Ghosts

Ghosts follows the daily life of a family living on the roof of an unfinished luxury apartment building in Buenos Aires, where the father works as a night watchman. The building is inhabited by both construction workers and a group of naked, powder-covered ghosts that float through its spaces. The narrative centers on a single day - New Year's Eve - as the watchman's teenage daughter becomes increasingly fascinated by the supernatural presence in the building. While the adults and workers treat the ghosts with casual indifference, she develops an intense curiosity about their nature and existence. Through this contained setting and timeframe, Aira crafts a story about the boundary between the mundane and the extraordinary, reality and imagination. The book examines themes of class, perception, and the allure of crossing invisible but powerful social and metaphysical boundaries.

Readers describe this book as a quick, surreal read that starts with ordinary events and transforms into something unexpected. The narrative style creates a dreamlike atmosphere that many find compelling. Liked: - Fast-paced, can be read in one sitting - Smooth transitions between reality and supernatural elements - Clear, straightforward prose despite complex themes - Cultural observations about class and society in Argentina Disliked: - Abrupt ending leaves questions unanswered - Some found the philosophical digressions distracting - Character development feels limited - Translation occasionally reads as stilted Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (30+ ratings) "The story flows like a fever dream" - Goodreads reviewer "Starts strong but loses focus halfway through" - Amazon reviewer "Beautiful meditation on reality vs imagination" - LibraryThing review "The ending felt rushed and unsatisfying" - multiple Goodreads reviews note

Pedro Páramo by Juan Rulfo A Mexican novel where the living and dead coexist in a ghost town, creating a similar meditation on boundaries between reality and supernatural through fragmented narratives.

The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende Multi-generational saga incorporating supernatural elements into everyday life while exploring class dynamics in Latin American society.

The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall Chronicles a man's encounters with conceptual entities that blur the line between real and unreal in architectural spaces.

Concrete Island by J.G. Ballard Follows a man trapped in an urban infrastructure space, examining the hidden worlds within modern architecture.

The Street of Crocodiles by Bruno Schulz Portrays everyday life infused with surreal elements through the lens of a family's experiences in their building and neighborhood.

🏗️ The unfinished building in the novel reflects a real phenomenon in Buenos Aires during the 1980s, where numerous construction projects were abandoned due to economic instability. 👻 César Aira wrote "Ghosts" in 1990, and it was translated to English in 2009 by Chris Andrews, who has translated many of Aira's works. 🌡️ The novel's New Year's Eve setting in the Southern Hemisphere means it takes place during midsummer, with temperatures often reaching over 100°F (38°C). 📚 Aira is known for writing "novels-in-advance," never revising or looking back at what he's written, which contributes to his unique, spontaneous narrative style. 🎨 The novel's portrayal of ghosts as naked, dusty, and male construction workers subverts traditional ghost story tropes, where spirits are typically depicted as ethereal or frightening entities.