I feel compelled to say: this book is amazing! I mean, to start, it's an interesting concept, to tell an entire story (many stories, actually, but one 'real' one) only through dialogue (and a few footnotes, but that's a different story; the tone is completely different from the rest of the book, which is impressive by itself). But it's more than a good concept - it's done so well. The movie descriptions flow so easily, just as if they were being spoken, the character voices are differentiated from one another, and action is strongly implied, without a word of explicit description! The scene where Valentin becomes sick with diarrhea, in particular, is expertly written. (120) Not only is the action clear (through only dialogue - what a feat!), but the scene becomes a touching moment between the characters. We have become close to them, introduced slowly to their idiosyncrasies while other stories have been told, until we find ourselves comfortable in their presence, and now we can easily imagine them interacting in their cell. By the time this scene appears, we know who they are and their relationship to one another, and we feel for them. It is a very sweet moment, Molina helping Valentin with such a gruesome task, and heightened by the fact that just before, he was committed to being angry with him, and now so selflessly offers his help.
So very well done.
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It was my aim that either the original text or the film be of importance, hopefully both. Puig is generally considered to be a major writer--though he has his detractors who see him as too pop. Nevertheless, his reputation has experienced a continuing ascendance since he published Betrayed by Rita Hayworth in 1967.
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