Return to the Dark Valley

Santiago Gamboa takes us once again to four countries with five different characters in a contemporary world, following his novel "e;Where Are You?"e;. The story unfolds in France, Spain, England, and Colombia. It follows the lives of Manuela, haunted by her traumatic childhood, who finds solace in books and poetry; Tertullian, the troubled Argentine priest and Nazi sympathizer who claims to be the Pope's son; Ferdinand Palacios, the Colombian priest and former soldier burdened by guilt over his dark past; a diplomat and writer whose trip to Madrid leads him to a long-sought relationship; and the late French poet Arthur Rimbaud, a complex figure with a wild life. Although each character appears entirely separate, Gamboa's skillful weaving of their paths intertwines, ultimately poses a compelling question: Is there a past we can reconcile with?