How to Draw a Novel

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

How to Draw a Novel is an interesting monograph on narrative and craft by Martín Solares. Originally published in 2014 as Como dibujar una novela , this English language translation was published by Grove Atlantic and released 12th Dec. 2023. It's 224 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats. 

This is a writer's mind view of the landscape of writing, with graphic and spatial comparisons for mapping out the shape of a novel. It's probably more useful for writers who are honing their craft, but a bit more surprisingly, he speaks eloquently and very well about literature in general, drawing examples from a huge number of Latin American (and not mainstream for primarily English language readers). This is a great way to find new authors and works outside the English mainstream to follow and read.

The translation work seems to be unobtrusive and the scansion and flow of the writing is fine in English. It's a technical work, but readable and accessible to the average layman.

Four stars. This would be a good choice for public or post-secondary school library acquisition, for the writer's (or would-be writer's) reference shelf, and for readers who are looking to expand their literature horizons. It could also be useful for writer and critique groups as a reference.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.