Every Arc Bends Its Radian

By: Sergio De La Pava

Narrated by: Lee Osorio

From PEN Award–winning author Sergio de la Pava comes a “roiling, noirish, existential explosion of a novel” (Vanity Fair) about a private investigator who escapes New York City for Colombia, where he finds himself entangled in the mystery of a young woman’s disappearance—which may be connected to one of the world’s most ruthless criminal organizations.

Riv—poet, philosopher, private eye—arrives in Cali, Colombia, hoping to find reprieve. Running away from an unspeakable event surrounding his ex Jane, Riv accidentally connects with his cousin Mauro and family friend Carlotta, who asks him to find her daughter Angelica Alfa-Ochoa. No sooner is Riv on the trail when it becomes clear that not only are the cops not looking for Angelica, but they are actively preventing him from finding her. This could be a good thing because the police are clearly in the pocket of one Exeter Mondragon, a name best never uttered in public if one wants to stay alive.

But Riv is not one to leave things incomplete. When his investigation leads him straight into the heart of Mondragon’s criminal empire, he is forced to face unimaginable horrors and plunge into the deepest and most perplexing conundrums of the human condition.

Lighting fast on the page and steeped in the cultural history of Colombia, Every Arc Bends Its Radian is a novel only Sergio de la Pava could write. As incredibly funny as it is ridiculously smart, it poses large existential questions while keeping you laughing. A novel idea about the biggest idea of them all—what in God’s name are we even put on earth for—this book is a singular philosophical exploration of the human psyche.

Critic reviews

"With his use of accents Osorio creates a believable cast of characters inhabiting a convincing backdrop. In particular, Osorio delivers a deliciously evil supervillain in Mondragon, using a chilling British accent with great effect. His spot-on pacing allows the plot to unfold as it twists through a variety of horrifying scenes."

Pava never disappoints

His stories are always so thoughtful provoking yet so down to earth. I have enjoyed his last three books.

Thoroughly entertaining and thought provoking!

I have read all of DelaPava’s other books, and loved every one of them for different reasons. This one did not disappoint. One of the things I enjoy about his books is that they are not predictable. Each one explores a different realm of reality, and they make you reflect on existence and life in general. In this one in particular, I loved the cultural references to my beloved birthplace of Cali, Colombia. The main character, Riv, has a great sense of humor and witty comebacks which add to the entertainment factor. DelaPava demonstrates the ability to get into a twisted character’s mind, and a surprise twist towards the end came completely out of left field. Loved it! I looked forward to listening to it every day and highly recommend it!

Remarkable!

This story left me speechless! How interesting and deeply thought out, mesmerizing to say the least.

Pompous

Some interesting moments but way too pompous for my taste. Too much pretentious philosophy. Didn’t enjoy

The silliness of it all

The story in this book is a thinly veiled excuse for the author to expound on his thoughts about humanity, morality and AI. All of which is fine, but he should have written an essay instead of endless monologues of fictional characters “debating” the issues. An essay would have been quicker, less painful, and ultimately more successful. The first 2/3 of this are just filler to set up the essay written in dialogue form.