The Houseguest and Other Stories by Amparo Dávila

The first collection in English of an endlessly surprising, master storyteller Like those of Kafka, Poe, Leonora Carrington, or Shirley Jackson, Amparo Dávila’s stories are terrifying, mesmerizing, and expertly crafted―you’ll finish each one gasping for air. With acute psychological insight, Dávila follows her characters to the limits of desire, paranoia, insomnia, and fear. She is a writer obsessed with obsession, who makes nightmares come to life through the loneliness sinks in easily like a razor-sharp knife, some sort of evil lurks in every shadow, delusion takes the form of strange and very real creatures. After reading The Houseguest ―Dávila’s debut collection in English―you’ll wonder how this secret was kept for so long.

This one is so fun and creepy, and picks up steam as it goes. I think this may be a keeper.

I stumbled upon this book on someone's TikTok and the element of a few short stories intrigued me. I am rating this only 3 stars because not all stories were compelling. Some stories were mind blowing and thrilling while others were ‘eh', but overall this was a very interesting read!

A number of the stories in this collection are top tier and are worth a read considering their placement in time (~1950s). However, a few of these stories fall flat in their conclusion. Many tend to build and set the reader up for a Twilight Zone-esque big reveal that never comes. While I suspect the author is allowing the reader to imagine their own outcome to the narrative she has established, I would largely prefer to read the story as it was perceived--in its entirety.

Regarding the major themes, I enjoyed that many of the stories established these dark unknown characters. It can be fun to theorize and imagine what these characters look like or what their intentions are, but again I wish I could walk away with some confirmation at the story's conclusion. Another reoccurring theme is how many aspects of life that I consider "mundane" can be quite terrifying when considered from the female perspective. Running into a stranger on the street, a partner bringing a friend home, or a strange sound outside your bedroom window become more sinister when you already in a society that requires you be wary of everything around you.

While I would recommend this to fans of short stories and horror literature, prepare yourself for more of a focus on domestic life and a few endings that fall flat.