Rating: 
Summary: a fascinating and unconventional read..
Review: Kiss of the Spider Women (KSW) is a play (..not a novel) set in a prison cell circa 1978 Argentina. It consists almost entirely of dialogue between two male prisoners: a homosexual (imprisoned for corrupting a minor), and a revolutionary. Sounds dreary? Actually, it's a very interesting read about two very different people with a lot in common.However I do recommend seeing the film KSW before reading the book. The film is generally quite faithful to book, and it is very well made. But bear in mind KSW is very unconventional. Puig does have his own personal political/social statements strewn throughout the play, and it can be awkward to read since Puig chose to skip some niceties such as telling the reader who is doing the talking at any given time (although eventually one does follow the rythem easily enough).
Rating: 
Summary: A brilliant story, wonderfully combines with the movie
Review: Puig's brilliant description of the relationship between two man in a cell, from mutual haterd to homosexual relationship. The wonderful, rich descriptions of the films Molina (the homosexual) well-translated from Spanish, and the carefully constructed description of the prisoners life and relationship, makes this book a permanent resident in my library.
Rating:
Summary: for the footnotes
Review: Since there are already so many reviews for this excellent book, I will limit my contribution to a few comments on the footnotes. They are not mere postmodern flourish, nor are they superfluous. They function in several ways. First, they mark a certain reception of psychoanalytic theory in Argentina. Secondly, although in the beginning they correspond to the story (in the tradition way that footnotes do -- as elaboration on a point that cannot be contained in the narrative) they begin to loose their direct correspondence as the story continues. This "unraveling" corresponds to the unraveling of the framing device (most importantly the telling of stories), which traditionally is a narrative structure that functions to hold sexual desire at bay. In other words, the footnotes lose their hold as the characters become closer, sharing more personal facets of their lives, and eventually becoming sexual. In this way the footnotes subtend the narrative in such a way as to track sexual desire and the confusing and contradictory aspects (and theories) that attend to it. I think it is essential to read the footnotes along with the narrative since they add to Puig's experimental narrative style. If they are confusing, that is the point. Unexpected desire, like love, always is.
Rating:
Summary: A post modern flourish
Review: Some very thoughtfully written responses (Rebekah, reader from Seattle, Jenna, pjmittal, et al). And some good synopses as well (be careful though, Erika's, while well written, is a bit of a spoiler). Since the above topics have been so adroitly covered, I won't dwell on them. But I couldn't resist seconding Stephanie Zuercher: one of the most interesting things about this novel is the choice Puig made to use dialog, almost exclusively, to tell the story. As you read consider this technique & the fact that you still get an excellent picture of the setting. Masterful prose styling. & very original. I can't think of another writer that's done the same (but I'd be interested to hear if anyone else can; please throw the author's names/titles my way, as would love to read them). & for those that didn't understand the use of footnotes or didn't like them--it's merely a post modern flourish (perhaps an homage to T. S. Eliot's _The Waste Land_?). Ignore them till you reach the end then go back and read them. Or ignore them entirely. But read the book. It's an A+
Rating:
Summary: A post modern flourish
Review: Some very thoughtfully written responses (Rebekah, reader from Seattle, Jenna, pjmittal, et al). And some good synopses as well (be careful though, Erika's, while well written, is a bit of a spoiler). Since the above topics have been so adroitly covered, I won't dwell on them. But I couldn't resist seconding Stephanie Zuercher: one of the most interesting things about this novel is the choice Puig made to use dialog, almost exclusively, to tell the story. As you read consider this technique & the fact that you still get an excellent picture of the setting. Masterful prose styling. & very original. I can't think of another writer that's done the same (but I'd be interested to hear if anyone else can; please throw the author's names/titles my way, as would love to read them). & for those that didn't understand the use of footnotes or didn't like them--it's merely a post modern flourish (perhaps an homage to T. S. Eliot's _The Waste Land_?). Ignore them till you reach the end then go back and read them. Or ignore them entirely. But read the book. It's an A+
Rating:
Summary: This is a powerfully intense and passionate novel!
Review: This book is a brilliant controversial mind assault that
constantly challenges your intellect and your attitudes towards homosexuality. It is a well-crafted masterpiece!
This is a definite must-read for any open-minded reader.
Rating:
Summary: Strange footnotes
Review: This book is about two men who share a prison cell. One is a gay man in for 'corruption of youth' and the other is a political activist. Most of the book is the conversations between these two and one of the men telling the other the plots to movies, as a way to pass the time. About midway through, the author begins to place pages-long footnotes on various subjects and these perplexed me a bit. I felt a bit like this book would make english teachers drool at the mouth because of the subtle undertones of emotion in the prisoners and also the strange footnotes.
Rating:
Summary: Strange footnotes
Review: This book is about two men who share a prison cell. One is a gay man in for 'corruption of youth' and the other is a political activist. Most of the book is the conversations between these two and one of the men telling the other the plots to movies, as a way to pass the time. About midway through, the author begins to place pages-long footnotes on various subjects and these perplexed me a bit. I felt a bit like this book would make english teachers drool at the mouth because of the subtle undertones of emotion in the prisoners and also the strange footnotes.
Rating:
Summary: revolutionary ground-could we go farther?
Review: this book is noteworthy, as others have sugested, in large part becuase of its willingness to touch topics that are normally not considered worthy, especially in a strictly catholic latin american country. i highly recommend reading this book for entertainment purposes and to view new perspectives. however, also let the book make you question it. i wondered why puig decided to make his two "outcasts" fall so readily into predictable patterns. why does molina embrace so wholeheartedly what society tells him a "woman" must be like? the question and situation are both valid; let us simply take the book as that type of good literature which goes farther by forcing the reader to engage himself.
Rating:
Summary: Entertainning to the last page!
Review: This book is Puig's best book that he wrote. The book is entertannig and hard to put down once you start to read the first story that Molina narrates to Valentin in the prison cell. The book has a mix of drama, mystery, horror, tragedy and good old fashion dialog. I assure you that you'll read this book in less than a week because is so entertainning. Great piece of literature. Won't bore you at all.
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