THERE IS A RIO GRANDE IN HEAVEN Stories

Johnny Rey Diaz navigates these short stories with touching empathy. He performs the lived experiences of Salvadorans and the larger Latin American diaspora in ways both fascinating and challenging. Reyes, Jr's, storytelling starts conventionally but soon evolves into darker themes that capture the impact of late capitalism, which is characterized, in part, by the drive to replace migrant labor with automation. His genres expand into science fiction, alternative timelines, and even a "choose-your-own-adventure" approach to an alternative historical account of Salvadoran life. In one moving passage, a son attempts to reanimate his deceased father; in another, a beloved mother turns into a literal puppet. Throughout, Diaz masterfully conveys the nonlinear approaches. His voice is deeply affecting. S.P.C. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2024]