Fantasmas: Supernatural Stories by Mexican American Writers

by Rob Johnson (Editor)

Fiction. Latino/Latina Studies. In Mexico, cuentos de fantasma are a popular form of literature that combines fantasy, folktales, and pulp fiction. FANTASMAS is the first selection of such stories, and it features nineteen new stories by well-known and emerging Mexican American authors. In her introduction, Kathleen AlcalAA distinguishes these stories from those by Latin American magical realists, and discusses how a new generation of Mexican American writers has infused the folktales of the past with a sense of irony, humor, and belief. Other contributors include Luna CalderAA[n, Brandt JesAAs Cooper, RubA[a�An Degollado, Elena DAAaz Bj"rkquist, Guadalupe GarcAAa MontaAAo, Lucrecia Guerrero, Stephen D. GutiA[a�Arrez, Gary G. HernAA ndez, Kelley JAA cquez, Karleen Pendleton JimA[a�Anez, Rob Johnson, Jacquie Moody, Daniel A. Olivas, Torie Olson, Stephanie R. Reyes, David Rice, RenA[a�A SaldaAAa, Jr., Carmen Tafolla, and Elva TreviAAo Hart.

Genres: Short Stories, Fantasy, Fiction

185 pages, Paperback

First published October 30, 2001

Reviews

[Matt]

I liked the concept of the book but many of the stories left me cold and disinterested. They didn't have that life and allure you'd expect.

There were some strong ones though. The closing stories, especially, resonated with me.

Overall the book was okay.

[Juan]

A few short stories stand out among the others which makes it a bit uneven.

[Tini Bot]

Just an amazing collection of stories. Worthwile!

[April Gain]

Some of these were 5 star stories to me and some weren’t, so 4 seemed like a solid compromise. An eclectic and spooky collection. I’d love to read more books like this.

[Matthew]

It's an uneven collection, but there's more good than not, and the stories that I liked I liked a lot. Generally things sit in the "Well, it could just be a coincidence" supernatural range.

[Charcoal]

I found this book on a cafe book shelf in Todos Santos, Baja Sur. Whenever I travel I like to read something from or about the area I am visiting. Short story compilations are a great way to see many angles and perspectives. While these stories aren’t strictly Mexican, they allowed me a small glimpse into the imaginations and experiences of their Mexican-American authors.

A few of these stories were quite good, particularly those centred around or told by Abuelas. I also enjoyed many of the ones written from the perspective of women.

Overall, this book met my expectations and fulfilled what I hoped from it, but little more.

[Amber]

This is a collection of stories written by Mexican American authors. I do not usually read short stories. I did enjoy the book but not enough to give it past a two star rating. The writing was good but the only stories that really captured my interest were Beyond Eternity and Maldicion.

[Lauren]

I enjoyed quite a few of these stories and thought the collection well worth reading! Particular favorites were Day Ah Dallas Mare Toes, The Devil in the Valley, Bad Debts and Vindictive Women, and Beyond Eternity. If you enjoy folk lore, you'll probably be interested to read this book!