Luminous Republic

Andrés Barba

“…but trees have no interest in good and evil, insects and plant roots have no interest in the reasons of man, much less his longing, and there is something comforting about that.”
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In one of his interviews, Javier Marías mentioned that when he is immersed in his fictional world, he feels at rest. Reading Andrés Barba’s book gave me a similar feeling—resting within its fictional world—even though the story itself is anything but restful. The novel is inspired by a real event that happened in Paraguay in mid 1950s involving 32 children found living in the wild.
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The story of Luminous Republic is set in San Cristóbal, a village surrounded by dense rainforest, where suffocating humidity and intense heat fill the air. Barba’s observations and his challenge to the conventional ideal of childhood 'innocence' are brilliant, offering a compelling and nuanced perspective on the power dynamics shaped by adults. While reading, Barba’s writing makes you feel as though you are truly there, experiencing the events firsthand. It’s an excellent read, with a writing style that is both clear and rich in layers of complexity, making it thoroughly intriguing.

Certainly recommended!