Cantoras

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It’s impossible not to fall in love with these fierce ‘girlwomen’—queer, courageous, and adventurous—as they find freedom in their relationships with each other while living under a ruthless dictatorship. The trees gradually receded, but clumps of brush still reared their tousled heads from the smooth slopes as if just being . You know the question people like to ask: if you were only to read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be? Standing on that shore, staring out at the Atlantic, with those women who were not like other women sleeping a few meters away, she felt a sensation so foreign that she almost collapsed under its spell. Women should’ve felt guilty- for lying to their husbands, for going against the laws of dictatorship.

The writing is breathtaking; the five women, connected through their identities, their shared desire for freedom amidst the suffocation in the era, are distinctly beautiful. It is forbidden to copy anything for publication elsewhere without written permission from the copyright holder.This author has done a fantastic job of capturing and portraying the political turmoil, fear and tension that became an everyday occurrence from the moment the coup d’état happened and the military government took over. I knew it wasn’t an easy listening plus I’m not a fan of authors narrating a book as they normally aren’t professionally trained. Throughout it all, they will be tested repeatedly—by their families, lovers, society, and one another—as they fight to live authentic lives. Throughout their lives Flaca, Romina, Malena, Anita and Paz will be challenged—by family expectations, trying to find a place for themselves in society, maintaining romantic relationships and being there for one another—as they struggle to live genuine lives free from secrets, guilt and shame.

Did Malena only have herself to blame for suffering in silence, or did her friends take Malena’s unwavering presence and quiet but powerful support, for granted? I think I’ll be listening to the audiobook version soon, or reread it immediately because I cannot stand not having Flaca, Romina, La Venus, Paz, and Malena in my life. Cantoras is a brilliant and heart-breaking story that portrays the life changing power of sisterhood and political resistance.

There was much about this novel I liked at first - the five main characters felt so real and the intensity of their group friendship was moving, as was their struggle to be lesbian in a patriarchal society run by a ruthless dictatorship. My idealized visions were impossible, of course, since this is a novel about the harsh realities of dictatorship, prejudice, and the ways we can hurt the ones we love.

In 1977, Uruguay was in the midst of political and economic turmoil and a military regime took over and they squashed all political protests without showing any mercy toward the defenceless civilians. What does she mean when she thinks to herself, while working in La Piedrita, “What I can’t give to Puma I will give to the Pumas of the world” (246)? In what ways do the beach and the shack fulfill a different need for each woman while still proving their common need to be themselves? It’s triumphant and devastating, it’s optimistic and heart-breaking, and then manages to cover just about every emotion in between.I’m sure she did some kind of voice coaching because all the five characters’ voices are distinctive and her performance of the ample range of emotions is as good as any narrator’s.