"The War of the End of the World" by Mario Vargas Llosa

    Ok, I read "The War of the End of the World"... Strange book..

    It presents a society in the transition between Empire and Republic, and it not an easy transition. 

    The local politicians don't agree with the changes. They lose many of their rights, slavery is no longer accepted, but there is not much anyone can do. So, if no human can change history, conveniently religion steps in.

    The action takes place in Canudos (as the War of Canudos conflict in late 19th-century Brazil) on the lands owned by one of these politicians, the Baron de Canabrava. 

    

    Antonio Conselheiro, a religious fanatic walks and preaches in and around Canudos. He manages to attract many adepts, some of which are thieves or murderers. They all fall into the spell of his stories, being convinced that the Republic is the symbol of the devil.

   Llosa creates profiles for a suite of physically or mentally challenged characters, which surround the Counselor in the battles that follow:

- The Little Blessed One - an orphan that proves his faith by suffering the torments of a sharp chain around his waist;

 - The Lion of Natuba - a severe handicapped that looks and crawls like an animal;

- Maria Quadrado - a woman that kills her child and goes mad;

- Joao Abade - responsible of many murders that he believed will revenge his father's death;

- Joao Grande - a slave child that kills his owner’s sister and becomes an outlaw;

- Pajeu - a blood thirsty criminal;

- The Dwarf - a circus dwarf;

- Father Joaquim - a contested priest;

- Antonio Vilanova - a merchant that works hard to support his family and that takes care of the economy of Canudos during the battle.

- The Near-Sighted Journalist - a journalist that falls into the middle of the battle;

- Galileo Gall - an idealist that believes in science and is against religion;

- Rufino - a local guide that gets killed while trying to revenge the shame of his wife;

- Jurema - Rufino's wife, which gets raped by Gall, survives the war and falls in love with the Near-Sighted Journalist;

- Moreira Cesar - the general of the 7th battalion, that is humiliated and killed in the battle against the Counselor and his followers;

and many others, that Llosa creates for his complex world coming to an end.

    The community that gathers at Canudos, fights the republican armies, using all resources. They win a few times but eventually they are outnumbered and concurred. Evolution is imminent and has a great price in human lives. Only few survive to tell the story.

    To sum up, an interesting book to read. 

    Next on the list is "Conversation in the Cathedral", probably followed by "The Time of the Hero", "The Green House" and "The Feast of the Goat" by the same Mario Vargas Llosa. What made me curious to read more of his work was the stunning difference between "Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter" and "The War of the End of the World". I want to see more differences :)