What is rayuela?

Rayuela, also known as Hopscotch in English, is a novel written by Argentine author Julio Cortázar. It was first published in 1963 and is considered one of the most important works of Latin American literature. The novel is highly experimental in nature, with a non-linear narrative structure that allows the reader to navigate through the book in different ways.

The story follows the lives of two main characters, Horacio Oliveira and La Maga, as they navigate the bohemian world of Paris in the 1950s. The novel explores themes such as love, identity, and the search for meaning in a fragmented and chaotic world.

Rayuela is divided into 155 chapters, but Cortázar suggests that the reader can choose to read the chapters in a different order, giving the novel a unique and interactive reading experience. The book also includes a "Table of Instructions" which provides guidance on how to navigate through the narrative in different ways.

Overall, Rayuela is a challenging and thought-provoking read that has had a lasting impact on the literary world. It is considered a masterpiece of Latin American literature and continues to be studied and analyzed by scholars and readers alike.