This was yet another heavenly book, and a very suitable end to the trilogy. I loved all of these books so much that some day I'd like to own a first edition of them. Just owning them in regular editions would be nice too, because I will grow tired of ordering them from the library. Since I rarely run across a book that I actually want to own these days, this is a huge deal.

Also, I wish I knew how to pronounce "de Bernieres."

I recieved this book as a surprise gift and had never heard of it before receiving it but as I read and enjoyed Captain Corelli's Mandolin some years ago I expected it to be something along the same line just set in another continent. How very wrong was I? It turned out to be a rare gem.

The story is set about a small fictional town in some impoverished country in South America and is basically a tale of good overcoming evil but it is also a tale who are remote from the Central Government of their land have to improvise, just roll up their sleeves and get on with their lives without much Central help. The townspeople relocate their town after their original one is destroyed by a mudslide and using their own ingenuity rebuild their lives only to be then threatened by a modern day Spanish Inquisition. The book is also a comment on the higher echelons of society with its corruption and how a thirst for power can lead to extremism. The tale is packed with great characters and fabulous demons. Those in authority are left looking rediculous but you still feel a little sorry for them.

Apparently this is the third part of a trilogy which I knew nothing about beforehand but having not read the first two I can attest that this book can be read as a stand alone tale. The story is full of wit and humour (although some of it was a little obvious) and on more than one occasion made me laugh out loud. The blurb on the front says that it is 'A novel of predigious imagination' and I would certainly have to agree with that. De Bernieres is either a genius or a fruitcake but he writes great novels.

The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzmán is the third part in Louis de Bernières’s Latin America Trilogy. Even though Dionisio Vivo managed to eliminate the coca lord El Jerarca in part two, all is not well in this imaginary Latin American country. There is still plenty of corruption, other drug lords have stepped in and now the Catholic church is adding to the mess. Cardinal Guzmán has had a child with his mulatta kitchen maid Concepcion. While the cardinal is suffering from severe stomach pains, Monsignor Anquilar gathers a group of crusaders that go on an Inquisition, wreaking havoc in the country.

This book felt a bit repetitive after having read parts one and two of the trilogy. We hear about all of the quirky characters from Cochadebajo de los Gatos, including the levitating priest Father Garcia, the frisky Doña Constanza and her campesino lover Gonzago, Aurelio the Aymara Indian and all of the black jaguar cats. The book also is longer than parts one and two.

There is plenty of humor and critic of corruption and abuse of power in the government and in the Catholic church. I was glad to have read the trilogy, although the third book definitely felt a bit long at times.

I know people hate LdB but I'm a fan. For a start, it's rare for me to find a word I've never seen before but his books usually have a handful. I like the way he structures his books too - how apparently disparate threads suddenly pull together into tight meaning. And I admire how unflinching he is about human cruelty and violence - even if those passages often make me throw the book into a wall.

This book is very similar to Captain Corelli's Mandolin (which I also really like) - in its approach to politics and ideologies, and how ordinary people carve out a life around and outside them.