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âNancy,â Chilean author Bruno Lloretâs first novel, tells the tragic life story of its eponymous protagonist, a 17-year-old runaway from a poor, fractured family in Chile. Her story is one of a desperate struggle for survival in an unforgiving, absurd world, where poverty and discontent are unquestioned axioms of living. The emotions of the text are raw and heart-wrenching to the point where it nearly becomes downright depressing.
But such a condemnation of the novel would overlook its purpose: critiquing the powers in society that cause the lives of so many Chileans to be so dismal. Indeed, âNancyâ is, at its heart, a social commentary, and the blows that send its protagonist to her lonely end are Lloretâs attempt at drawing attention to the flaws of modern Chilean society. Lloretâs harsh criticism of heavy industry (e.g. mining, canning) and Christian denominations that consume the lives of Chileans are particularly damning, as he frames these po