Tropical Night Falling (Manuel Puig)

This book convinces me that Puig as a writer is really more dramatic than writerly. He excels at creating characters that shine and demand to be cared for, and it seems his writing consists mostly of impartial records of the things these characters say: dialogues, letters, etc. There is no narrative voice except for the voices of those being observed by no one in particular. This is refreshing, and allows for deeper involvement in the actual raw story. I read somewhere (and I think this is true) that Puig's writing often concerns itself with the theme of self-degradation as a necessary function of love and desire. His stories are heartbreaking and beautiful, and this one is no exception.