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The War of the End of the World

Mario Vargas Llosa`s The War of the End of the World is one of the great modern historical novels- tragic, compelling and incredible to read. Inspired by a real episode in Brazilian history, the author tells the story of an apocalyptic movement, led by a mysterious prophet, in which prostitutes, beggars and bandits establish Canudos, a new republic, a libertarian paradise.Originally published in 1981, the narrative takes its cue from the War of Canudos, an incident in nineteenth century Brazil in which an armed millenarian cult held off a siege by the national army for a number of months. As with some of his later works, Llosa interweaves the lives and actions of a great tapestry of different characters to paint a sociological view of Brazil at the time, giving an incredible sense of place and presence to the events taking place. Described by The Listener as “a tragic masterpiece with something of the sweep and freedom of the great novels of the nineteenth century”, this is a major work by the Nobel Prize winning Vargas Llosa, one of Latin America`s most significant novelists and essayists and one of the leading authors of his generation. An awesome, truly memorable read.