62: A Model Kit

62: A Model Kit follows an interconnected group of characters across cities including Paris, London, and Vienna. The narrative centers on a loose collective of artists, intellectuals, and professionals who become entangled in each other's lives. The novel employs a non-linear structure, shifting between different characters' perspectives and experiences. Key figures include Juan, an interpreter from Argentina; Hélène, a Paris-based anesthesiologist; and Marrast, a sculptor whose work brings several characters together. Time and space operate according to their own peculiar logic in the narrative, with events and relationships developing through a network of coincidences and parallels. The characters move through various European settings, their paths crossing and diverging in unexpected ways. The book explores themes of connection and isolation in modern urban life, while questioning traditional concepts of narrative structure and causality. It represents Cortázar's experimentation with form and his investigation of how human consciousness processes reality.

Readers describe 62: A Model Kit as an experimental, challenging work that requires active engagement. Many note it demands multiple readings to grasp its interconnected narratives and shifting perspectives. Readers appreciate: - The dream-like atmosphere and surreal elements - Complex character relationships that reveal themselves over time - The book's innovative structure that breaks traditional novel conventions - The way seemingly random scenes connect by the end Common criticisms: - Confusing and hard to follow - Too abstract and intellectual - Characters are difficult to distinguish - No clear plot or resolution Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (1,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (30+ ratings) Several reviewers note it's more accessible than Cortázar's Hopscotch but still demands patience. One reader called it "a puzzle box that changes shape as you try to solve it." Another described it as "beautiful but frustrating - like trying to remember a dream."

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★ The title "62" refers to a specific railway car where Cortázar had a disturbing experience during a train journey from Paris to Vienna, which inspired elements of the novel. ★ While writing this book, Cortázar lived in Paris as a political exile from Argentina, a perspective that deeply influenced his portrayal of expatriate characters. ★ The novel's innovative structure was partly influenced by the French New Novel movement (Nouveau Roman) of the 1950s, which rejected traditional elements like plot and character development. ★ The character of the interpreter in the novel draws from Cortázar's own experience working as a UNESCO translator in Paris during the 1960s. ★ The three main cities in the novel - Paris, London, and Vienna - form a symbolic triangle that represents both geographical and psychological spaces in the characters' lives.