Synopses & Reviews
Critically acclaimed throughout Spain, and now available for the first time in English, this tender, satirical novel vividly captures the intrinsic absurdity of war—and the joys of true friendship in a place where it is difficult to distinguish man from beast.
Juan Castro Pérez is a simple muleteer caught in the brutal Spanish Civil War. Never far from his closest companion—a stray mule named Valentina whom he is determined to keep for himself after the war—Juan engages in the low-brow drinking escapades, long shots at love, and an otherwise droning existence shared by his compatriots.
As he lies, cheats, and steals to protect Valentina during his improbable odyssey home, Juan unwittingly “fights” for both sides—and becomes a reluctant and unlikely hero of the people, exploited by opportunistic journalists desperately trying to convince the Spanish public that the war is under control, when it is anything but….
About the Author
Juan Eslava Galán was born in Andalusia, Spain, in 1948. He is the author of more than fifty books, and winner of the Planeta Award for
En Busca del Unicornia. He lives in Seville.
Lisa Dillman is the translator of over a half dozen book-length works of literature, history, and pedagogy. She is best known for her translation of Gioconda Bellis The Scroll of Seduction. Dillman is a professor in the department of Spanish and Portuguese at Emory University in Atlanta. She lives in Decatur, Georgia.
Reading Group Guide
1. How did your impressions of Juan Castro Pérez shift throughout the novel? When did you sympathize with him the most? When did he seem decidedly un-heroic?
2. How do the characters view sex and desire? How do they talk about their bodies and their cravings in the midst of the deprivations of war?
3. What was the effect of the authors use of present-tense verbs in every chapter? How did the fact that Castros story unfolds entirely in the present tense shape your reading?
4. How does class warfare play out in the characters lives? What freedoms and limitations does Castro experience as a result of his impoverished background and his job as a muleteer?
5. What aspects of the Spanish Civil War surprised you as you read The Mule? What had you previously known about the war? How is the history of Franco different from the rise of other totalitarian regimes in Europe during that time period?
6. What does Castros interaction with the bishop in Chapter Six reveal about the tandem of Catholicism and Francos political philosophies? How were religious mandates woven into the messages of his followers?
7. What role do the Moors play in Castros world? How is the character Mohammed described in Chapter Nine? What traces of former Muslim rule in Spain are evident in the cultural history presented in the novel?
8. What does Castros conversation with Second Lieutenant Estrella indicate about the way loyalty and disloyalty play out in times of war? To whom is Estrella most closely allied? Who are the most ardent dissenters in The Mule? Do they dare vocalize their opinions?
9. In Chapter Fourteen, Churri and Castro debate the behavior of various factions in the war. What part did propaganda play in spurring recruitment for fascists? In the novel, how did Spains citizens navigate the maze of truth and rumor? What was Castros response to the propaganda surrounding his “heroism”?
10. How does Valentinas role change throughout the novel? In what way is Castro also a “mule” while carrying out his duties? Why is he so attached to Valentina?
11. Re-read the farewell letter that comprises chapter seventeen. In what way does it capture Castros ultimate dilemma? Would you have spurned him in light of these revelations?
12. How did you react to the scene depicting Castros encounter with Franco himself? What enabled him to remain in power for many subsequent decades, until his death in 1975? How did Castro react to Francos words on the night of his commendation?
13. In Chapter Twenty-Five, Castros ablutions include his very first attempt to brush his teeth. What other transformations take place in this scene? Why does he later cast Pilar as a prostitute when later recounting their tryst to his friends?
14. How would you have perceived the political situation experienced by Castro in fiction? Where would you have placed your allegiances? What can contemporary policymakers learn from this chapter in history, in the aftermath of the fall of the Soviet Union and the creation of a constitutional monarchy in Spain?
15. How did Juan Eslava Galáns depiction of Spanish culture differ from that of other novelists you have read, such as Ernest Hemingway? What enlightening realities and inaccurate stereotypes of Spain have been offered by literary outsiders?
One of Spains most prolific authors, award-winning novelist Juan Eslava Galán creates a mesmerizing portrait of the Spanish Civil War in
The Mule. Hailed by
Kirkus Reviews as a book that “echoes both Hemingway and Heller,” this provocative, critically acclaimed work introduces us to Juan Castro Pérez, a mule driver caught in the maelstrom of Francos revolution. His closest companion on the journey is Valentina, a stray mule who leads him to a state of surprising celebrity. Being dubbed a hero of the people brings about changes in his friendships, his career, and even his sex life. Combining a comedy of errors with an intricate exploration of gritty frontline reality, Galán has produced a magnificent ode to the absurdities of war.
The questions and discussion topics that follow are intended to enhance your reading of Juan Eslava Galáns The Mule. We hope they will enrich your experience of this spectacular novel.