Sometimes a pen is just a pen, and sometimes it’s a magical object that might contain all of Dr. Francia’s madness. Although this week’s episode covers pages 166–216, most of the time is spent on the Compiler’s note starting on page 197, in which “the Compiler” finally becomes a fully-fledged character—one who is in possession of the Supreme Dictator’s pen. Kaija, Brian, and Chad talk about how this adds a new dimension to the novel and helps to frame the various threads we’re following (Francia’s dying days, the history of Paraguay gaining independence, the occult, Francia’s reign of terror, etc.). They also discuss Latin American and French influences in the writing, isolationism and nationalism, and much more!
This week’s music is a song about dictators called “L.O.S.E.R.”
Next week’s episode will cover through page 269. If you want to follow along, the complete schedule can be found here.
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