Technically I've just committed an act of fraud by pressing the "I'm finished" button in order to write this review. I didn't actually finish this book. Didn't even come remotely close. Really I shouldn't be awarding a rating to this either. Essentially I'm awarding a rating to Guillermo Cabrera Infantes book which is entirely based on my own personal inability to engage with and absorb the writing therein. But what the hell. I did try with this one but I really couldn't get on board with the writing style and by the time I was over 50 pages in and still had no real idea what was happening, where the story was headed and what any central themes might be, my brain had already gone and got distracted by other shiny things on my bookshelf. Mmm shiny. Like I said in my Neuromancer review, I do like a nice bit of shiny. So what did I get from this book? Jazzy lingo, latin american flavours, a smattering of foreign wordlets and an extra confused face scrunching wrinkle from the non linear and jagged prose.Maybe I'll revisit this one day. But, as I can't really afford to get any more wrinkles, maybe not.

Although I was reading several other books at time, I felt I had to devote most of my attention to this novel, since I had requested my library to purchase it. I don't remember how it came to my attention, but I suspect it was because of a music reference.I read about the first 200 pages, then skimmed through the middle sections and ended with the final 100 pages (there are 487 pages in the 2004 Dalkey edition.)This book is for people who love words and wordplay, and don't mind cliches (which are generously sprinkled throughout and mostly humorously used.) It is written in first person, but sometimes you won't know right away (or at all) who the person is, since they won't always be identified by name. You'll just get on board with each chapter and discover where you are being taken and by whom as characters you come to know travel along with you. Often it's a fun ride. Sex is on the minds of the male characters much of the time. I most enjoyed the music references, especially the Cuban and jazz references. There are many literary references and to films of the 1930s and 1940s. it doesn't seem especially dated, even when I have only a vague knowledge of the culture pre-Castro.I think I may read this again sometime, and not skim the middle pages.Here is a passage I like:"I didn't say a thing because this is an island of double and triple entendres told by a drunk idiot signifying everything, and I go on listening to 'Straight No Chaser' which could very well be the title of how one should take life if it wasn't so obvious that that's how it is..."

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