The Gods of Tango

There is nothing more stunning than a Carolina de Robertis novel. I don't generally read "literary fiction." But her stories have a way of wrapping themselves around me, drawing me in, and the characters are so vividly drawn that they yank at my heart. It doesn't feel like reading a book, it feels like watching a life unfold. There were times when I was impatient because the story is somewhat predictable (as soon as Leda puts on men's clothes, you wait for the moment when s/he's exposed), but the gorgeousness of the prose kept calling me back in. I highlighted so many sentences just so I could go back and read them over and over again, I marvel at the beauty of her language, lines like, "Music, arrow to pierce all barriers. Music, invader of centuries. Nectar of demons, whiskey flask of God." or "Lust, after all, was a prismatic thing, refracting differently with different women." I never feel like she's trying to be highbrow, but more letting the words spill out to create an irresistible rhythm. A thrill.

A tiny part of Gods of Tango is a Lesbian love story. A big part of it is a historical novel, which vividly brings to life the harsh lives of immigrants to Buenos Aires in the early part of the Twentieth Century. The biggest part is the evolution of a budding violinist into a world-class Argentine tango musician.One problem I had with the book is the discursions of de Robertis into the lives of ancillary characters, few of whom I found interesting. I understand the impulse: to give a more three-dimensional feel for the complex urban realities of BsAs of the time. But I had to skim and skip them to return to the character who really interested me: Leda.

I cannot describe how much I love this book. I am generally not too impressed with most books I read, I guess I am looking for a lot out of something I put so much time into. I picked it up knowing almost nothing about it and it read fantastically that way, so I won't say much here except not only was I hooked from the first page because of the author's fantastic writing, but I was so satisfied throughout the book as I learned tons from a historical perspective, dived into the psychology and experience of many a truly fascinating character, and was thrilled at every turn by the tension and uniqueness of the events that unfolded. I have not had a favorite book since I was a preteen, but this is my favorite book now. I am making every one of my book clubs read this whether they like it or not. I can't imagine someone not liking - nay, LOVING - this book. High praise from a hyper-critic. Thank you Carolina De Robertis!

This was a well written and fascinating novel that I thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish and from which I learned a great deal. The physical setting is Buenos Aires, Argentina in the early 20th century, and it is the story of a young female violinist who takes drastic measures to survive in a world and a time and a culture that did not afford women many opportunities outside the home. This novel is also an excellent and informative study of the development of the tango, both musically and culturally. The language is beautiful and the author is masterful in getting inside the heads of the characters, with primary focus on the main character, the young girl. Highly recommended.

This is a fascinating story with a compelling central character. The author uses words and images beautifully....unfortunately the author knows that and indulges in overlong, redundant verbiage in many sections, blurting the sharpness of the narrative. This is particularly true when revealing Dante's thoughts and emotions....okay., already, we get it! Glad I read it and glad it's done.

This is an interesting story that provides a history of Argentina through the music, simultaneously with an account of a woman caught in a strange country with few choices. The writing is poetic; I enjoyed this book about a place and time with which I had previously known little.

I loved The Gods of Tango. It was fascinating and unique. The plot line was riveting. The characters were complex and easy to relate to even while they were different both culturally and individually. The story drew me in and kept me wanting to read more. The writing style is beautiful. The descriptions are vivid. I felt like I was experiencing wha the characters were experiencing right along with them. I truly enjoyed this novel.

Carolina De Robertis's novel uses rich language, in-depth characters, and powerful storytelling to create a novel as lush and many-layered as the tango at the heart of the plot. She weaves together issues of race, class, sexuality, gender identity, and immigration into a fascinating whole that kept me entranced until the very end. It's beautiful to see a book dealing with these issues written with such consummate skill.

This is a vast, sprawling work about tango and Buenos Aires and Italy and sexuality and those old tango perennials, love and death.I can’t begin to discuss the plot, partly because there are twists and turns and I don’t want to spoil it for you and partly because the 384 packed pages defy synopsification. (Is that a word? It should be.)What you need to know is that the story starts in 1913 with Leda arriving in Buenos Aires, leaving a narrow life in a village just outside Naples in search of opportunity in the New World. In the first of many shocks in the book, all her plans are thrown into disarray before she has even left the boat and she finds herself struggling to survive in a city that seems to teeter forever on the edge of madness.It’s a story packed with characters, all so perfectly drawn that you never get lost, but one of the biggest, most important, characters is Buenos Aires itself and particularly San Telmo, a part of the city I feel particularly at home in. The danger, excitement and opportunity of the city is perfectly captured. It is overcrowded and filthy (even more so in 1913 than now). Yet, as today, it holds you. Leda knows that Buenos Aires destroys its children, yet she cannot bring herself to leave. A peaceful life in a small Italian village is no longer something she can settle for.Leda falls in love with tango. The music, she thinks, can save her. And it does, though it means she must sacrifice everything. (No spoilers, but ‘everything’ isn’t too much of a stretch here.) She carves out a life in the violent world of tango. She is there as tango moves from the bars and the brothels to the dance halls and eventually the grand clubs and cabarets, even achieving an international respectability. But for Leda, it is always about the music of the people, starting with the rhythms brought from Africa with slavery. (The Gods of Tango is unusual in featuring a black bandoneon player whose grandfather was probably a slave. Argentina used to have a substantial black population but no one talks about that now.)If you are interested in the history of tango (you’ve probably realised I am), then The Gods of Tango is worth reading just for its description of how and why the music developed through the Golden Age. But the book is much, much more than that. I’ve never read a book by a woman which understands so well the reality of being a man. And when she deals with different aspects of sexuality, she writes better than anyone else I have read, or ever expect to read.De Robertis has won prizes and fellowships and is definitely a ‘literary author’, a label I am generally suspicious of. But this is someone who has earned their reputation through extraordinary hard work as well as an exceptional ability to write. Leda’s life in Italy was researched in Italy. De Robertis reached Italian emigration to Argentina and Afro-Argentinian history (an area which, as I’ve mentioned, is generally overlooked). She studied the violin as well as tango history and learned to dance. She has explored Buenos Aires today and developed a deep understanding of its history. And she writes fantastic prose. (I just said that, but I’m saying it again.)I’m getting carried away. All I can say is that this is an astonishing book.

Fantastic particularly if you are interested in the history of Tango.

A great gender-bending read. Wonderful portrayal of the life and times of those early days of Tango in Bs. As. and the challenges of being a single woman in that culture. De Robertis does a brilliant job of sharing her passion and artistry for tango music. I could not put it down. Very highly recommended.

I am really enjoying the book. It gives a historical background if tango. Very interesting

I enjoyed this book and found the descriptions of Buenos Aries at the time fascinating. I have been to the city and visited La Boca so loved to read about its recent history.Leda/Dante was a very brave person to take on Argentinian society at the time and become 'male' she was way before her time. Her sexuality developed after some time dressing as a male, she was initially confused about her feelings and sexuality.The reader was kept wondering as to what might happen when she was discovered. I certainly didn't see what did actually happen coming.I thought Leda was a great character and she was portrayed ina very empathetic manner. The way she really cared for her lovers and some of the fellow band players show her caring nature.I was a bit baffled by the Cora backstory and why it kept coming back to haunt Leda as it was alluded to repeatedly and felt it didn't really add anything to the story of Leda.It was a good story and very different. I would certainly read more by this author.