"Queer writing at its most exhilarating."-Times Literary Supplement
The slums of Buenos Aires, the government, the mafia, the Virgin Mary, corrupt police, sex workers, thieves, drug dealers, and debauchery all combine in this sweeping novel deemed a 'revelation for contemporary literature' and 'pure dynamite' (Andres Neuman, author ofTraveller of the Century&Talking to Ourselves ).
When the Virgin Mary appears to Cleopatra, she renounces sex work and takes charge of the shantytown she lives in, transforming it into a tiny utopia. Ambitious journalist Quity knows she's found the story of the year when she hears about it, but her life is changed forever once she finds herself irrevocably seduced by the captivating subject of her article. Densely-packed, fast-paced prose, weaving slang and classical references,Slum Virginrefuses to whitewash the reality of the poor and downtrodden, and jumps deftly from tragedy to comedy in a way that has the reader laughing out loud.
About the Author :
Gabriela Cabezn Cmara was born in Buenos Aires in 1968. Her debut novel Slum Virgin (Charco, 2017) was followed by Romance de la negra rubia (Romance of the Blonde Brunette ) as well as by two collections of short stories. In 2011 she published the novella Le viste la cara a Dios (You've Seen God's Face ), later turned into a graphic novel, Beya (Biutiful ), illustrated by Iaki Echeverra. In 2013, she was Writer-in-Residence at the University of California, Berkeley. The Adventures of China Iron , published by Charco Press in 2020, was shortlisted for the International Booker and the Medicis prizes. In addition to being an environmental activist, Cabezn Cmara is one of the leading feminist and LGBTQ+ intellectuals in Latin America. Her most recent novel is We Are Green and Trembling .
Frances Riddle has translated numerous Spanish-language authors, including Isabel Allende, Arturo Perez-Reverte, Claudia Pieiro, and Leila Guerriero. Her work has been shortlisted for theInternationalBooker Prize and the Queen Sofa Spanish Institute Translation Prize. Originally from Houston, Texas, she lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Review :
Silverio Cañada Memorial Prize (Shortlist)
"Queer writing at its most exhilarating." —The Times Literary Supplement
"Cámara’s breakout tale is mind-blowingly good." —Publishers Weekly, starred review
"A revelation for contemporary literature." —Andrés Neuman , author of TRAVELLER OF THE CENTURY and TALKING TO OURSELVES
"Cabezón Cámara’s exuberant range of styles truly shines." —Asymptote
"Cámara has a powerful voice, one to be taken seriously." —Library Journal
"Book of the Year 2009." —Rolling Stone (Argentina)
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Praise for Gabriela Cabezón Cámara
"Gabriela Cabezón Cámara’s writing is singular in the Spanish language: an intrepid pulse that shakes and disarms us in the face of the wordless power, both formidable and innocent, of the jungle and the creatures it portrays."― Fernanda Melchor
"She writes with the astuteness of an experienced researcher and the vivid rhythms of a poet. The worlds of her books are revealed to us through a playful, erotic, festive sense of curiosity, one that always leads us to good harbor."― Cristina Rivera Garza
"If there's any writer strong enough to start a revolution, it's Gabriela Cabezón Cámara. And I'll be right there beside her."― Gabriela Wiener
"So sharp, so urgent, so brave. Gabriela Cabezón Cámara is one of the most authentic voices writing in Spanish today, and among her many talents is one that's especially hard to find: not only does she challenge and incite us, not only does she confront the darkness, but she also gives us in return the subversive courage to think of ourselves as more human, more alive, and more luminous than ever."― Samanta Schweblin
International Booker Prize (Shortlist)
"A thrilling and mystical miniature epic." —The Guardian
"[The Adventures of China Iron] reminds us, in Cabezón Cámara’s entrancing poetry, how magical and frankly unpleasant it is to live through history." —New York Times
"[The Adventures of China Iron] compels readers to examine critically not only the biases of the myths we celebrate, but also how they seep into our contemporary understandings of nationhood." —LA Review of Books
"Brilliantly translated by Fiona Mackintosh and Iona Macintyre, this is a heartfelt, dreamlike paean to Argentina’s past and what might have been had the pampas been left alone." —The Times Literary Supplement
"Cabezón Cámara’s exciting LGBTQ look at pioneers of the pampas makes for a rewarding and subversive treat." —Publishers Weekly
"Shaking loose new possibilities for how we might reshape the present precisely by unsettling something seemingly so settled as the past." —Music & Literature
"Daring." —The Financial Times
"A daring, playful story." —New Statesman
"A wonderful reading experience, filled with light, joy, discovery, friendship, and love." —The Massachusetts Review
"An unexpected ride that delivers on all accounts." —DIVA Magazine
"By disrupting pedagogical nationalist representations, Cámara’s story enables all those places in the margins to re-signify constructs of the Argentine people." —Wasafiri
Best books published in Latin America 2017. —New York Times (Español)
"A transformative adventure, wholly romantic and sublime, at times even supernatural in its message of discovery." —Books and Bao
"A thrilling book that has a little of everything that I look for in a novel." —SubText
"10 Best Translated Books 2019" —Books and Bao
Globetrotting: Your sneak preview of books in translation —New York Times
"It’s moving and intelligent and funny and all of it is fun (so much fun)." —Mark Haber, Brazos Bookstore
"Best books dealing with feminism, sisterhood and queerness" —Pagina/12
"With a touch of whimsy, ‘The Adventures of China Iron’ rewrites a historical narrative and renders spaces inclusive." —Daily Star
"Best Books of 2017" —Los inRockuptibles
"20 Best Latin American books 2017" —El País
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