Hades, Argentina

A novel about the tension between Argentine identity and American identity, where Argentina's Dirty War serves as the source of the conflict. Though well researched and beautifully written, it felt somewhat brought down by two big factors. The first is that the descent to Hades functions principally as a very long flashback, so there is little tension as to the outcome. The second is that much of the protagonist's motivation is linked to his unrequited love for the girl he grew up with, which gives the novel something of an “angsty white boy” feel.