Figures of Wood, the debut novel by Venezuelan writer María Pérez-Talavera, now translated into English, is a thought-provoking and gripping novel that delves into the mind of L, a young man questioning his own guilt and sanity in a sanatorium. Told in diary form, the story is set in an unnamed place and time, leaving the reader to question the reliability of L's entries as his perceptions seem to grow more distorted. The novel explores love and betrayal, shame and guilt, and the searing pain of feeling alone in the world. Lines from Whitman's Leaves of Grass weave through the narrative, introducing and echoing these complex themes.
