Hopscotch by Julio Cortazar

‘There is no such thing as a general idea’.

‘Hopscotch’ is a series of journeys through interconnected lives. It is simultaneously a reminder that we each read the same words and form different conclusions.

I have read ‘Hopscotch’ twice: following the instructions provided by Mr Cortazar. I will read it again in the future when I will try to be less concerned about where I am going and more interested in why I am undertaking the journey.
None of the characters appealed to me and yet I found myself caring about the paths they took and the choices they made. The death of the child, Rocamadour, was so harrowing that I almost stopped reading. But I did not. I wanted to see if somehow this event would change the lives that La Maga and Oliviera chose. By then, of course, it was too late.

‘Everything is writing, that is to say, a fable.’

So what is this book about? Who is the narrator? Which points of view does the reader obtain? Is there order in this chaos? Do any of these questions have answers, and are the answers relevant? There is nothing neat about ‘Hopscotch’. The endings are ambiguous, the characters are self-absorbed and the reader is invited to make choices. The novel comes to life and the reader becomes a part of it as the ultimate destination is driven by the choices made.

This novel made me uncomfortable. Yet, simultaneously, I am awed by the skills of the writer able to create such a world, invite me into it and leave the choices thereafter entirely to me. I agree with those who consider this amongst the best novels written this century. But don’t take my word for it: read it for yourself. A word of warning: Do not attempt if you lack balance. You may fall.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith