The Faraway World by Patricia Engel

THE FARAWAY WORLD by Patricia Engel is a short story collection that will enthrall readers much like Engel’s earlier award-winning novel, Infinite Country, which itself is a must read. These stories tend to be rather quiet, almost intimate, and reflective. Engel changes voice, too, sometimes writing directly to another character, such as “Libélula” where an employee speaks silently to her employer, saying, “You wanted a ghost, a shadow to move about your home anticipating your every need. A double as loyal as an imaginary friend to accompany you…” I was also surprised by the ending of “Fausto” after he and his girlfriend, Paz, succumb to the temptation of what they believe will be easy money for running drugs. And, I especially liked “Aguacero” about two troubled Columbians who meet in New York and attempt to share life stories; it had previously been selected in 2019 for both The O. Henry Prize Stories and The Best American Short Stories. Containing ten tales in all, THE FARAWAY WORLD received a starred review from Kirkus.