Coyote Songs – Gabino Iglesias

It has been said that Iglesias’s words cut like a knife. To some, maybe, but only to those who refuse to open their eyes and minds to what he is trying to reveal. Yes, he has carved away the unnecessary words leaving a brutal reality that few in this country know to exist. Like his words on the page, his stories explore worlds and long-held beliefs that are a reality for many.

I went into this book only knowing that it was Barrio Noir, and I wasn’t sure what that was. I had no idea that I would be getting multiple stories tethered to one another by sinew, blood, and magic, so I felt a bit lost when the first chapter ended. I wanted to know more about Pedrito and his father and hear more about the monstrous fish they were hunting. I found several Aligator Gar carcasses on the shores of the St. Johns as a kid growing up. I imagine that they are the most monstrous fish swimming in those waters. They are armored with a most formidable suit of preservation. So tough that the original peoples of this land used them as arrow points. You might need both if you dare read this in the dark of night. But, I digress. I did get more story, and then some. These stories will get under your skin and haunt your dreams. They should also haunt your reality because they are as old and as new as it gets in this country.

** UPDATE **
While reading Coyote Songs, I have had to keep my Irish mojo with me to hold all the vengeful spirits at bay from la Frontera.