Description
TANGO OF THE REPENTANT TORTURER
Book summary
A contemporary fiction novel that explores the complex wounds of the Argentine dictatorship through a psychological duel between victim and executioner. Set between 1978 Buenos Aires and the year 2000 in Madrid, the work follows Julio, a young "disappeared" man who manages to survive thanks to the intervention of Major Morales, who releases him due to a personal connection. Years later, under a new identity, he reunites with his former captor and struggles between revenge and an unexpected affection. A story about memory, guilt, and the complexity of forgiveness.
What is it about?
In 1978, during the Argentine military dictatorship, Julio is kidnapped and taken to a clandestine detention center. His life depends on Major Morales, an officer who, seeing the reflection of his own deceased son in him, decides to release him after three months of captivity. However, the experience transforms Julio forever. Twenty-two years later, settled in Madrid under the name Jorge Luis, a chance encounter with Morales awakens in him the need for revenge. As he infiltrates the ex-military man's life, he discovers that hatred is mixed with a strange compassion, and both become trapped in a relationship as destructive as it is inevitable. The narrative moves like a tango, with a tragic rhythm that anticipates a fatal outcome.
Main themes
- Historical memory and the trauma of the Argentine dictatorship.
- The moral dilemma between revenge and forgiveness.
- The complexity of the bond between victim and perpetrator.
- Identity and exile as survival mechanisms.
- Guilt and redemption in contexts of political violence.
Who is it recommended for?
For readers interested in contemporary historical fiction, especially those looking for narratives that address the psychological aftermath of authoritarian regimes. It is also suitable for those who appreciate psychological suspense plots with a political backdrop, as well as for followers of Argentine literature who explore the impact of the dictatorship on human relationships.
What this book offers
- An intimate and nuanced perspective on the relationship between a repentant torturer and his victim, avoiding moral simplicity.
- An emotional journey that questions the nature of hatred and the possibility of compassion in extreme circumstances.
- A rigorous historical setting that connects two eras and two key cities in the Argentine diaspora.
- A reflection on identity and the ability to reinvent oneself after deep trauma.
Technical specifications
- Author: Carlos Salem
- Publisher: ED.ALREVES,S.L
- Language: Spanish
- Genre: Modern and contemporary fiction, Historical mysteries
- Collection: Narrative
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: May 2024
- Number of pages: 300
- Weight: 828 g
Editorial review
A literary proposal that combines the psychological thriller with historical inquiry, achieving a balance between narrative tension and thematic depth. Carlos Salem builds morally ambiguous characters that invite reflection on memory and justice. It is a work that may interest both those looking for an absorbing read and those interested in the revision of collective traumas from a human and complex perspective.