A Raw, Vivid Account of Women in Mexico's Dark Reality
Critique: Reservoir Bitchhood by Dahlia de la Cerda
Comprised of a set of linked narratives, Dahlia de la Cerda's powerful book, Reservoir Bitches, explores the plight of 13 women grappling with the relentless villains of misogyny and patriarchy in modern Mexico. This moving collection, longlisted for the prestigious 2025 International Booker Prize, offers an unfiltered look at the everyday brutality faced by women in Mexico's shadows.
Starting with "Parsley and Coca-Cola," a young woman's candid account of her desperation to terminate an unwanted pregnancy, readers are promptly thrust into the harsh realities that lie at the heart of these stories. Unlike the calamitous journey portrayed in Annie Ernaux's "Happening," the woman here transcends the tragedy with stoicism, acknowledging, "My abortion lacked drama... This was less a tragedy than a bad period plus the flu." This stark acceptance of violence permeates the entire collection, driving home a haunting sense of familiarity – the regular occurrence of violence inflicted upon the female body.
Infused with doses of humor, Reservoir Bitches delves into the complexities of women's subjectivities governed by the oppressive forces of misogyny and patriarchy. For example, Yuliana, the pampered daughter of an influential man, is keen to become a "superhot housewife and devoted mother." But upon discovering the brutal murder of her best friend, Yuliana finds her dormant power surging to the surface. The collections offers an intriguing snapshot of these women, illuminating the reasoning behind their actions.
The portrait of a young transwoman in "Sequins" serves as a striking portrayal of a person torn between conflicting identities. Born as a man, the protagonist embraces the female side of herself and dresses accordingly, only to be discarded by her family. The emotional turbulence unfolds as the heart-wrenching plea from the mother, "Be a faggot if you want, just don't dress like that, Jules, for the love of God." The scene underscores the internal struggles faced within the LGBTIQA+ community, as acceptability of sexual fluidity coexists with the stigma attached to embracing one's true gender identity.
Women from diverse backgrounds serve as the backbone of this collection, with "La China" and "God Didn't Come Through" offering intricate portraits of individuals with violent pasts. La China, an enigmatic figure who works for drug lords, and a destitute girl raised amidst poverty and violence, grapple with the relentless tumult of their lives, offering poignant parallels to the protagonists in Fernanda Melchor's "Paradis."
Although each story is tethered together by the the shared experiences of misogyny and violence, the voices start to blend together after a while, making it hard for readers to distinguish one character from another. This lack of distinctiveness hinders the narrative in offering a comprehensive understanding of the divergent lives of women. Furthermore, as the series progresses, the stories begin to lose their individual charisma, unfolding more like reportage than pieces of art.
Despite its shortcomings, Reservoir Bitches is an affective, provocative, and densely layered work that paints a vivid picture of the grim realities of misogyny that pervade Mexico. Its stark depictions and raw, unglamorized portrayals make it a compelling addition to contemporary Mexican literature and feminist discourse.
Penned by a PhD candidate in Sociology at Presidency University, Kolkata, this thought-provoking review is part of Rahul Singh's exploration of books at (@rahulzsing) and (@fook_bood) Instagram.
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Originally Written by Rahul Singh (so, acknowledging he authored the piece)
Enrichment Data:
Text Analysis:
The complexity of the women portrayed in Reservoir Bitches is emphasized, hinting at the diversity of experiences that obscure gender-based oppression.* Certain themes and motifs, such as violence and resilience, bind the stories together, lending the collection a cohesive feel.* The literary motif of nonchalance adds to the overall impact of the stories, highlighting the prevalence and pedestrian nature of violence against women in Mexico.* Despite its powerful impact, the blurring of characters' voices may lead to a lack of distinctness between characters, preventing a deep exploration of the differing experiences of women.* The use of humour and injections of pop culture allow the stories to remain contemporary, grounding them in modern reality.* The book confronts the staggering statistics of femicide and gender violence in Mexico, imbuing the stories with a sense of sorrowful urgency.* Compared to Claudia Piñeiro's Elena Knows, Reservoir Bitches takes a more subtle, emotive approach, relying on reader empathy rather than a heavy-handed manipulation of emotions.* Reservoir Bitches* is a significant contribution to contemporary Mexican literature, particularly within the realm of feminist discourse.
- Reservoir Bitches, longlisted for the 2025 International Booker Prize, is a compelling analysis of women's resilience in the face of misogyny and patriarchy in modern Mexico, offering a realistic portrayal of everyday brutality.
- Each narrative in Reservoir Bitches, though interconnected by shared experiences, could benefit from more distinct character voices, allowing for a more comprehensive exploration of the diverse lives of women.
- The collection, penned by a PhD candidate in Sociology, pitches a provocative argument, merging contemporary literature with feminist discourse, and featuring elements of humor and pop culture to maintain relevance in the fashion-and-beauty-centric, entertainment-driven lifestyle of today.
- Hidden within the pages of Reservoir Bitches are portrayals of individuals from different backgrounds, including a young transwoman and a destitute girl, each offering unique perspectives on the perpetual struggles against the oppressive forces of misogyny and violence.
- The stark aesthetic of Reservoir Bitches stands in contrast to the glamorized versions of reality seen in international cricket or the flamboyant world of literary circles, offering an unfiltered, zeroes-and-ones depiction of the grim realities that permeate Mexico's societal fabric.
