Humiliation

I've done well for Latin American short stories over the past few weeks with Humiliation by Paulina Flores being the third such collection I have reviewed. (In mid-October I reviewed The Scent Of Buenos Aires by Hebe Uhart and my A Dream Come True by Juan Carlos Onetti review will be blogged on Saturday.) Humiliation includes nine new stories, all of which are linked by the senses of humiliation, guilt or shame, and Flores has created a folorn cast of characters with whom I could easily empathise. I particularly felt for the unemployed father who found himself compelled to take his two young daughters on a seemingly never-ending round of job interviews because they couldn't be left at home alone. Flores' insights into her characters and their motivations make these stories wonderful to read because, even as I cringed at a child trying desperately to impress an older friend, or blushed for a woman spying on her adulterous neighbours, I could always understand exactly what had led these people to take these decisions.

What made some tales particularly interesting for me was seeing how characters' own perceptions of their actions differed with the passing of time, or the way in which their own understanding of themselves was in total contrast to that of their close friends and family. I loved how Flores is able to conjure up such depth to her stories within the space of just twenty or thirty pages. If short stories are a genre you appreciate reading, I would highly recommend adding this collection to your library.