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Enrique Serna Mexico
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Enrique Serna was born in Mexico D.F. in 1959. He
studied Spanish Literature and has made a name for himself among readers and
critics alike as an author of novels, short stories and essays.
El
miedo a los animales (“The Fear of Animals”)
is a crime novel of an antihero. Evaristo Reyes would have liked to have become
writer and an honest and heartfelt journalist, but was drawn into an affair of
corruption and from then on chose the line of least resistance. Now 45 years
old and divorced, more than partial to a drink and nights at a cheap club, he
works for the police and writes reports for his boss, Isaías Maytorena, who is
involved in drug trade and other sordid business. He puts Evaristo on a
special case: to investigate the life
of Lima, literary critic and journalist. He recognises himself in Lima, for he
embodies his ideal of independent journalism.
When
Lima is found dead, Evaristo aims to prevent the usual routine of finding just
anyone to serve as a scapegoat and begins to explore the social surroundings of
the dead man. When an innocent man is tortured to death and Evaristo quits his
job, Maytorena charges him with the murder of Lima, and he instantly turns from
persecutor to being persecuted. His rescue depends solely on finding the true
perpetrator. With this novel Enrique Serna presents a coarse and humorous
satire on Mexican society in general and its cultural environment in
particular.
The
novel Ángeles del abismo (“Angels of the Abyss”) was inspired by an
actual 17th century inquisition trial and tells the story of the young Crisanta
Cruz, a false saint.
In
a skilfully woven narrative complete with unexpected twists and borrowings from
both the picaresque and the serialized novel, the narrator alternately
describes the poignant life-stories of Crisanta and her Indian lover Tlacotzin.
The narration paints a faithful image of a class society bound up in taboos and
determined by power struggles between the liberal movements and both the
Spanish Crown and the Catholic Church.
Fruta
verde (“Greenhorn”) is the title of a Bolero and the most personal novel
Enrique Serna has produced. Including autobiographical elements, he tells of
the coming-of-age of the young Germán Lugo, whose recently divorced mother is
shocked to discover that her son is attracted not only to women, but also to
men. In a triangular relationship between her and the playwright Mauro, Germán
is initiated into the world of writing, work and sex.
This – according to the February 2007 issue of Letras Libres – may be Mexico’s first bisexual novel. Still, Enrique Serna would prefer not to see his book labelled too hastily: besides a critique of a hypocritical society that continues to treat bisexuality as taboo, it also tells with great emotional sensitivity of a love affair, and of the complex depths of a mother-son relationship.
All
languages, except Italian
Original editions and
rights sold:
Novels:
El miedo a
los animales, Mexico City: Joaquín Mortiz 1995, booket 2003, 269 p.
France: Phébus 2006, Points
pb 2007 ● Great Britain: Aflame Books 2008 ● Italy:
Voland
El seductor
de la patria, Mexico City: Joaquín
Mortiz 1999, booket 2003, 520 p
Uno soñaba
que era rey, Mexico City: Joaquín
Mortiz 2000, booket 2005, 326 p
France: Métailié 2009 ● Italy: Voland
Señorita
México, Mexico
City: Planeta 2000, 180 p.
Italy: Voland
La palma de
oro, Mexico
City: Plaza & Janés 2001, Ed. Aldus/Conaculta 2004, 95 p.
Ángeles del
abismo, Mexico City: Joaquín Mortiz 2004, 531 p.
Italy: Edizioni E/O 2005
Fruta Verde, Mexico City: Planeta 2006, 310 p.
Stories:
Amores de
segunda mano,
Mexico City: Cal y Arena 1994, 201
El
orgasmógrafo, Mexico City:
Debolsillo 2001
Italy: Voland
Essays:
Giros negros, Mexico City: Cal y Arena
2008, 242 p.