Aphorism #4

Question

"A veces el abrelibros no marcha porque ha tropezado el nudo de la novela." I've no idea what abrelibros refers to. Literally it would mean bookopener although I've never heard of anything like that. Is ablelibros a book marker or what? If its a bookmarker then the aphorism might mean " Sometimes the bookmarker can’t be moved because it’s stuck in the knot of the novel."

whats aphorism mean? - Rey_Mysterio, Aug 30, 2012

Answer 1

A veces el abrelibros no marcha porque ha tropezado el nudo de la novela..

Creo que significa que el cuchillo no sirve para el desenlace.

I think it means that the paper-knife can't make you understand the ending or, the meaning, of the novel. It may open the pages, but that's all it can do. The rest is up to you..

I retire to bed after this rather inspired interpretation. - annierats, Aug 30, 2012

Answer 2

Literally an abrelibros could be much like a letter opener. Books used to be bound in such a way that the reader had to cut open the pages. This delicious phrase however is obviously figurative in nature. So please feel free to give your imagination free reign to interpret. I should add that the nudo of a novel is similar to the climax in English. Though it is most accurately described as the point of greatest tension just before the climax.

For more details see this.