‘Crime fiction is essential to tell certain things’
‘Crime fiction is the social novel of the 21st century’
Category: Raul Argemi
Review: Retrato de familia con muerta (Family Portrait with Dead Woman) de Raúl Argemí
This post is bilingual. Scroll down to find the English language version
Diario Público, 2011. Colección Novela Negra. Publicada antes por Roca Editorial, 2008. 192 páginas.
Retrato de familia con muerta es una novela corta con una extensión aproximada de 190 páginas (en mi edición) del escritor argentino afincado en España Raúl Argemí. El libro fue galardonado con el II Premio L’H Confidencial de novela negra en el 2008. Por desgracia, está descatalogado. Mi ejemplar fue publicado y distribuido por un diario español, junto con su edición dominical.
La acción se sitúa en un “country”, el nombre dado en Argentina a una urbanización cerrada con seguridad las 24 horas, y recrea algunos hechos reales que tuvieron lugar en el 2002. Un grupo de gente, familiares y amigos involucrados en el asesinato de una mujer, trata de hacer que parezca un accidente doméstico.
La historia está contada en capítulos cortos, en forma de recortes de periódicos, declaraciones de testigos y notas personales. Todo recogido por un juez, obsesionado por la figura de la víctima. Un juez que no tiene interés legítimo o profesional en el caso. La historia está narrada utilizando la primera persona, ya sea por el juez, Juan Manuel Galván, o por su amigo de la infancia, Jorge Ritter. A veces se introducen otros elementos como el coro griego de amigas de la víctima.
Si se me permite hacer una comparación con otras artes, yo diría que esta novela es un ‘collage’. Sin duda, es una novela experimental que puede no ser adecuada para todos los gustos, pero que me ha resultado tremendamente atractiva por la crítica social que encierra.
‘Soy juez, y sé, por mi experiencia de cada día, cuáles son los crímenes más difíciles de poner en descubierto: los crímenes de los “inocentes”.
‘Sólo hay dos clases de personas que violan las reglas de lo permitido. Los que hacen de eso un modo de vida y los circunstanciales.’
‘Los primeros miden cada paso porque el castigo es inexorable, y a la medida de los hechos. Los delincuentes habituales ….’
’Los segundos están dispuestos a saltarse hasta la última barrera si es necesario, porque sienten que lo que les sucede es injusto ,….’
Mi valoración: 4/5.
Reseña de Retrato de familia con muerta de Jesus Lens en Pateando el mundo.
Family Portrait with Dead Woman, by Raúl Argemí
Family Portrait with Dead Woman is a short story, a novella in size of about 190 pages in my edition, by Argentine writer based in Spain Raul Argemí. The book was awarded the II L’H Confidential Crime Novel Prize in 2008. Unfortunately it is out of print. My copy was published and distributed by a Spanish newspaper together with its Sunday issue.
The action takes place in a “country”, the name given in Argentina to a gated community with 24 hour security, and recreates some real events that took place in 2002. A group of people, family members and friends involved in the murder of a woman, try to make it look like a domestic accident.
The story is told in short chapters, in the form of newspaper clippings, witness statements, and personal notes. All collected by a judge, haunted by the figure of the victim. A judge who has no legitimate or professional interest in the case. The story is narrated using the first person, either by the judge, Juan Manuel Galván, or by his childhood friend, Jorge Ritter. Sometimes other elements are introduced, like the Greek chorus of the victim’s female friends.
If I may make a comparison with other arts, I’d say this novel is a ‘collage’. It is certainly an experimental novel that may not be suitable for everyone taste, but I have found it extremely attractive given the social critique that contains.
‘I’m a judge, and I know from my everyday experience that the most difficult crimes to show up are the crimes of the “innocent”.
‘There are only two kinds of people who break the rules. Those who make it a way of life and the circumstantial criminals.’
‘The first ones (habitual offenders) consider each step because punishment is inexorable, and is made to suit the facts.’
‘The second ones (the innocents) are willing to skip up to the last barrier if necessary, because they feel that whatever happens to them is unfair.’ (Mi traducción libre)
My rating: 4/5. (Not available in English yet)
Retrato de familia con muerta – Family Portrait with Dead Woman
El escritor argentino Raúl Argemí, nacido en 1946 en La Plata, Argentina y residente en España desde el 2000, obtuvo el Premio de novela negra L’H Confidencial en el 2008 por su novela Retrato de familia con muerta.
Argentine writer Raul Argemi, born in 1946 in La Plata, Argentina and a Spanish resident since 2000, won the L’H Confidencial crime novel award in 2008 for his novel Family Portrait with Dead Woman.
Primeras líneas: Me llamo Juan Manuel Galván, y soy juez. En activo. He hecho el proceso de muchos, pasando desde la convicción más cerrada hasta la aceptación de que las cosas son como son, y no se pueden cambiar. Sólo que, de tanto en tanto, una chispa de rebeldía, de inconformidad, aparece para estropear un camino hacia la nada.
Opening lines: My name is Juan Manuel Galvan, and I am a judge. Still in office. I’ve had to prosecute many, passing from the most narrow conviction up to the acceptance that things are as they are, and can’t be changed. Only that, from time to time, a spark of rebellion, of nonconformity, pops up to spoil a road to nowhere. (My free translation).
A real pity that his books are not available in English at this moment. Stay tuned. You can read more at:
- Wikipedia (Raul Argemi).
- Interview with Raúl Argemí
- AMV Agencia Literaria
Raul Argemi
Raul Argemi (1946) is an Argentinian crime fiction writer, resident in Barcelona, Spain. He has obtained several awards in Spain, including the Dashiell Hammett Prize, and his work has been translated into French, Italian, Dutch, and German.
My latest book acquisition has been Retrato de familia con muerta (Roca editorial, 2008) winner of the L’H Confidencial Award, 2008. I’m planning to read it for my participation in Ficciones 2011 Argentina Reading Challenge.
You can find additional information at Mundo Andino and a list of his books at Wikipedia. Unfortunately they have not been translated into English yet, as far as I know.
Argentina Crime Fiction
If you are interested in Modern Argentina Crime Fiction you may take into account these three names to begin with. Sorry if I have not read them yet but I made this note for me as a reminder and I thought you may find it useful.
Raúl Argemí (Buenos Aires, 1946) was incarcerated in 1974 during the military dictatorship and was freed at the end of the military rule in 1984. He moved to Spain in 2000 and lives in Barcelona. His books have been translated into French, Italian, Dutch and German. It can be highlighted Penúltimo nombre de guerra (Algaida, 2004, premio Dashiell Hammett 2005), Siempre la misma música (Algaida, 2006, premio Tigre Juan 2005) y Retrato de familia con muerta (Roca, 2008, premio L’H Confidencial 2008). He blogs at Raúl Argemí and libresdelibro (in Spanish).
Ernesto Mallo (Buenos Aires, 1948) is a published essayist, newspaper columnist, and playwright. He is a former militant, pursued by the dictatorship as a member of the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias, which was later absorbed by the Montoneros guerilla movement. Needle in a Haystack is his first novel and the first in a trilogy with detective Lascano. The first two are being made into films in Argentina. He has published, La aguja en el pajar (Planeta, 2006) Needle in a Haystack (Bitter Lemon Press, 2010), Delincuente argentino (Planeta, 2007) and El Relicario (Planeta, 2010) an historical novel. La aguja en el pajar was awarded the first price at the 2007 Semana Negra de Gijon. International Noir Fiction and Crime Scraps have reviewed Needle in a Haysack.
Guillermo Orsi was born in Buenos Aires (1946), where he lives and works as a journalist. He has published, El vagón de los locos (Emecé Award 1978, Emecé), Cuerpo de mujer (1983, Ediciones Poniente), Tripulantes de un viejo bolero (1994, Ediciones De la Flor), Sueños de perro (Semana Negra Umbriel Award, 2004), Noches de Pelayo, finalist of UNED award in 2005, Nadie ama a un policía (Ciudad de Carmona Award in 2007) No-one Loves a Policeman (Quercus, 2010) and Ciudad Santa (2009). Ciudad Santa is shortlisted for the 2010 Hammet Award. Maxine at Petrona has reviewed No-one Loves a Policeman.
A Crime is Afoot 