Villa Pacifica: Book review
Reviewed by tvnz.co.nz's Steph Zajkowski
A couple arrive in a dead-end coastal village somewhere in South
America. The only place to stay is Villa Pacifica, part hotel and
part animal sanctuary run by eccentric ex-pats, Mikel and
Lucia.
Travel guide-writer Ute and her husband Jerry are joined by an
assortment of travellers: in-your-face American Max; two sporty
flight attendants from Australia; musicians Luis and Helga.
All are looking for something out of the ordinary, and it's not
long before the tropical steamy retreat of Villa Pacifica
starts to feel less like Utopia and more like an
isolated world they can't escape from.
Ute begins to meet the locals and explore the villa's
surrounds.
She senses that the place taps into her most intimate fears
regarding her relationship with her husband, her own low self
esteem and her dissatisfaction with her life path in
general.
With a growing sense of unease, Ute wonders if its disturbances may
well be beyond the rational mind.
Soon, personalities and relationships begin to crack.
An incoming storm serves as a metaphor for the building tension and
sense of menace steadily developing through the chapters.
When Nature unleashes its fury, travellers and locals are
thrown back on their own devices.
The hot-house world that prowls below the surface of Villa Pacifica
rises to engulf everyone. Madness begins to take hold.
There were definitely parts of this novel where I wasn't sure what
was going on, as it is a challenge to interpret author Kapka
Kassabova's meaning.
But you can practically feel the steam rising off the pages -
redolent with tropical heat, like the lush foliage imprisoning
Villa Pacifica, this novel's tendrils wrap around the reader and
draw you in.
It's dangerous, sensual and disturbing in parts, but beautifully
drawn - the hidden world of Villa Pacifica is lusciously crafted -
undoubtedly a product of a talented writer.
Rating 7.5/10
Villa Pacifica by Kapka Kassabova
Publisher:
Penguin NZ
RRP: $39.00
Available: Now
