A Sunny Place for Shady People: Stories By Mariana Enriquez

Mariana Enriquez’s A Sunny Place for Shady People is a diabolical collection of twelve haunting stories set in Argentina, where the ordinary lives of human characters intertwine with the surreal and supernatural. The tales explore ghostly neighborhoods, riverside birds that were once women, and eerie family transformations. Enriquez’s characters, especially the women, face horrors that turn their lives upside down, blurring the lines between reality and nightmare.

Each story offers a dark, macabre glimpse into contemporary life, blending the supernatural with the raw struggles of everyday existence. In one, a faded hotel is haunted by the ghost of a girl who disappeared into a water tank, while in another, a family is plagued by a terrifying transformation as their faces begin to melt away. Enriquez weaves these chilling narratives with a lyrical and hypnotic style, creating a world where the line between good and evil has vanished, leaving her characters to grapple with their darkest fears and desires.

Translated by Megan McDowell, this collection highlights Enriquez’s talent for blending literary and horror genres. Her tales are not only disturbing but deeply moving, examining the human condition against a backdrop of the supernatural. Enriquez’s ability to capture both the beauty and terror of life makes this collection an unforgettable experience, cementing her reputation as one of Latin America's most exciting voices in fiction. Readers will be both enthralled and shaken, drawn into her evocative and terrifying worlds.