From Pushcart Prize-nominated author Sofia T. Romero comes a breathtaking debut collection of interrelated stories suffused with magical realism.
In stories that evoke the haunting beauty of New England beaches and resonate with a bittersweet loneliness, Romero blurs the lines between life and death, reality and fantasy. A deceased woman counsels her son's fiancée on how to be a good wife to him, with disastrous consequences. A mysterious, commanding cat appears in a young woman's home, as inexplicable as the demise of her years-long relationship with her boyfriend. At turns humorous, sorrowful, and whimsical, this collection spans the familiar setting of a college-town supermarket and eerie dystopias that are not just postpandemic but postart. Romero masterfully conveys the follies of youth and the regrets of life, and a sense of loss--of a relationship, a child, a time before--pervades each page.
With this remarkable debut, Romero joins the ranks of writers such as Brenda Peynado and Marytza K. Rubio, offering a superb collection of speculative fiction with a distinctly Latina perspective. We Have Always Been Who We Are is at its heart a testament to the power of storytelling, and an invitation to develop our inner strength through the imagination.
About the Author :
Sofia T. Romero is a Pushcart Prize nominee and has published work in Necessary Fiction, Blue Mountain Review, Rigorous, and Waterwheel Review, among others. She lives in the Boston area, where she works as an editor. Visit her website at www.SofiaTRomero.com.
Review :
"An imaginative collection of short stories that makes an impact. Share with fans of Aimee Bender's The Girl in the Flammable Skirt or Lorrie Moore's Collected Stories."
-- "Library Journal (audio review)"
"We Have Always Been Who We Are stuns and soars. Romero has the staggering ability to depict unforgettable characters in their dreamlike states, losses, freedoms, and magic. With majestic, cleanly conceived prose and a wonderful attunement to the pulses of the human heart, this book is a winner. Highly recommend!"
-- "Jennifer Maritza McCauley, author of When Trying to Return Home"
"A debut collection of magically imbued interlinked stories."
-- "Library Journal"
"A trio of experienced narrators...bring these creepy and unsettling works to life with vivid and evocative narrations...These expressive performers elevate this collection."
-- "AudioFile"
"Rich, interconnected stories follow characters as they face the dynamics and unspoken conflicts within their identities and relationships...Sincere yet unrestrained, Romero's searching collection burrows deep into its mysteries."
-- "Booklist"
"The spare, muscular prose of newcomer Sofia Romero brings to mind the best parts of Hemingway, though her characters, unlike his, journey inward, through complex emotional truths that belie the minimalist language used to tell them. These are deceptively quiet stories that grow louder the longer they sit inside you. Stories that leave a fragrance behind, in your skin. Stories whose urgency lies in the haunting understatedness with which they're told. Romero's voice is clean, strong, and unique, and one that deserves to be heard."
-- "Alisa Lynn Valdés, New York Times bestselling author of Hollow Beasts and The Dirty Girls Social Club"
"These pitch-perfect tales call to mind the work of short fiction greats like Kelly Link, Alison Lurie, and Laurie Colwin. I tore through this book like a novel, astonished by Romero's singular voice and in love with her thorny, irresistible characters!"
-- "Joanna Rakoff, author of My Salinger Year and A Fortunate Age"
"This debut collection of speculative stories from Pushcart Prize-nominated writer Sofia Romero illustrates her brilliant imagination, her divine timing, and her mastery of subtle storytelling. They are urgent and deceptively quiet all at once."
-- "Ms. magazine"
"This is a really exciting collection, with some incredibly original ideas. Yay for new short stories!"
-- "California Reading"
"This stunning collection filled with vengeful seal queens, books of secret confessions, and creepy customizable mothers is just the speculative jewel you're looking for."
-- "Erika T. Wurth, author of White Horse: A Novel"
