A Talisman in the Darkness

Culled from two previous collections written 28 years apart, the first English translation of Argentine poet Orozco’s short fiction pulses with surreal imagery in stories seen through the innocent eyes of Lía, the author’s autobiographical stand-in. The offstage death of Lía’s brother in the early story “And Still the Wheel,” haunts Lía throughout the book, fueling her sense of wonder and fear of the unknown. Because most stories lack a traditional arc and are given to long patches of dreamlike imagery, they can feel monotonous, but when there’s a definite structure, the power of Orozco’s prose is apparent. In “St. John’s Day Bonfire,” Lía, her sisters Laura, María de las Nieves, and friends from the neighborhood make wishes while leaping a bonfire. When Lía’s wish—which is shyly romantic—is in danger of being exposed, her sister, normally contrary and aloof, rescues her with a clever, unexpected gesture. Orozco captures Lía’s timorousness, Laura’s abiding love for her, and the heated, naïve passion of a children’s ritual with vivid and compassionate prose. Though a poetic strain overwhelms the collection as a whole, this is a valuable introduction to a writer whose work deserves a wider audience. (Aug.)