in literature (and as far as I'm able to determine, Aira does this quite competently), and honestly, I haven't yet formed an opinion about the technique. I do think it's a very peculiar way of telling a story, but one that, in certain instances, may allow the author the flexibility to express his ideas that typical methods might prevent. If I'd been looking for an example of this literary style, I probably would have started somewhere else, with one of its accepted classics, but I wasn't really aware that this was the medium in which Aira was working. For those who are already familiar with Magical Realism, you may wish to let your feelings about this manner of writing be your guide with 'Ghosts', as it seems fully entrenched in it. Ultimately, I found Aira's work interesting but also frustrating. If his goal was to paint an image in my mind of the shape and texture of being 'in-between', then I think he succeeded, but if he was attempting something more than this limited objective, then I have to honestly admit that I was baffled. One section specifically, beginning with the description of Patri's dream and discussing the concept of the 'un-built' in architecture and literature, frankly had me holding on by my mental fingernails. Since the majority of the rest of the book is straightforward and focused on the daily routine of this family, I felt as though this expository section held all the necessary clues to Aira's thrust - and since I never made a solid connection, I feel as though I lost any deeper meanings the book contained. I usually assign the blame to myself when I have this kind of difficulty, as long as the writer has proved his ability in other areas, which I think Aira does. And it's quite possible that there are some concepts that just do not translate well, despite the competence of the translator. In the end, César Aira is an author

"Ghosts" by César Aira is undeniably a classic piece of Latin American literature. It follows the story of a family who lives on top of an apartment building still under construction. Taking place over the course of only one day, the narration wanders from following various people on the construction site, eventually focusing on Patri, the oldest daughter of the family. The narration follows their lives, and wanders, often bringing attention to a series of overweight and dust covered ghosts that seem to inhabit the construction site and who are visible to those who live and work there. The meaning of time, life and philosophy are covered casually, often with the narrator seeming to make observations that don't make sense or are plain wrong. Overall, a fantastic little book, perfect to be read in one day