Brickmakers

Argentine writer Almada (Dead Girls) unfurls the tense story of a petty feud between two stubborn brickmakers and its rippling effect. Oscar Tamai is charismatic and cruel, while his competitor Elvio Miranda is equally outgoing but kinder. Over mate and cigarettes, their neighbors in La Cruceña spin tales of the men’s rivalry, which becomes grounds for investigation when Miranda is violently killed. However, Almada spends less time on the men’s story than on a subsequent violent episode involving Tamai’s and Miranda’s oldest sons, Pajarito and Marciano, respectively, in a scene that bookends the narrative. Almada demonstrates the utter senselessness of their fathers’ hatred for each other: “That minor grudge, as time went by, hardened to stone in each boy’s heart.” The striking translation, particularly of of the final pages, adds sensual detail, leading to an unexpected twist involving Marciano’s younger brother, Angelito, and Pajarito, which adds some romance to the tragedy. With its surprises and lyricism, this is a successful riff on a classic Shakespearean tale. Agent: Sandra Pareja, Massie & McQuilkin. (Nov.)