(Reviewed by JD Jung)
#CommissionsEarned
“I also hate the ladies of Bogotá among whom I count myself, though I do all I can to stand apart.
I hate their habit of using the term “Indians” to refer to people they consider to be from a low social class…. I hate so many things in so many ways, things that seem to me unjust, stupid arbitrary and cruel, and most of all I hate myself for playing my own part in the status quo.”
Successful psychoanalyst Claire Dalvard returned home to Bogotá after years in Paris. Though she was blond, she felt like a foreigner in France. Once back, she discovered the spa, “La Casa de la Belleza” (House of Beauty), and became intrigued with Karen, a dark-skinned beautician from Cartagena. Claire saw something “savage, raw and real” about Karen, a woman who “oozed life”. In turn, Karen thought of Claire as a “free woman, at peace with life.”
Along with Claire, we slowly learn Karen’s story, as well as the histories of supporting characters. Throughout these intriguing stories, we are constantly reminded of the horrific death of teenager Sabrina Guzmán.
Though many of the characters suffered from varying degrees of neurosis, author Melba Escobar won’t let us forget how racism, classism and/or misogyny caused or affected each of their lives. We also learn how these factors play a major role in the corrupt social justice system. All of this is woven into a spellbinding crime story written in a very personal and intimate manner.
Fans of crime novels will enjoy House of Beauty not only for its gradual reveals, but also for its emotional and realistic commentary on modern-day society.
