Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC! These stories release from WW Norton on October 1st, 2024 in the US.

The Only Sound is the Wind by Pascha Sotolongo is a hauntingly surreal debut that navigates the intricacies of love, belonging, and human vulnerability through 16 emotionally charged stories. As a Cuban American writer, Sotolongo brings a rich layer of cultural nuance to her characters, many of whom grapple with the weight of diaspora and assimilation. Her embrace of the Latin American “narrativa de lo inusual” tradition allows for a surreal edge in her storytelling, blending the ordinary with the uncanny in ways that feel both unsettling and familiar.

At its core, this collection explores the sacrifices we make for love and the ways in which we navigate the tension between solitude and connection. The stories frequently center on the complexities of relationships—whether romantic, familial, or with the self. Sotolongo's exploration of boundaries, inheritance, and identity feels deeply personal, particularly for those grappling with the pressures of assimilation and internalized racism. Many of the Cuban characters wrestle with body image and cultural expectations, revealing a quiet yet powerful critique of how white supremacy can seep into the most intimate parts of our lives.

One of the standout stories, “The Only Sound is the Wind,” depicts Ana’s eerie journey with her own clone, blurring the line between ownership and personhood. The story brims with existential unease as Ana and her clone grow closer, ultimately settling into an uneasily familiar companionship. Another favorite, “Sad Bird,” features a married lesbian couple whose quiet struggles with communication come to a head through a shared burial of dead birds. Sotolongo’s writing beautifully highlights how vulnerability is often the price we pay for deep, authentic love.

The surrealist undertones continue in “This New Turn,” where a woman gives birth to a dog, challenging societal norms around family and unconditional love. This story, with its tender portrayal of family bonds, evokes a sense of both absurdity and profound truth—pushing the reader to reconsider what it means to truly accept someone or something beyond expectation.

“Bloodletting” was perhaps the most memorable, portraying a codependent relationship disrupted by a stray cat who begins drinking the protagonist’s blood. This macabre yet compelling story touches on themes of sacrifice and emotional dependency, hinting at how we sometimes give too much of ourselves to the ones we love.

While the first half of the collection felt sharp and emotionally resonant, the second half lost a bit of its punch. The latter stories, while still enjoyable, lacked the same intensity, leaving me feeling slightly disconnected as I reached the end. Despite this, The Only Sound is the Wind remains a powerful debut, rich in introspection and lyrical prose. For readers who enjoy a mix of surrealism, cultural exploration, and deeply human stories, it’s worth reading just for how much I loved the first 6-8 stories, despite feeling a bit disappointed by the latter half.

📖 Recommended For: Readers who enjoy introspective and lyrical prose, fans of surreal and speculative fiction, those interested in stories about diaspora and cultural identity, anyone who appreciates narratives exploring the complexities of love and human connection, and admirers of Carmen Maria Machado and Puloma Ghosh.

🔑 Key Themes: Loneliness and Belonging, Diaspora and Assimilation, Unconditional Love, Boundaries in Relationships, Cultural Inheritance, Identity and Transformation, Surrealism and the Uncanny.