LIMA, PERU – The literary world is in collective mourning following the passing of celebrated Peruvian writer Alfredo Bryce Echenique at the age of 87. Tributes poured in from across the globe, with countless social media users expressing profound sadness and a sudden, intense desire to appear well-read.

“It’s truly a devastating loss for literature,” stated Dr. Evelyn Reed, a professor of comparative literature at the University of Wherever. “His work, which I’m sure is very important, explored themes of… well, you know, themes. Universal ones. I’m confident that many people will now finally get around to buying one of his books.”

Online retailers reported a modest spike in searches for “Peruvian authors” and “books with long titles,” though actual sales figures remained largely unchanged. One prominent literary critic, who asked to remain anonymous, admitted, “I’m pretty sure I have one of his paperbacks on a shelf somewhere. It’s been there for years, looking very important. I’ll definitely move it to a more visible spot now.”

The cultural phenomenon, dubbed 'Posthumous Prestige Reading,' is expected to last approximately 72 hours before the public’s attention shifts to the next trending topic or the latest celebrity scandal. Experts predict a brief period of guilt-induced Goodreads five-star ratings for unread works, followed by a return to scrolling through TikTok.

Echenique’s passing serves as a poignant reminder that some authors achieve their greatest readership potential only after they can no longer appreciate it.