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Please Note: I received an advance copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.
Synopsis (from Goodreads):
A new collection of hard-hitting and intimate stories by award-winning Mexican Canadian author Martha Bátiz.
The nineteen stories in No Stars in the Sky feature strong but damaged female characters in crisis. Tormented by personal conflicts and oppressive regimes that treat the female body like a trophy of war, the women in No Stars in the Sky face life-altering circumstances that either shatter or make them stronger, albeit at a very high price. True to her Latin American roots, Bátiz shines a light on the crises that concern her most: the plight of migrant children along the Mexico–U.S. border, the tragedy of the disappeared in Mexico and Argentina, and the generalized racial and domestic violence that has turned life into a constant struggle for survival. With an unflinching hand, Bátiz explores the breadth of the human condition to expose silent tragedies too often ignored.
Review:
This is a collection of short stories featuring women who are facing terrible realities. The author, Martha Batiz, is able to set the scene quickly, letting the reader understand the main character's situation and dilemma. I found these stories hard to read, at times, but very moving. Sadly, as harrowing as these vignettes are, I can see nearly all of these stories as actually happening.
What I Liked:
Themes:
Most of the stories show conflicts between mothers and daughters. No matter how the state of their relationships are, there are undeniable bonds between women and their mothers. And there are plenty of messed up relationships in these stories. I think women and girls (and those identifying as women) are easily influenced by their mothers. Sometimes the message a mother sends to her daughter is that she isn't valued. Other times, mothers let their daughters know that, since the mom is in a bad situation, the daughter needs to put up, and shut up. I hated those messages, but found them to be true to life.
But other stories show how fiercely protective mothers and daughters are of each other. Even if their relationships are strained, mothers never stop being worried for their daughters. And daughters will always be tied to the person who gave birth to them.
Characters:
There are a variety of characters in these stories, and the author did a wonderful job of making them whole people in a short time. Even in a short story, these characters face challenges and are changed by them through the course of the story. Some characters are hopeful, and then lose their optimism, but others become stronger as a result of what happens to them. I enjoyed those characters the most.
Trigger Warning for rape and domestic violence:
This is not an idle warning. These stories are sometimes difficult to consume. I had to stop several times and process the harshness of the storylines. But these stories are so moving that I was glad I stuck with it.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Release Date: May 3rd, 2022
Author: Martha Batiz
Publisher: Astoria
Genre: Short Stories Fiction
Page Length: 300 pages
Format: E-Book
Source: Edelweiss
Recommendation: Beautifully written but a tough read.
