Historical Adventure Gets Rave Reviews
Álvaro Enrigue's *Now I Surrender* is thrilling historical fiction fans with its blend of humor, violence, and sharp social commentary set against the Spanish conquest of Mexico. Critics are calling it a standout adventure tale with both action and intellectual depth.
The novel's narrative unfolds across multiple timelines, weaving together historical events from the 19th-century U.S.-Mexico border wars with a present-day road trip through the same region. This structure juxtaposes the myth of the Old West with contemporary realities. A central figure in the book is the legendary Apache leader Geronimo. The title itself, *Now I Surrender*, is a direct quote from his statement of surrender to U.S. Army General George Crook in 1886. The story delves into the intertwined lives of both historical and fictional characters, including a Mexican woman named Camila Ezguerra who is kidnapped by Apaches in 1836 and a lieutenant colonel, José María Zuloaga, tasked with her rescue. The plot sidesteps typical Western tropes by exploring the captive's eventual embrace of her captors' society. Author Álvaro Enrigue, a Mexican novelist living in New York, has stated the book was written as a direct response to the political rhetoric surrounding the 2016 U.S. presidential election and the debate over the border wall. Enrigue is an award-winning author whose previous novels, such as *Sudden Death* and *You Dreamed of Empires*, have also received international acclaim for their inventive approach to historical fiction. He has taught at universities including Columbia and Princeton. The English version of the novel was translated by Natasha Wimmer, a celebrated translator known for her work on the novels of Roberto Bolaño and Álvaro Enrigue's own previous books.
