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The Shape of the Ruins

A Novel

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The Shape of the Ruins

By: Juan Gabriel Vasquez, Anne McLean - translator
Narrated by: Sheldon Romero
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SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2019 MAN BOOKER INTERNATIONAL PRIZE

A sweeping tale of conspiracy theories, assassinations, and twisted obsessions -- the much anticipated masterpiece from Juan Gabriel Vásquez.


The Shape of the Ruins is a masterly story of conspiracy, political obsession, and literary investigation. When a man is arrested at a museum for attempting to steal the bullet-ridden suit of a murdered Colombian politician, few notice. But soon this thwarted theft takes on greater meaning as it becomes a thread in a widening web of popular fixations with conspiracy theories, assassinations, and historical secrets; and it haunts those who feel that only they know the real truth behind these killings.

This novel explores the darkest moments of a country's past and brings to life the ways in which past violence shapes our present lives. A compulsive read, beautiful and profound, eerily relevant to our times and deeply personal, The Shape of the Ruins is a tour-de-force story by a master at uncovering the incisive wounds of our memories.
Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Political Spies & Politics Thriller & Suspense Assassin
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