This is a set of short stories written by Garcia in the early 60s, all set in a hot, dusty town of indeterminate size. The stories are mostly 'about' crime and punishment, and sometimes it is hard to know which is the crime, which the criminal, and which is the punishment. But as is usually the case with Garcia, the atmosphere seems to overshadow the plot. One is left with the impression of a thoroughly wretched place, languishing in the aftermath of a brief period of relative prosperity (prosperity that, as in most times and places, was distributed unevenly and unfairly). The distinguishing feature of the place is that it is hot - unnaturally hot. Symbolic? I think so.
My Spanish vocabulary is not large, so Garcia is always tough sailing for me. I certainy missed a lot of the subtlety of these stories. Even so, they are a good read, entertaining in a dark and moody way.
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