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The Invention of Morel
The Invention of Morel | Adolfo Bioy Casares, Ruth L.C. Simms
Jorge Luis Borges declared The Invention of Morel a masterpiece of plotting, comparable to The Turn of the Screw and Journey to the Center of the Earth. Set on a mysterious island, Bioy's novella is a story of suspense and exploration, as well as a wonderfully unlikely romance, in which every detail is at once crystal clear and deeply mysterious. Inspired by Bioy Casares's fascination with the movie star Louise Brooks, The Invention of Morel has gone on to live a secret life of its own. Greatly admired by Julio Cortzar, Gabriel Garca Mrquez, and Octavio Paz, the novella helped to usher in Latin American fiction's now famous postwar boom. As the model for Alain Resnais and Alain Robbe-Grillet's Last Year in Marienbad, it also changed the history of film.
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tellmesomething2read
The Invention of Morel | Adolfo Bioy Casares, Ruth L.C. Simms
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similarities to Lolita
-fictitious editor
-book artifact of story
-pretentious narrator
-on the lamb
-addresses audience about his plight
-destroying object of desire in attempt to possess
-impossible to be loved by her, on separate planes
-when object spurns him, calls her gross
-she‘s an actress
-competing with his shadow, a filmmaker
-questions if hallucinating
-destroys himself when realizes he cannot be with her
-ends with imminent doom

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The_Penniless_Author
The Invention of Morel | Adolfo Bioy Casares, Ruth L.C. Simms
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#wondrouswednesday @Eggs

1. Tagged
2. The Wheel of Time books, though sounds like that's already in the works
3. Getting to spend the day and catch up with a childhood friend

Your turn @IuliaC @julesG @Ast_Arslan @SamAnne

julesG Thanks for the tag. 3y
Eggs #3 perfection!! 3y
IuliaC Thanks for the tag 😃 3y
36 likes3 comments
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britt_reads
The Invention of Morel | Adolfo Bioy Casares, Ruth L.C. Simms
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I had a little too much fun shopping during the last #nyrb sale a couple of weeks ago. Excited to add these to my collection! #bookhaul

Billypar I loved Dud Avocado and Invention of Morel! The Other and A Month In The Country were good too. 3y
23 likes1 comment
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The_Penniless_Author
The Invention of Morel | Adolfo Bioy Casares, Ruth L.C. Simms
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Another book I can thank Litsy for bringing to my attention. The protagonist, a Venezuelan fugitive, takes refuge on a seemingly uninhabited island containing a museum, a swimming pool, a chapel, and a mysterious rotting disease that affects plant, animal, and person alike. When visitors suddenly appear, it throws the MC's world into turmoil, but the truth of who they are and what happened to them is even stranger than it first appears. 👇

The_Penniless_Author Fantastic old-school sci-fi in the mold of HG Wells, with a heavy philosophical bent. 3y
42 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Billypar
The Invention of Morel | Adolfo Bioy Casares, Ruth L.C. Simms
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This absorbing novella is a kind of literary Twilight Zone episode. A fugitive hides out on a deserted island that contains a museum, swimming pool, chapel, and not much else besides a tree-ravaging disease. He's surprised to find he suddenly has visitors, and things get stranger from there. Casares has a gifted storytelling capacity for intriguing the reader with mysteries and resolving them in a way that is surprising but not too complicated.

45 likes1 stack add
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Geeklet
The Invention of Morel | Adolfo Bioy Casares, Ruth L.C. Simms
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A great little novella about a wanted man who escapes to a deserted island that is rumored to be cursed. To say much more would spoil the entire plot of this compact adventure story. The plot moves quickly and with purpose to it‘s plot twist. It is the perfect length. This story would be campy in less capable hands but it‘s masterfully told. A great little one sitter. I highly recommend it.

34 likes1 stack add
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Geeklet
The Invention of Morel | Adolfo Bioy Casares, Ruth L.C. Simms

The point of the Tome Infinity and Beyond readathon is to read sci-fi books from authors around the globe. I had a hellova time finding South American sci-fi authors who caught my interest. I came across this tinsy little one sitter. I‘m definitely looking forward to getting through this one tonight.

vivastory I really enjoyed it 5y
27 likes1 comment
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GatheringBooks
The Invention of Morel | Adolfo Bioy Casares, Ruth L.C. Simms
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Hey, #NYRBBookClub friends, the 24 hour sale is here!!! Just bought lotsa titles, might as well, while we are here in California with family.

vivastory Thanks for posting! I will definitely check it out. 5y
BarbaraBB I filled up my shopping car and then had 70$ shipping costs. Too bad 😢 5y
47 likes2 comments
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sisilia
The Invention of Morel | Adolfo Bioy Casares, Ruth L.C. Simms
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This book is deliciously bizarre! 🤪 I had no idea what is really going on until I reached the second half; and yet everything is just my imagination and guess-work

62 likes2 stack adds
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sisilia
The Invention of Morel | Adolfo Bioy Casares, Ruth L.C. Simms
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I just started this. No idea what is going on 😅

squirrelbrain 🤣🤣 5y
vivastory It's a strange little book 5y
QuintusMarcus If you figure it out, let me know: I never was able to make sense of it. 5y
LeahBergen But the cover is wonderful. 😆 5y
86 likes1 stack add4 comments
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WanderingBookaneer
The Invention of Morel | Adolfo Bioy Casares, Ruth L.C. Simms
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shawnmooney This is a wacky story which, if you can get past the antiquated writing style, is quite memorable… 7y
67 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Lola
The Invention of Morel | Adolfo Bioy Casares, Ruth L.C. Simms
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Halfway through tonight's @RoscoeBooks Classics in Brief book club selection. So far, it feels like a mashup of Richard Connell's The Most Dangerous Game and George Saunder's Lincoln in the Bardo. In a good way. #bookandcoffee #morningreading

Marchpane That description is intriguing! 7y
Lola @Marchpane An now I'm going to add, a touch of The Shining 😳 7y
Marchpane 😳can't wait to see your final review! 7y
37 likes3 comments
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Lola
The Invention of Morel | Adolfo Bioy Casares, Ruth L.C. Simms
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Coffee and a little of my @RoscoeBooks Classics in Brief book club reading before work. I do love books with maps. Beautiful bookmark handcrafted made by my awesome #litsygoespostalog book-sender, @LitHousewife #bookandcoffee #morningreading

LukkiAnn Awesome 👏🏻 7y
LitHousewife I loved that bookmark! I'm glad you do, too. ❤ 7y
41 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Knowledgelost
The Invention of Morel | Adolfo Bioy Casares, Ruth L.C. Simms
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Book 1 of 2017: The Invention of Morel by Adolfo Bioy Casares and translated by Ruth L.C. Simms. This stunning Argentinian novella offers a mystery, some suspense and a touch of the bizarre. What a joy to read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #translatedfiction

shawnmooney I'm not sure I entirely understood what I was reading, but I quite enjoyed it when I read it last year too! :-) 7y
5 likes1 comment
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Knowledgelost
The Invention of Morel | Adolfo Bioy Casares, Ruth L.C. Simms
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4 likes1 stack add
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vivastory
The Invention of Morel | Adolfo Bioy Casares, Ruth L.C. Simms
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Casare's novella is set on a supposedly uninhabited island. The narrator, a Venezuelan, is a fugitive sentenced for an unnamed crime. The Morel of the title is a nod towards one of HG Wells' finest and darkest characters, Dr. Moreau. This is an adventure story meets philosophical narrative. Disembodied consciousness as the only possible form of immortality & virtual realities. Meditative and circular. Intelligent and humorous.

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vivastory
The Invention of Morel | Adolfo Bioy Casares, Ruth L.C. Simms
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drokka I like seeing maps in books. Help me understand the world written of 7y
18 likes1 comment
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vivastory
The Invention of Morel | Adolfo Bioy Casares, Ruth L.C. Simms
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BooksCatsMaine
The Invention of Morel | Adolfo Bioy Casares, Ruth L.C. Simms
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My pick for today's #Booktober #SouthAmerican challenge is this creepy, surreal virtual reality classic. At times it seems cliched- but this is the book that WROTE the cliche. It's a bit like a cross between Lost and The great gatsby...but far better.

Pair with wine and suspense.

@RealLifeReading

katedensen ❤️❤️❤️ NYRB. 8y
31 likes5 stack adds1 comment
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Linsy
The Invention of Morel | Adolfo Bioy Casares, Ruth L.C. Simms
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I'm not sure if this counts as set in South America — Adolfo Bioy Casares was from Argentina; the story takes place on an unknown island — but I really enjoyed this book in college, so I'm fudging things a bit. I just remember being totally wrapped up in the dreamlike quality of it. Bioy Casares was a masterful writer. #booktober #bookssetinsamerica #novella

RealLifeReading Well he's from Argentina so I think it counts! 8y
33 likes3 stack adds1 comment