Ema, the Captive

Translated from the Spanish by Chris Andrews. Originally published by Mondadori as 'Ema, la cautiva' in 1997. In nineteenth-century Argentina, Ema, a delicate woman of indeterminate origins, is captured by soldiers and taken, along with her newborn baby, to live as a concubine in a crude fort on the very edge of civilization. The trip is appalling (rape and deprivation prevail along the way), yet the real story begins once Ema arrives at the fort. There she takes on a succession of lovers among the soldiers and Indians, before launching a grand and brave business - an enterprise never before conceived - there in the wilds. As is usual with Aira's work, the wonder of Ema, the Captive emanates from the wonderful details of customs, beauty, language, and the curious, perplexing reality of human nature.