A Sunny Place for Shady People Stories By Mariana Enriquez

In A Sunny Place for Shady People, Mariana Enriquez crafts a mesmerizing collection of twelve stories where the ordinary collides with the macabre. Set against the eerie backdrop of Argentina, Enriquez’s tales weave together the lives of ordinary people—mostly women—whose existence unravels when confronted by the supernatural and surreal. Whether it's a neighborhood plagued by ghosts, a family whose faces mysteriously melt, or a haunted hotel harboring the spirit of a girl who dissolved in a rooftop water tank, each story blurs the line between reality and horror.

In Enriquez's world, the familiar becomes terrifying, and the boundaries of good and evil are constantly shifting. Birds, once women, shriek demonically along the riverbank, and the human and supernatural blend in grotesque yet lyrical fashion. The collection not only delves into the fears and anxieties lurking in everyday life but also serves as a meditation on contemporary societal issues, particularly those surrounding women and the marginalized.

Translated by the acclaimed Megan McDowell, A Sunny Place for Shady People showcases Enriquez's unmatched ability to blend literary elegance with spine-chilling horror. Each tale is a vivid nightmare that taps into universal fears while remaining deeply rooted in the specific cultural and political landscape of Argentina. Enriquez’s hypnotic prose and haunting storytelling invite comparisons to literary giants like Kafka, and her chilling narratives will leave readers enthralled, disturbed, and utterly captivated. This collection solidifies her reputation as one of the most exciting voices in Latin American fiction today. 📚❤️