San Juan Noir

(Paperback)

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Description

Akashic Books continues its groundbreaking series of original noir anthologies, this time in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Noir Series has made a strong mark in the Caribbean with Havana Noir (2008), Kingston Noir (2012), Haiti Noir (2011) and Trinidad Noir (2008). This volume showcases the fact that the island of Puerto Rico is not all sandy beaches and extravagant hotels. Mayra Santos-Febres is one of the island's literary titans, and she has recruited a stellar list of compatriots to contribute.

Reviews

I have never been to San Juan, Puerto Rico, but I traveled some of its streets in these stories. Of course, the city is more than noir. That's what I love about the Akashic Noir stories, these are not the Tourist Bureau stories of the city. They are gritty, sometimes nasty, sometimes gross, but always interesting.
--Tonstant Weader Reviews

The stories in this anthology, unrelentingly dark, reflect the woes of the island . . . Set as it is in Puerto Rico, with authors steeped in the Latin tradition, the stories have a common thread of sexuality and sensuality, as well as magical realism. Dreams run through these stories, and sometimes a sense that the whole story could be a dream. They are unsettling stories, to say the least . . . After reading these stories, you may very well want to rethink that tropical vacation.
-- Reviewing the Evidence

San Juan Noir is a brilliantly polished literary gem that showcases life on the fringes of society. Every tale glows in its own darkness, piercingly tugging at the remnants of human decency. We must do better, it screams. Yes, we must. Highly recommended.
--Jamaica Gleaner

Author Bio

Mayra Santos-Febres has published more than twenty-five books of poetry, short stories, essay collections, and novels. Among her most import titles are Sirena Selena (2000), Our Lady of the Night (2006), and La amante de Gardel (2015). Her works have been translated into Croatian, Icelandic, French, Italian, German, and English. She currently teaches creative writing at the University of Puerto Rico, and is one of the main organizers of Festival de la Palabra.