The Town of Babylon / Alejandro Varela / 2022

The Town of Babylon / Alejandro Varela / 2022

I read this because of the suggestion of a Salvadoran literary scholar, and I regret every second I spent with this book. Within the first pages, a queer latinx man decides to go to his 20-year high school reunion, practically ensuring I would share no common ground with a character I was ostensibly supposed to find relatable. The character shares a myriad of lukewarm political and cultural opinions of an emotionally stunted man of color with little insight to offer. One of my friend’s peers said of this book: Only a man could write a coming-of-age novel at the age of 40. I couldn’t agree more. 1/5