One Hundred Guinea Pigs
Gustavo Rodríguez author Daniel Hahn translator
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Charco Press
Publishing:14th Jul '26
£11.99
This title is due to be published on 14th July, and will be despatched as soon as possible.
Friendship makes life worth living, and worth ending too.When Eufrasia Vela begins working as a caregiver for the elderly, little does she suspect that her job will lead her to an existential crossroads. The warm relationships she develops with Doña Carmen, Dr Harrison and “The Magnificent Seven” – endearing characters who capture her thoughts and affections – force her to rethink her role as a mother and sister, the vicissitudes of longevity, the forms that compassion takes – and the surprising value that guinea pigs acquire in her moral compass. Accompanied by a soundtrack featuring huayno, jazz, ballads and pop, the story of One Hundred Guinea Pigs also turns to cinema as a counterpoint to the existence of its characters, and a source of revelations about the meaning of both life and approaching death.
"Fast-paced and witty… Gustavo Rodríguez is a remarkable talent." —World Literature Today
"Both classic and rhythmic, the story unfolds into a lively road trip through old age. A final whirlwind before the inevitable leap: this luminous novel is a compassionate tribute to hearts and bodies that are weary yet remain defiant in the face of decrepitude." —Le Monde
"A tragicomic story, moving, crafted with skill and humour." —Claudia Piñeiro , author of ELENA KNOWS
"Amusing and thought-provoking." —Latino Book Review
"Gustavo Rodríguez skilfully captures the metaphor of life as a passage to death, navigating it with a touch of humour and dignity, devoid of moralistic overtones or sensationalism." —ABC Cultural
"An appealing novel with an excellent plot development: endearing, moving, intelligent, and empowering." —Segre
"Gustavo Rodríguez once again alternates between the good and the bad in life to reveal a horrible indecency. (…) Racism, economic inequality, and the contradictions of Peruvian society are elements that One Hundred Guinea Pigs inherits from his previous work [...] luminous writing." —El periódico
"A work where tragedy and comedy intertwine in the exploration of the passage of time, old age, and its contradictions. [...] A masterful development that allows the voice of his country in world literature to rediscover its place, breaking free from what seemed like an eternal adolescence." —Zona de Obras
"In his ninth novel the writer reveals just how little attention is paid to the elderly in our society, and advocates for worthy representation, at the same time that he challenges the taboo that is dignified death and offers a portrait of structural classism and racism in Peru. These topics could be difficult to digest, but Rodríguez seasons them with a wit that points to an astonishing literary maturity and brilliance." —Coolt
"An ode to old age, a song to existence, and a tribute to those women who work, suffer, care, empathise, yearn, and, despite everything, survive." —La Razón
"A story about the culture of caregiving, senectitude, the body, ageism, and death." —El Mundo
ISBN: 9781917260244
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
272 pages