Released in Spanish in October of 2023, acclaimed Mexican author Bernardo Esquinca’s definitive short story collection was translated to English and released in the UK this March. It was released as part of the newly founded New Ruins imprint, which is an ambitious collaborative project between independent publishers Dead Ink Books and Influx Press. The aim of the imprint is to publish narratives which are subversive and experimental, and which may not fit the typical genre conventions seen in the catalogues of literary giants. As always, I thank the publishers for sending me a copy of the book prior to publication for review purposes.
The Secret Life of Insects features some of Bernardo Esquinca’s most critically acclaimed short fiction from the last two decades, as well as original stories. It is a literary horror collection that does not allow itself to be so clearly defined, moving seamlessly between folk horror, murder investigations and the paranormal. Each story drastically changes genre, tone and perspective as Esquinca plays with form and length, featuring stories of home invasions, supernatural caves, witch doctors, sea monsters and nightmares. Esquinca has spoken candidly about the impact of Mexico’s violent history on his work; from ancient Aztec sacrifices, to modern day drug cartels. He also mentions some of horror’s most beloved writers as being influences on his writing — from Shirley Jackson to Stephen King, inspirations which can be clearly seen throughout his genre work.
The short story Señor Ligotti follows a struggling author who is offered an apartment by a fan of his writing, seemingly as a kind gesture. As the writer spends more time in the apartment, it becomes clear that his fan’s intentions are anything but pure. This is one of Esquinca’s most acclaimed pieces of work, receiving a nomination for a Shirley Jackson award and representing Mexico in The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories. One of the collection’s most arresting stories is Dream of Me, which tells the tale of a collector of haunted dolls. The story catalogues the histories of the dolls in her collection, spanning time and geography as we learn about her morbid hobby. While some stories in the collection are less innovative than others, they remain impressive and chilling pieces of literature. Others, like The Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife, which details the breakdown of a marriage following the wife’s discovery of an erotic painting of a sea creature, are wholly original.
“I spend all day in my study, sunk in meditations as I gaze at Greta. There’s something familiar about her. Maybe it’s just that I’m getting used to her presence. From her neck hangs a chain and a plaque with her name. It seems rather large for her size, as if it really should have belonged to a different doll. My eyelids grow heavy. Fatigue overpowers me. I must have been writing in my sleep. I fall asleep and that’s when I hear her speak…”
In recent years, Latin American novels have dominated the literary market, particularly in the horror genre. Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica, Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova and Mónica Ojeda’s Jawbone were some of my personal favourite reads of the year and The Secret Life of Insects is an equally impressive addition to the Latin horror canon. As a reader, it has been a pleasure to see the success of so many talented, authentic writers outside of the US and UK, especially when so many Latin horror writers do not conform to mainstream narratives. The Secret Life of Insects is an impressive collection from one of Latin America’s literary horror pioneers. Featuring such a broad range of sub-genres and writing techniques, The Secret Life of Insects is sure to pique the interest of a wide range of readers.
