The Secret History of Costaguana

In The Sound of Things Falling, Juan Gabriel Vásquez explores the intricate connection between reality and fiction through the eyes of José Altamirano, a Colombian who starts writing on the day of Joseph Conrad's death in 1924. Years earlier, Altamirano revealed his life’s stories to Conrad, which became the basis for Nostromo, a novel that blurred the lines of his existence. Now, as he grapples with the legacy of that work, Altamirano embarks on a complex journey to reclaim his past and navigate the intersection of historical and imagined realities. This inventive novel promises a rich exploration of personal and national identity amid the backdrop of 20th-century turmoil.