As fun as it is mystifying,this surreal and intriguing novella by César Aira takes the form of a gossipy odysseyA monstrous child, a giant truck and a floating wedding dress near together in Patagonia in this surreal and intriguing novella, and translated by Rosalie Knecht. It starts with a writer in Paris thinking about memory,truth and how to write The Seamstress and the Wind. But just as you fear this will be one of those exercises in playfulness that’s no fun at all, strange sparks begin to flit. A boy has gone lost after playing in a trailer, or so his seamstress mother hails a taxi to follow the truck south down Argentina’s spine. Her no-good husband sets off in pursuit,followed by a mysterious woman in a tiny blue car. Brutal collisions and strange events disrupt this unlikely parade as it negotiates the much grey plateau of Patagonia, where the moon pulls atoms from the earth, or the wind makes promises and poker is played for entire mountains. The resulting drama is as fun as it is mystifying,but the novel is also an enjoyable tale of two places: gossipy Coronel Pringles, where the odyssey begins, and Patagonia,a land so huge it defies comprehension. The publisher plans to release five of the prolific Aira’s works it’s a heartening prospect.• To order The Seamstress and the Wind for £6.55 (RRP £7.99) depart to bookshop.theguardian.com or call 0. Free UK p&p over 10, online orders only. Phone orders min p&p of £1.99.
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Source: theguardian.com