Woes of the True Policeman: A Novel

The latest from Bolaño—a manuscript left unfinished at the time of his death in 2003—poses myriad challenges in making the transition to audio, particularly an unresolved storyline, confusing plot, and characters introduced in earlier works. However, narrator Armando Durand’s delivers a winning performance. As the story shifts across the globe from Europe to Mexico and South America, Durand effectively weaves and contrasts cultural styles and mores. As the central figure in the book, Professor Oscar Amalfitano comes to terms with his sexual identify, Durand evocatively showcases the reality of internalized homophobia, particularly in dialogue with Amalfitano’s two flamboyant love interests. Also, passages connecting to regional and national history provide ample opportunity for Durand to demonstrate his vocal ability while avoiding simplistic cultural archetypes. An FSG hardcover. (Nov.)