"Cat's Eye" by Luisa Valenzuela

Woman or she-beast? Were-panther or simply a modern, empowered Argentine female... we leave conclusions up to the reader regarding this surreal drama. Read by Scoot. Translated by Christopher Leland. Time 8:37.

Her works have been compared to the sinuous national dance of her native country, the tango. And like a tango-dancer, Luisa Valenzuela has teased and taunted the readers of her politically charged and confrontative stories and novels, which include Bedside Manners and The Lizard's Tail. We're now going to say those two words we've almost grown to despise: "Magic Realism." OK, she's Latin American and she owes her debts to Garcia-Marquez, but is this the only way to characterize this type of writing which has been around at least since the days of Ovid? Since Valenzuela seems to live and teach permanently in the United States these days, we can guess what she thinks of modern-day Buenos Aires and the chances a woman and a writer has there. Then again, maybe it's just that the money is better.