Word: divina
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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Despite the book's intellectual challenges, Divina Trace should hold readers' interest throughout. Divina Trace contains so much literary complexity--numerous, seemingly disparate themes; varied, contradictory voices and perspective; and a hopelessly confusing chronology--that Robert Antoni's ability to keep it from sinking is quite an accomplishment. He succeeds in forging an enthralling novel out of what could have become a literary disaster...
...Divina Trace...
Moreover, the weighty themes can be overwhelming, both in number and profundity--nothing is easy in Divina Trace. However, the voices that speak are rich and engaging enough to prevent losing the reader's interest. They are voices a reader can hear if he or she makes the effort to listen, and what they say is both important and original...
...voice of the ghost of Magdalena, one of the seven narrators, acts as the foundation of Divina Trace. Magdalena Divina, her memory residing in a holy statue of a black madonna, tells her version of the legend to Johnny Domingo. During her account, another narrator intervenes and takes over the story...
...Divina Trace examines the nature of science and religion, of history and myth, of language and subjectivity. The novel contains level after level of meaning, but it manages to escape being ponderous. Its metafictional tendencies (myths contained within myths, which contradict, criticize and salute each other and all stories) are balanced by Antoni's attention to his readers. Antoni spins a myth, but does not forsake his audience--he does not forget that a story should be enjoyable to read...