The mystery unfolds in The Feast of the Goat

I have to admit, when I first started reading this book, I really was not all too interested in it. It didn’t quite capture my attention. But that has changed quite a bit. Now I find myself reading more and more because I want to get to the next chapter that continues each story. Oh how tempted I always am to read one full story/perspective first. When we were discussing in class how “cinematic” the novel is, I began to imagine it as a play. Because quite often in a play there are stories told from different perspectives and when each scene ends, the audience is left hanging about what would happen next, but it somehow all comes together in the end. It is definitely a really creative way to write a book, and the weirdest thing is that are sort of flashbacks within flashbacks. Kinda confusing actually.

I’m not quite done the book yet, but when we discussed in class about the ending about Urania being about sex, I wasn’t surprised, I had a feeling. This book is so full of hidden secrets. In a way, it’s really different from The President, where everyone wrote letters to him telling him what was going on. But in this case, everyone seems to be hiding something. The assassins are hiding their secret assassination plot; Urania is hiding her reason for leaving from her family; the reason why Senator Cabral was dismissed is hidden from him.

One part that I found quite interesting, even though it’s before the second half begins, is on page 160. Urania thinks to herself, “You could have gone into therapy, seen a psychologist, an analyst… But you never wanted to be cured. On the contrary, you don’t consider it a disease but a character trait, like you intelligence, your solitude, your passion for doing good work.” I think when I first read it I was shocked that she would intentionally choose not to see a psychologist about her “issue”. But reading over, it just seems strange, to consider something that is like a disease to not be a disease, but a character trait. It seems so... twisted. I’m not sure that’s the word I’m looking for. But it is interesting how in a way she chose to continually be haunted by the past, to dwell on the past, always reading about the Trujillo era; instead of letting go. I suppose it is a part of the book though, the fact that though she doesn’t want to go back, she eventually does anyways, finding herself pulled back. But with that quote, it’s more like she is letting herself be pulled back because obviously she’s a strong woman, rejecting marriage proposals. Am I starting to go in circles now? Maybe… I think I’ll stop.

Oh last thing, it is strange that at the beginning, I was reading to get to the part where Trujillo is killed, but then now after I read it, it doesn’t even seem like the most important part of the story. I want to know more about Urania and her dirty little secret.