Short stories
La furia
Not translated into English
Silvina Ocampo · 1959
Synopsis
The collection brings together thirty-four stories, written for the most part between 1937 and 1940. In “La casa de azúcar”, a superstitious woman moves into a house that another woman had occupied, and the neighbours begin to call her by that woman's name; in “El vestido de terciopelo”, a little girl accompanies a seamstress to a rich client who despises them; in “Azabache”, a man watches his wife chase a black stallion through a marsh, according to Irene Girimonte and Aamer Hussein. Fourteen stories, Girimonte counts, give children the leading role.
Context
The collection appeared in 1959 with Sur and was the only book by the author reissued almost at once, as early as 1960; its title was suggested by a writer friend. It has been seen as the culmination of her style, with its mirrors, glass objects and clocks, which raise the question of identity. Girimonte notes a sharp, detached narration, in which servants and subordinate figures reveal the hypocrisy of their masters.
Who it is for
Thirty-four short stories in Spanish; several have appeared in French in selections of the author's work, without a volume of their own.
Prizes and reception
The collection that earned its author recognition, with its mirrors and clocks.
Sources for this page 5
The pages consulted to check this page.