With a mix of reality and fiction, the novel “La vengance de las cautivas” (The Revenge of the Captives), by Chilean journalist, screenwriter and writer Carmen Gloria López, narrates the experience of a group of seven Spanish women who survived the siege of Villa Rica. A book published in 2022 that addresses the role of women in times of war and which is Camilasbooks' recommendation this Saturday.
Described by the reviewer herself as a “very powerful book,” this text places us in 1610 in Santiago de Chile, where a trial is held to gather the testimonies of these seven women captured by the Mapuches during the Arauco war.
The historical novel challenges the concepts of heroism, patriotism and honor, while also raising the question of the role of women in times of war within a nation, a fact that had not been raised before, Camilasbooks said.
And women, in a way, are also witnesses of many things, but from a different point of view. In this case, the story obviously does not take place on the battlefield itself, but it does involve other types of problems and situations for the people who participate in the war.
“This is a perfect account, I think, of the silenced female voices in times of war, where we have many themes such as motherhood, violence, rage, courage and survival. I think it is also a very controversial theme in the midst of resistance,” she said.
To learn more about this book and others, don't miss this Saturday's review on Camilasbooks.
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