Una historia increíble y real, una novela impresionante, la más esperada de Carlos Fuentes. Como Caín y Abel, dos hermanos se enfrentan por la amante de su padre, el hombre más poderoso del país. La voluntad y la fortuna es la gran novela del México pasado y el presente de una «narconación» la de todas las civilizaciones y mitologías, la del siglo XX. El destino como voluntad disfrazada es el tema de este relato, una de la obras mayores de la gran literatura hispanoamericana. «Vi lo que es el poder: una mirada de tigre que te hace bajar los ojos y sentir miedo y vergüenza.» Lamida por mansas olas nocturnas en una playa del Pacífico, la cabeza cortada de Josué Nadal cuenta, recuerda, divaga. Sabe que es la número mil en lo que va de año y que gobierna la delincuencia (traficante o corporativa) con tal cinismo que incluso se celebra el mal como si fuera el bien de la voluntad y la fortuna. En México no hay tragedia: todo se vuelve telenovela. Josué aspiró a entender el mundo en tanto Jericó, su amigo entrañable, llegó a admirar a Caín. Ambas voluntades chocan tras recabar agravantes en la premeditación y alevosía de Asunta Jordán, mujer indómita. En cambio, Lucha Zapata representa el peligro de la generosidad y el amor. El vasto reparto de esta obra incluye Filopáter, el cura rebelde; el magnate Max Monroy; el abogado Antonio Sanginés, intermediario entre estado y empresa; Miguel Aparecido, encarcelado por propia voluntad, y por encima (o por debajo) la matriarca, la Antigua Concepción. ¿Por qué si hay cinco tigres en una jaula cuatro se alían para matar a uno? Esta novela iniciática, espesa como el corazón de las tinieblas, propone algunas respuestas.

A very flowery novel, and one with many digressions. Not bad by any sense, just talky. I'll give Fuentes another try some day. ( )

Half way through, reading this novel became a painful chore. Did the editors take pity on an 80-year old man and just publish whatever "stream of consciousness" he put to paper? It seems certain that writing this novel had passionate, personal significance to the author. But by the end of the book, I had no interest in any of the characters and kept wondering "why doesn't this book just end? Why must Josué drone on and on and on, repeating himself, world without end?" I appreciated Fuentes' storyline, but am sorry the editors allowed this to be published in current form. ( )

To be honest, Carlos Fuente's Destiny and Desire felt like assigned reading. I had to struggle through much of it. The first few pages open with a severed head telling the story of how it came to be a severed head which his the high concept sort of novel that some readers will find brilliant, and others like myself may find frustrating. Also when you give away the death of the protagonist on page 2, it is really hard to get the narrative tension back. I never felt like a had a grip on the story, and the sense of accomplishment I had when finishing did not seem worth the effort.

A pretty simple well tread plot line centers around two young boys, Jerico and Josue, as they meet and swear an oath of loyalty. Until the come of age taking opposite positions in Mexico's hierarchy of power and corruption. And the plot's complexity comes from the many allusions to literature, religion and myth as wells as a striking narrative voice that meanders through and around the story back filling details. For those who enjoy a challenge, Destiny and a Desire does offer a lot to dig into. A better knowledge than I have of modern day Mexico may also assist. But for those looking for an engrossing epic, you may want to skip it. ( )

While i like reading Fuentes, this time he has overdone it. He keeps on analyzing everything and gives semi-filosofical comments on everything and everybody. He also keeps repeating things. It seems as if he wants to write about everything he came across in this book. ( )