Book Review: 180 Days

Reviewed by Lauren Hayataka

A tender yet evocative narrative of love’s resilience, tested against life’s unpredictable twists and turns

Alfredo Botello’s debut, 180 Days, is an untraditional love story wrapped in existentialism and tied with a ribbon of uncertainty. 

Set against the backdrop of California’s mandatory six-month waiting period for divorce, Botello delves into the intertwined lives of Tomas Araeta and Naomi Curran as they grapple with the complexities of honesty, both in their relationship and within themselves. What happens when what was built to last forever will be demolished in just 180 days? This question pushes Tomas to regain Naomi’s love after his infidelity jeopardizes their marriage and adoption plans.

The narrative unfolds along a non-linear timeline, crisscrossing over days entwined and nights apart, revealing the evolution of Tomas and Naomi’s relationship. Enrolling at Berkeley, Tomas met Naomi, a perceptive teacher’s assistant who often teased the aspiring architect about his tendency for “Paralysis by analysis.” 

Botello’s writing style is gorgeously smooth, characterized by quick dialogue and lush descriptions that make the world of this novel come alive. In one scene, Naomi, now working for Macy’s, creates a window display described as “‘…perfect. Nothing to add or subtract. A magical landscape evoking distant planets, strange formations in the American desert, and, of course, dyed crystals of sugar on a ridiculous scale.’”

Through Botello’s lens, Tomas and Naomi are deeply flawed characters, depicted with painful realism. Tomas is crippled by self-doubt and an innate desire for artistic immortality, drawing parallels to Michelangelo’s yearning for eternal significance through his creations. In contrast, Naomi embodies a pragmatic sharpness honed by life’s challenges, yet she too finds herself adrift in a sea of uncertainty when faced with the prospect of a life without Tomas. Side-by-side yet a world apart, Botello reveals how alike they are as each sees their emotions unraveling into an ‘…uncertain world of X-rays, gamma rays, and other bits of miniscule, absurdly strong energy…’ that is defined by pain, in place of euphoria.  

The premise that Botello has created—that of a marriage falling apart—isn’t something new. Yet, 180 Days follows the steps of The Story of a Marriage and Scenes from a Marriage in their ability to captivate and connect with their audiences, regardless of how your heart may wish otherwise. It would never work if Botello didn’t maintain an incredible grasp on the inner world of his characters and how they need to lose their way to each other in order to find themselves again. 

Grasping for purpose, Tomas discovers that his idol, famed musician Evo Korman, once celebrated as a generational talent, is now living out of his van and relying on the hospitality of strangers for daily necessities. Unable to understand how Korman can reconcile his past legacy with his new life, Tomas becomes fixated on finding him. Meanwhile, Naomi contemplates a flourishing career and the possibility of adoption as a single mother—in a home where she and Tomas imagined raising a child together. 

With an impeccable control of the pacing, Botello explores how Tomas and Naomi have changing perspectives on marriage and their relationships. Naomi grapples with the complexities of her family history, where secrecy and loneliness defined her parents’ marriage, leading to her mother’s revelation as a lesbian and subsequent remarriage to her partner. 

In contrast, Tomas observes the transformed dynamics of his parents’ relationship, marked by a newfound respect if not love, despite his father’s past infidelities. At the heart of the novel is Botello’s challenge of a conventional marriage—does every marriage require an extraordinary love story? What does it truly signify to share a life with someone for a decade, or even two, let alone until death? As one character remarks: “Happiness is overblown. Comes and goes. Peace of mind is where it’s at.”

More than just challenging traditional notions of love and marriage, Botello delves into the deeper meanings of honesty, desire, and the elusive nature of fulfillment, while questioning the fine line between ambition and self-destruction. As much as Tomas and Naomi are faced with these questions, so too, are you. How honest are you with yourself and your loved ones? What do you expect from yourself, and those around you, and what can you offer in return? Written with painstaking realism and quiet empathy, 180 Days holds on to you tightly and doesn’t let go.

---

Thank you for reading Lauren Hayataka’s book review of 180 Days by Alfredo Botello! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.