Review | The Mark of Zorro - Johnston Mcculley

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The young nobleman Don Diego de la Vega assumes the secret identity of El Zorro (the fox) to defend the people by exploiting the Spanish soldiers who dominate the San Juan Capistrano region of Mexico. The masked knight faces Sergeant Gonzales' men and crosses his sword with Captain Ramón in the fight for the heart of the beautiful Lolita Pulido. Zorro's Mark is a literary classic that gave rise to one of the most famous heroes of all time.

Also read the review of Zorro by Isabel Allende

This August Zorro turned 100 years old. His story is known to all corners of the planet. But a visual story. The book that gave rise to the character, The Mark of Zorro in Johnston Mcculley, unfortunately is not that well known.

The story told in the lines of his book is much more interesting than all the adventures told in movies or on television.

Check out our special 100 years of Zorro

Johnston Mcculley has a quick and agile writing, like his character. He often plays with us like Zorro. It's hard to know if it's Zorro who writes and laughs at us or his creator. It is as if the book were the mask, while the “pen” he used to write, his sword.

The book may have been written in 1919, which is exactly 100 years ago, but it looks like it was today. His way of narrating the adventures of Zorro and Dom Diego, in addition to all the characters that are part of this adventure, are very current. It is not boring and not even far-fetched.

No way. And even though I already know the whole story, I don't dare make a comparison or quote something from the book, because it would certainly spoil your experience.

Zorro's 100 Years | Interview with John Gertz (Zorro Productions)

There is no way – even knowing the universe – not to be fascinated by its adventures.

Mcculley still manages to define very well the subtleties of who is Don Diego and his alter ego, El Zorro. His antagonists are simple and easy to decipher, as is the hero's goal of defending the downtrodden.

And so it should be in our daily lives too. But the pages of the book show us that it's not so simple to be a hero. If so, he wouldn't need to wear a mask.

During this journey, we remember the reasons for being a “Gentleman”. That chivalry died giving way to machismo and that humanity followed paths that made it more like who the masked hero fights.

People's education seems to die out during the decades to come, where being kind has become synonymous with people who want nothing to do with life, as it must be faced with chest and fists.

This is not the hero outlined by Johnston Mcculley. He is beyond all that and so close at the same time.

Its values are education, how to open a door for others to go through first, respect for people, correct and sincere courtship for someone you want and above all, that those who oppress must pay. And that doing nothing makes us as villains as those who commit evil.

The Mark of Zorro it is a book that leaves a mark of truth in our soul. His letter “Z” is nailed in our hearts as we remember that even at 100 years old, a hero still fights for what we so long for today: the freedom and happiness of living.

Resenha | A Marca do Zorro - Johnston Mcculley 1

The book in Brazil was released by Panda Books. The edition we received for this 100 years review is very neat. With a simple cape and a Z in the shape of a fire, we are already immersed in an old California, from the times when it still belonged to Mexico. It is as if we were in front of a fire and this flame came out to tell us about its journey.

The book also has at its end a short story of how the book was born and its trajectory in cinemas and television, as well as a historical context of what California was like during Zorro's adventures in the 19th century.

This is without a doubt a work that cannot be missing from the collection of the hero's fans and those who appreciate a beautiful adventure!

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