The other night I read the third story in Susan McCallum-Smith's new collection, Slipping the Moorings. Called "The Day of of the Dead," it is set in Mexico, around the time of that country's revolution, on the November day referred to in the title. Told from the perspective of Esperanza, a 12-year-old who has just had her first period, it is the darkest of the stories so far. That is because what Esperanza observes is the irreconcilable breach between her father, who is of Spanish descent, and her mother, a Mayan. Dominating all is Doña Maria, Esperanza's paternal great-grandmother, who is a century old. In this tale there is not even the illusion of joy. It may not be a pleasant read, but it is a moving one.
No comments:
Post a Comment