The Invention of Morel

Great SF classic. I already knew the basic idea (it’s hard to discover a classic new to you without some spoilers), but there were still surprises. Some interesting comparisons that enhanced my enjoyment of the story: Casares’ The Invention of Morel has a similar satisfying flavour to stories from fellow Argentine writers Borges and Gorodischer, and even to some stories from Lem. These almost form their own sub-genre of SF. The Invention of Morel is also said to influence the film Last Year in Marienbad, and it certainly offers one (of many) ways to read this deeply ambiguous, amazing film. Also, I found both story and film are further illuminated by reading Sailing to Byzantium, both the Yeats poem and Silverberg’s fantastic story inspired by the poem, because all of them explore artifice and immortality in profound ways. Final comparison: the character Faustine is based on screen goddess Louise Brooks (her photo is on the cover of the book), because Casares despaired over her disappearing from the movies, so my reading was further enriched by seeing the radiant Brooks in Pandora’s Box.