The Lost Steps

Alejo Carpentier is a great Cuban writer who achieved worldwide renown. Born in Havana in 1904, his father, a Frenchman by origin, was an architect, and his Russian mother was a relative of the poet Konstantin Balmont. He studied architecture at the University of Havana but chose the theory and history of music as his specialty. This explains the prominent presence of music in his works. “The Lost Steps” is a journey novel. The protagonist’s path into the jungle becomes a quest for self-discovery, a return to his roots, and a reconnection with his long-forgotten native Spanish language. The narrative includes the history of his relationships with three women, intense emotional experiences, and a profound reevaluation of values. Ultimately, “The Lost Steps” is a drama of catharsis. Will it lead the hero to complete liberation from everything that burdened and distorted his life? Will he achieve the spiritual freedom he so desperately craves? This novel suggests that one must look not only to the past but also to the present and the future.