Daniel Alarcón

I really like Alarcon's style, and this collection is very unified and very him. Kind of sad and searching?

This is a wonderful book--except for the very end! The concluding section did not fit at all and was so disappointing. If not for that, I would have given this book 4 stars. The characters are interesting and engaging, the story is told in a way that draws you in and the themes are fascinating, especially the role.of art and performance in our lives and at all levels, social, pooitical and personal.

Thoughtful view into the pervasive personal effects of an oppressive government and a culture of untruth.

Rogelio is a quiet, uneducated man who has always felt like an outsider. Henry is a writer whose last play left him in a lot of trouble. These two men are brought together because the prison system in this is a con. They do not have much in common other than being in prison. It was a tragic read, while I couldn't relate to the characters, I did relate to their loneliness.