Reservoir Bitches

Women lie, cheat, kill, and die in Mexican writer de la Cerda’s searing English-language debut. Like the unnamed narrator of “Parsley and Coca-Cola,” who graphically describes her self-administered abortion after getting pregnant from a one-night stand, the women in these 13 linked stories are “trapped in an infinite loop of bad decisions with consequences that are never not dramatic.” The title character of “Yuliana” is set to take over her father’s drug trafficking empire when a possessive and violent man in her father’s employ starts dating her friend Regina. After he murders Regina, having caught her talking to his bodyguard, Yuliana vows revenge even though her father claims the murderer is untouchable. In “Constanza,” the title character darkens her blond hair to appear like a mestiza and boost her politician husband’s electoral chances. “La China” details the exploits of a female narco assassin who particularly enjoys killing men who abused women. While the circumstances of each narrator vary—some are obscenely rich while others are grindingly poor—their blasé way of speaking, in-your-face sexuality, and violence start to blur together. Nonetheless, de la Cerda offers a refreshingly unapologetic voice for women who refuse to be placated. This is worth a look. (Sept.)