I’ve been excited to share my review of There is a Rio Grande in Heaven for a long time now. This anthology blew me away and resonated with me deeply. It’s difficult for an anthology to have no misses at all, but Ruben Reyes, Jr. accomplishes that feat in this debut.
| Title: There is a Rio Grande in Heaven | Author: Ruben Reyes, Jr. |
| Release Date: August 6, 2024 | Genre: Anthology, Literary Fiction, Speculative |
| Publisher: Mariner Books | Page Count: 240 |
Synopsis:
“Ruben Reyes Jr. has announced himself here in impressive fashion. This wonderful debut collection displays a virtuosic fictional range.” —Jamel Brinkley
An electrifying debut story collection about Central American identity that spans past, present, and future worlds to reveal what happens when your life is no longer your own.
An ordinary man wakes one morning to discover he’s a famous reggaetón star. An aging abuela slowly morphs into a marionette puppet. A struggling academic discovers the horrifying cost of becoming a Self-Made Man.
In There Is a Rio Grande in Heaven, Ruben Reyes Jr. conjures strange dreamlike worlds to explore what we would do if we woke up one morning and our lives were unrecognizable. Boundaries between the past, present, and future are blurred. Menacing technology and unchecked bureaucracy cut through everyday life with uncanny dread. The characters, from mango farmers to popstars to ex-guerilla fighters to cyborgs, are forced to make uncomfortable choices—choices that not only mean life or death, but might also allow them to be heard in a world set on silencing the voices of Central Americans.
Blazing with heart, humor, and inimitable style, There Is a Rio Grande in Heaven subverts everything we think we know about migration and its consequences, capturing what it means to take up a new life—whether willfully or forced—with piercing and brilliant clarity. A gifted new storyteller and trailblazing stylist, Reyes not only transports to other worlds but alerts us to the heartache and injustice of our own.
Review:
There is a Rio Grande in Heaven is powerful and spellbinding. Ruben pushes the boundaries of what readers can expect from an anthology, making it look altogether effortless. El Salvador is the thread tying the stories together, and the realities of Central American identity are steeped deep in Ruben’s writing.
The stories in the anthology vary in genre, from contemporary to the speculative. There’s even a choose-your-own-adventure style story! Every story in the collection shares Ruben’s clear narrative voice, though each is markedly different from the others in the collection.
A few notable favorites of mine:
- “He Eats His Own,” where a man arranges for mangos to be delivered from his family in El Salvador. This story touches the edges of psychological quiet horror and goes to unexpected places. It is absolutely fantastic.
- “Try Again,” where a man brings back his late father’s consciousness into a robot.
- “The Salvadorian Slice of Mars,” where a man ends up in a detention center on Mars.
Final Thoughts:
I thoroughly loved this anthology. I highly recommend There is a Rio Grande in Heaven for fans of genre-blending works. I’m especially reminded of Emily St. John Mandel (especially Sea of Tranquility) and Premee Mohamed’s lyrical novellas.
Rating: 5+/5 Stars
Thanks to Mariner Books for providing me with an arc! All the above thoughts are my own.
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