The Shape of the Ruins

"The Shape of the Ruins," penned by Colombian author Juan Gabriel Vásquez, follows his acclaimed novel "The Sound of Things Falling," which earned the Alfaguara Prize in Spain, the Von Rezzori Prize in Italy, and the 2014 Dublin IMPAC Literary Award. Vásquez's latest work was met with praise upon its release in Colombia and has recently become available in Spain.

The novel delves into the author's personal and formal explorations of two pivotal political assassinations in Colombian history. It recounts the 1914 murder of Rafael Uribe Uribe, García Márquez's inspiration for General Buendía in "One Hundred Years of Solitude," and the 1948 assassination of charismatic leader Jorge Eliécer Gaitán, who was poised to become Colombia's version of John F. Kennedy. Though these tragic events are over three decades apart and initially seem unrelated, Vásquez masterfully unveils throughout his narrative how they collectively foreshadow the persistent violence that has plagued Colombia. "The Shape of the Ruins" stands as Vásquez's most daring and thought-provoking novel yet, offering readers a richly detailed tapestry of historical intrigue.