“Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter”: A Book Review

Posted on 2015/04/26 Updated on 2015/04/26

“Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter,” written in 1977, is one of the most prominent works of Mario Vargas Llosa, a renowned novelist from Peru. Vargas Llosa once worked at a radio station and who married his aunt when he was a young adult.  This happens to be the exact plot of the book.  Mario “Marito” Varguitas is an 18-year-old Peruvian boy who works at a radio station and dates his aunt.  Meanwhile, he befriends Pedro Camacho, a scriptwriter from Bolivia who produces gripping radio serials.  Tensions rise as Mario’s affair with Aunt Julia deepens and as Pedro Camacho becomes gradually insane.   The story is exciting, and the writing itself is so impressive (even in the translation) that you can only imagine how rich it is in its native language.  However, one element that harmed the novel was the sexist undercurrent.  It is unclear whether this attitude is meant to reflect Vargas Llosa’s attitude toward women or the attitude of Peruvian society toward women in the 1950’s.  Because of this uncertainty, I could not place, as a reader, whether I loved or hated the story by the end.

But let’s start with the positives: many of the elements of this novel are incredibly attractive. Read the rest of this entry »