Partes de Guerra by Jorge Volpi: A Deep Dive into Violence and Narrative Voice
There is much to review in Partes de Guerra (Alfaguara), Jorge Volpi’s latest novel and the second in a series about Mexican violence. Following the award-winning A Crime Novel, the book centers on violence but expands beyond a single theme or perspective. Volpi crafts a layered tale where the method of storytelling matters as much as the events themselves. The narrative examines the murder of a young girl in Corozal, a remote town near the Chiapas border, and unfolds through a network of branches and endings that rely on who speaks and how the story is told. The author pays homage to Lucia Spinozi, a professional at the Mexican Center for Applied Neuroscience Studies (CENA). [Source attribution: Volpi explores violence through scientific and human perspectives, with Lucia at the center of the inquiry.]
Spinozi teams up with Luis Roth, founder of the center and a patron of the time, and they travel to the village to study the children. Their work focuses on understanding the roots of violence, particularly in Mexico. What is happening in a country where people vanish from bridges and the harm against women remains a troubling reality? Roth, a brilliant scientist, suggests that examining minor offenders could yield insights that challenge some collaborators’ views. Lucia, his student who has become a subordinate at headquarters, follows him—though he himself lacks a clear plan. The journey, the choices, and the unfolding events draw attention not only to what is said but to how it is articulated and who is doing the talking. Dayana’s murder becomes a focal point, the case named for the victim. The narration uses a second-person approach at times, addressing Luis directly with a vivid, time-worn glow in Her hopeless green eyes. [Source attribution: Lucia’s perspective acts as a counterpoint to the scientific investigation.]
The Corozal setting reveals Luis’s hidden façade, and Lucia confronts the disintegration of a once-heroic character who is real and flawed. The second-person voice ponders questions, revealing Lucia’s narrative strength. Through this lens, Lucia questions the male-dominated discourse and offers a woman’s point of view that probes why violence persists. The novel does not sideline the children’s story; instead, it alternates between Lucia’s discoveries about Luis and the science team’s findings about children, building a richer, more expansive narrative as it progresses. Some readers may sense an accumulation of elements—more material, more threads—yet Volpi keeps the momentum, never letting the pace drop. Blood pressure stays high as the plot thickens. [Source attribution: The alternating perspectives emphasize gendered inquiry and the science of violence.]
One might argue that the author leans into a melodramatic tone at times, a possible risk for a story that could have thrived on starker restraint. Still, Partes de Guerra stands as a compelling achievement that reinforces Volpi’s mastery and talent in contemporary Mexican fiction. It cements his status among the most important living Mexican writers. [Source attribution: The novel’s emotional intensity coexists with its analytical backbone.]
War Parties
Author: Jorge Volpi
Editorial: Alfaguara
240 pages. €18,90