House of Fury

A lyrical yet unforgettably intense portrait of Colombian society by one of the country’s most renowned novelists Taking place entirely on a single evening—Friday 10 April 1970—in a large Bogotá mansion, House of Fury tells a hair-raising story. Nacho Caiciedo, a magistrate of the Supreme Court of Justice, lives with his wife Alma and their six grown daughters. The Caiciedos have planned an enormous celebration in their home. But before the party has even started, the family is shocked by two pieces of news: their teenage daughter Italia is pregnant, and Alma’s prodigal brother Jesús is expected at any moment. Guests from all levels of Bogotá society arrive, two earthquakes strike, and the party descends into debauchery; Nacho, out in the city streets, searching for Italia, is kidnapped by a ragtag militia, and its troops eventually invade the party and bring more chaos. House of Fury begins as a black comedy and unravels into a grim portent of the conflict that would rage across Colombia for fifty years. As in Rosero’s previous novels, House of Fury is an indelible, fantastical work that with its unforgettable characters and unflinching, poetic and humane voice, brings to light Colombia’s violent history.