Eva has lost her baby.
Set in the South Bronx in the mid-1990s, Stories of Gabriel portrays neighbors in a tightly knit community at a time of crisis. How does this loss affect the lives of the devastated parents, their families, friends—the people on the block? What memories, heartbreaks, and quests does it spark?
Haunting and intricate, Stories of Gabriel is not “a love story,” but a story of several interconnected loves that have been lost or found; new or lasting. All take place just blocks apart.
The vibrant Latinx Caribbean culture of the neighborhood is brought to life by debut fiction Dominican American writer Esther Alix.
A Truly Delightful Collection!
A great collection of short stories, with a common theme!
Set in the mid-1990s in the Bronx, this is the story of many residents in a tightly knit community where the residents are all familiar with the lives of others. From heartbreak to joy, all life is between these pages.
Living – as I do – in a Scottish village with my own back garden, I have always thought of flats, or apartments, as soulless buildings but this anthology has opened my eyes. The characters in these stories are down-to-earth and honest; each one has their own issues to deal with but all feel empathy with their neighbours. As the tales unfold, the connections are made and it all makes for riveting reading. I was enthralled with it all! A truly delightful collection, well-written, thought-provoking and a rewarding read which I’m happy to recommend. 4.5*.
My thanks to both the publisher and Jen at Maguire PR for my copy; this is – as always – my honest, original and unbiased review.
Tags: anthology
- Format: ebook, paperback
- Size: 122 pages
- Publisher: Heliotrope Books
- Publication Date: 08 February 2022
- Book Links:
- https://www.goodreads.com
- https://www.barnesandnoble.com
- https://www.waterstones.com
- https://www.amazon.co.uk
Author Details
Alix is a Black Latina, the eldest child of immigrants from the Dominican Republic. “Having grown up speaking Spanish exclusively in the home, when I was younger, I wanted to write stories about people like me, who spoke English at school and Spanish at home, who lived in the duality of being both American and immigrant.” Through her characters, Alix peels open each one’s capacity for holding loss, and level of acceptance of the inevitable. Her emotive and deliberate prose, lush with words that are rich with sabor, lives in the memory long after the covers close.
After an established career spanning two decades as a fundraiser in New York’s elite philanthropic and non-profit circles, Alix now sets her sights on carving out her own legacy. Stories of Gabriel is her debut short story collection. A graduate of Hunter College, she has a zest for life that belies the often ominous themes of her writing. She loves to laugh, commune with her large extended family, watch and produce independent festival selected films such as Begin Again (2002) and Skateboard, Skateboard (2009). She also trains for the occasional half marathon. Alix lives in Brooklyn with her wife and their dog.
- Facebook: @EstherCristinaAlix
- Instagram: @esthercristinaalix
Grace J Reviewerlady 