A Mexican writer offers a penetrating look at the country’s history through a region long haunted by conflict. The narrative follows disappearances and violence that have left a lasting mark on the landscape and its people. The book presents a candid portrait of events as they unfolded, sharing details often absent from the mainstream retellings. This week, the work will be presented at a cultural venue in Palma, accompanied by a live performance that enriches the reading experience.
QUESTION: You are described as one of the most original writers on the South American scene. Did you have this wonderful imagination as a child?
RESPONSE: Writing has always threaded through life, a rhythm that helped many navigate daily survival. A spark appeared in adolescence, around age thirteen or fourteen. By sixteen, a pivotal moment sharpened storytelling, supported by mentors who guided the craft and kept the voice sharpened.
Q: Who were those mentors?
R: A local reading circle, led by a civic essayist and historian, played a crucial role in shaping the writer’s voice. The school system did not always nurture a love of reading, but that early circle, followed by instruction from respected writers who left a lasting impact, provided essential guidance.
Q: Did the literary path emerge from meeting these mentors?
A: In part, yes. Family encouragement sparked an initial interest in reading, while the mentors refined the writing craft and deepened the sense of literary possibility.
Q: This week you present “The Book of Our Absence” at the Drac Màgic venue. Is it the first time visiting the island?
A: It is not the first visit. The writer had previously appeared in 2014 to debut a novel, and this return centers on a second work created for a publishing house known for contemporary, bold narratives.
Q: What will readers experience during the event?
A: The aim is to explore a work focused on disappearances in northern Mexico, touching on organized crime, the drug trade, and the violence connected to those forces. More importantly, the narrative traces the search for hidden tombs scattered across mountain landscapes, revealing a process of uncovering what long remained concealed.
Q: The author notes that everything in the book is true in a sense, though not all events happened exactly as described. How is that interpreted?
A: The opening verses suggest overlap and ambiguity. The text seeks truth in lived reality while acknowledging that many elements arise from chance and interpretation. Most characters are real individuals, portrayed through a mix of factual research and narrative imagination, with references to historical figures woven in.
Q: Did the writer delve deeply into personal risk or confront dangerous realities to craft the book?
A: The process mirrors everyday exposure to crime and violence. Direct involvement is not required, yet the situation remains close enough to demand careful documentation. Researchers consulted journalists and reviewed their work, forming the core basis for the disappearances examined in the book.
Q: Was it necessary to speak with families of victims to understand the loss?
A: The writer chose not to address an audience of survivors directly because safety can be compromised. Conversations were drawn from existing relationships and prior discussions, supplemented by investigative reporting and trusted colleagues’ work. This approach provided access to sensitive material without exposing individuals to further risk.
Q: Has the work spurred broader searches or inquiries since its inception?
A: The project evolved through a long process that began in 2012 in Mexico. The book has circulated more widely only recently, with initial releases appearing in another country before broader distribution.
Q: How does the book’s structure influence its storytelling?
A: The backbone rests on performance and staging, not merely on dramatic dialogue. The deliberate arrangement of prose—fragmented, varied in rhythm, and emotionally charged—helps convey the weight of the subject. The language is crafted to bend and break, mirroring the harsh, unsettled reality described within and making expression itself a central instrument.
Q: Do you think this method helps readers understand the stories more clearly?
A: It may not be a simple path, but it channels emotion and intention effectively, pulling readers into the moment and making the experience feel immediate and alive.
Q: Why include Julia Pastrana and José de Gálvez as well-known figures in the work?
A: Pastrana’s inclusion connects to theater and a pair of historical studies that shaped early impressions. Symbolically, the figure of the missing and the struggle to recover a wounded body resonate with the broader theme of absence threaded through the narrative.
Q: Are there more projects on the horizon?
A: Yes. The writer is preparing a new book, a long-term project still in development, with ideas already forming for what comes next.