What do you think?
Rate this book
Guatemalan Rhapsody: Stories – A Kaleidoscopic Debut on the Ties that Connect and Constrain Us
A vibrant debut story collection—poignant, unflinching, and immersive—masterfully moving between sharp wit and profound tenderness, Guatemalan Rhapsody offers a kaleidoscopic portrait of an ever-changing country, the people who claim it as home, and those who no longer do
Ranging from a custodian at an underfunded college to a medicine man living in a temple dedicated to San Simon, the patron saint of alcohol and cigarettes, the characters in these stories find themselves at defining moments in their lives, where sacrifices may be required of them, by them, or for them.
In “Saint Dismas,” four orphaned brothers pose as part of a construction crew, stopping cars along the highway and robbing anyone foolish enough to hit the brakes. In “Heart Sleeves,” two wannabe tattoo artists take part in a contest, where one of them hopes to win not only first place but also the heart of his best friend’s girlfriend. And, in “Fight Sounds,” a character who fancies himself a Don Juan is swept up in the commotion of an American film crew shooting a movie in his tiny town, until the economic and sexual politics of the place are turned on their head.
Across this collection, Lemus’s characters test their loyalty to family, community, and country, illuminating the ties that both connect us and constrain us. Guatemalan Rhapsody explores how we journey from the circumstances that we are forged by, and whether the ability to change our fortunes lies in our own hands or in those of another. Revealing the places where beauty, desperation, love, violence, and hope exist simultaneously, Jared Lemus’s debut establishes him as a major new voice in the form.
Ranging from a custodian at an underfunded college to a medicine man living in a temple dedicated to San Simon, the patron saint of alcohol and cigarettes, the characters in these stories find themselves at defining moments in their lives, where sacrifices may be required of them, by them, or for them.
In “Saint Dismas,” four orphaned brothers pose as part of a construction crew, stopping cars along the highway and robbing anyone foolish enough to hit the brakes. In “Heart Sleeves,” two wannabe tattoo artists take part in a contest, where one of them hopes to win not only first place but also the heart of his best friend’s girlfriend. And, in “Fight Sounds,” a character who fancies himself a Don Juan is swept up in the commotion of an American film crew shooting a movie in his tiny town, until the economic and sexual politics of the place are turned on their head.
Across this collection, Lemus’s characters test their loyalty to family, community, and country, illuminating the ties that both connect us and constrain us. Guatemalan Rhapsody explores how we journey from the circumstances that we are forged by, and whether the ability to change our fortunes lies in our own hands or in those of another. Revealing the places where beauty, desperation, love, violence, and hope exist simultaneously, Jared Lemus’s debut establishes him as a major new voice in the form.
232 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 4, 2025
74 people are currently reading
8906 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
March 21, 2025
In a Nutshell: A literary short story collection about ordinary life in Guatemala. Character-driven tales, multi-faceted writing, varied circumstances and characters. The endings and some of the plot inclusions were not my cup of tea. This is a stunning debut, even if it wasn’t exactly my kind of book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This collection of twelve stories is the first time I have explored an OwnVoices work from Guatemala. (That was the prime reason for grabbing this book!) The result has been rich and complex.
My copy doesn’t come with an author’s note offering a clue about the theme of this collection. However, the blurb states that the book “explores how we journey from the circumstances that we are forged by, and whether the ability to change our fortunes lies in our own hands or in those of another.” I find this an accurate estimation of each story’s core intent.
The writing is impeccable. At no point did I feel like I was reading a debut work. The author has created an eclectic array of characters coming from varied age and work profiles. However, none of the characters are from wealthy backgrounds or high-profile professions. They are mostly from poor or middle-class upbringing, striving to go beyond their circumstances, but often stumbling on this journey.
Despite this seemingly repetitive concept of characters desperate to get out of their current mire, the plots are distinct. None of the stories created a déjà vu kind of feel. Plus, the characters’ attitudes also vary even when their goals are similar. Some are cocky, some disheartened, some courageous, and some just plod along the path life takes them on.
As the focus is mainly on the characters, we don’t get to see much of the locale of Guatemala. However, there are many stories with references to the social situation, the cultural beliefs and the traditions of this Central American country. These don’t always offer a pretty picture, but considering that this is an OwnVoices work, the tone is genuine without being degrading. The underlying feel is always of hope even when the circumstances are of despair.
There is a good mix of first-person and third-person POVs across the stories, but one story comes from the second-person POV. While this narrative voice is usually my favourite, this particular story didn’t impress me much as the identity of the “you” was too fuzzy.
While most of the above usually works in my favour, I didn’t enjoy this collection as much as I had hoped to. For one, every single story is from the male perspective. Female characters, if present, are in limited roles. Further, many of the males resort to alcohol and drug usage and also use obscenities – this might be realistic but it is not in my comfort zone of reading. All of this, I would still have taken in my stride as the result of a genuine male writing voice, but what I couldn’t overlook was the endings. A majority of the stories have abrupt ends. Again, open endings are fine for me as long as they offer some clue about what might happen next or if they pause on a ray of hope. But many of the stories herein stopped with no warning about the fate of the character. I’d have preferred to have closure, especially considering the poignancy and inherent danger of some of the stories.
As always, I rated the stories individually. My ratings went all the way from 2.5 stars to 5 stars, mostly dependent on the endings. Had the endings offered me satisfaction, my ratings would easily have been higher. These were my top favourite stories with 4+ stars:
All in all, this would be a great option for short story lovers who are fond of literary fiction and are okay with male-dominated narratives. The character-driven storytelling, the OwnVoices factor, and the realism of the tales ought to override the issue with the endings.
3.5 stars, based on the average of my rating for each story. (Rounding up because I know the lower rating is partly due to my reading preferences regarding adult content.)
My thanks to Ecco for providing the DRC of “Guatemalan Rhapsody” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Threads || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This collection of twelve stories is the first time I have explored an OwnVoices work from Guatemala. (That was the prime reason for grabbing this book!) The result has been rich and complex.
My copy doesn’t come with an author’s note offering a clue about the theme of this collection. However, the blurb states that the book “explores how we journey from the circumstances that we are forged by, and whether the ability to change our fortunes lies in our own hands or in those of another.” I find this an accurate estimation of each story’s core intent.
The writing is impeccable. At no point did I feel like I was reading a debut work. The author has created an eclectic array of characters coming from varied age and work profiles. However, none of the characters are from wealthy backgrounds or high-profile professions. They are mostly from poor or middle-class upbringing, striving to go beyond their circumstances, but often stumbling on this journey.
Despite this seemingly repetitive concept of characters desperate to get out of their current mire, the plots are distinct. None of the stories created a déjà vu kind of feel. Plus, the characters’ attitudes also vary even when their goals are similar. Some are cocky, some disheartened, some courageous, and some just plod along the path life takes them on.
As the focus is mainly on the characters, we don’t get to see much of the locale of Guatemala. However, there are many stories with references to the social situation, the cultural beliefs and the traditions of this Central American country. These don’t always offer a pretty picture, but considering that this is an OwnVoices work, the tone is genuine without being degrading. The underlying feel is always of hope even when the circumstances are of despair.
There is a good mix of first-person and third-person POVs across the stories, but one story comes from the second-person POV. While this narrative voice is usually my favourite, this particular story didn’t impress me much as the identity of the “you” was too fuzzy.
While most of the above usually works in my favour, I didn’t enjoy this collection as much as I had hoped to. For one, every single story is from the male perspective. Female characters, if present, are in limited roles. Further, many of the males resort to alcohol and drug usage and also use obscenities – this might be realistic but it is not in my comfort zone of reading. All of this, I would still have taken in my stride as the result of a genuine male writing voice, but what I couldn’t overlook was the endings. A majority of the stories have abrupt ends. Again, open endings are fine for me as long as they offer some clue about what might happen next or if they pause on a ray of hope. But many of the stories herein stopped with no warning about the fate of the character. I’d have preferred to have closure, especially considering the poignancy and inherent danger of some of the stories.
As always, I rated the stories individually. My ratings went all the way from 2.5 stars to 5 stars, mostly dependent on the endings. Had the endings offered me satisfaction, my ratings would easily have been higher. These were my top favourite stories with 4+ stars:
🤩 Ofrendas: What kind of offering is enough to save a soul? Begins ordinary, ends chilling. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
🤩 Whistle While You Work: A group of custodians try to retain their jobs by any means possible. Would have rated this higher if it had a better ending. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
🤩 Saint Dismas: A well-written story about how needs dominate wants. Loved the grittiness of this one. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
🤩 Caídas: An excellent story about an old man living with the shadows of his past. Would have been a 5 star for me had the ending offered me more. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
🤩 Fight Sounds: A man who doesn't realise what he has until he loses it. Liked the mix of humour and seriousness. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
🤩 Scrimmages: A group of teenagers gets an international football player as their team coach. But things aren't as they appear. My favourite story of the book, with its excellent portrayal of life and its vicissitudes. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
All in all, this would be a great option for short story lovers who are fond of literary fiction and are okay with male-dominated narratives. The character-driven storytelling, the OwnVoices factor, and the realism of the tales ought to override the issue with the endings.
3.5 stars, based on the average of my rating for each story. (Rounding up because I know the lower rating is partly due to my reading preferences regarding adult content.)
My thanks to Ecco for providing the DRC of “Guatemalan Rhapsody” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Threads || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
July 27, 2024
Definitely don’t know who this guy is, like, at all, but I gotta say, he must be pretty cool. I’d hang out with him. 5/5 highly recommend.
May 9, 2025
Interesting short story collection about a set of characters’ day to day lives and extraordinary circumstances in Guatemala. I liked how this short story collection addressed how class and people’s material realities affect how they interact with those around them. My favorite story in the collection was “Whistle While You Work,” a great piece about workers’ solidarity and not succumbing to what your bosses want. That said, unfortunately many of the other stories didn’t stick with me; they were either too experimental for my liking or too short, or too focused on one specific scenario, for me to develop a connection to the characters. Still, if this book’s synopsis interests you you may consider still checking it out.
September 14, 2024
Thank you to Ecco via NetGalley for providing me with this ARC! Admittedly since I am 1/2 Guatemalan I feel like this short story collection holds a special place in my heart for the representation it provides. The imagery was so vivid and the characters all felt so real and complex. I feel like this is a collection I will want to return to and read again later, as I feel like I may get something new with every reread.
February 5, 2025
Thank you librofm for the ALC. Guatemalan rhapsody comes out 3/4.
My rating is a 4.5 rounded up.
I’ve never read anything like this before. Although *I* am not BORN in Guatemala… my mom was. And when I visited Guatemala back in 2020, it was amazing. I felt so connected to the country.
Being half Guatemalan, half salvadorian, and 100% American.. my “cultural” identify has always been.. skewed. I’ve never been enough of anything.
My mom is also native, Mayan, and learned Spanish after her first language being kiche. And this book had stories relating to that. Which is wicked cool 😭
My mom is now a Christian and she has never told us any Mayan lore of the sort but it was interesting to see what others believe aside from God.
At times I did get some whiplash bc the story was getting crazy good and then bam it was over and I had to remove myself from the setting and into a new one haha.
But overall, amazing, enthralling, and educational. It’s given me perspective and compassion. And I feel like I know these fictional people who could’ve been anyone. I pictured my grandpa a lot. 🥹🤍🫂
My rating is a 4.5 rounded up.
I’ve never read anything like this before. Although *I* am not BORN in Guatemala… my mom was. And when I visited Guatemala back in 2020, it was amazing. I felt so connected to the country.
Being half Guatemalan, half salvadorian, and 100% American.. my “cultural” identify has always been.. skewed. I’ve never been enough of anything.
My mom is also native, Mayan, and learned Spanish after her first language being kiche. And this book had stories relating to that. Which is wicked cool 😭
My mom is now a Christian and she has never told us any Mayan lore of the sort but it was interesting to see what others believe aside from God.
At times I did get some whiplash bc the story was getting crazy good and then bam it was over and I had to remove myself from the setting and into a new one haha.
But overall, amazing, enthralling, and educational. It’s given me perspective and compassion. And I feel like I know these fictional people who could’ve been anyone. I pictured my grandpa a lot. 🥹🤍🫂
January 5, 2025
Overall, I was not a fan. The book had too many extremely flawed main characters with whom I had trouble empathizing or liking. Too many of these male characters, because all the main characters were male, degraded women and mentioned masturbation constantly. It is not necessarily a pleasant read for a woman. There were some parts that were good, and the author does have talent. However, the book was not for me.
Ofrendas - 5
“There is so much want in this world…”
So Long to the Rearview - 2
“A family of people who don’t know you or your faults. They’ve come to protect you.”
I hated the ending and narrator/main character. I get that this is probably a realistic portrayal, but the guy was driving drunk with passengers. He was at fault. And the idea that people came to defend him because they were of the same nationality, even though he was in the wrong, just doesn’t sit right with me.
Whistle While You Work - 2
As somebody who works part-time as a housekeeper, I get the frustration of how people don’t respect you, bosses don’t listen, etc. But still, the ending solves nothing. It is childish and immature
Saint Dismas - 3
Liked the ending more than anything. They were all desperate
Heart Sleeves - 2
Did not need it ending with a question
Caídas - 3
Not a fan of the ending
Bus Stop Baby - 4
Liked the ending with the choices
Fight Sounds - 2
Ugh, I get tired of men’s sexist, gross POV
Scrimmages - 3.5
“We waited as he stared into each set of eyes, saw us as individuals: Mihuel the future banker who loved Cantinflas movies, Jaramillo the painter and father of two, Abel the older brother, future wife beater, and insurance agent. He was looking at us as Yuri the future debate team captain, Casimalo the future politician, Bendito the future gangbanger. Not a professional soccer player among us.”
Hotel of the Gods - 3
Dark Road with Diesel Stains - 3
A Cleansing - 3
Not sure I fully understand it. Need a little more
Ofrendas - 5
“There is so much want in this world…”
So Long to the Rearview - 2
“A family of people who don’t know you or your faults. They’ve come to protect you.”
I hated the ending and narrator/main character. I get that this is probably a realistic portrayal, but the guy was driving drunk with passengers. He was at fault. And the idea that people came to defend him because they were of the same nationality, even though he was in the wrong, just doesn’t sit right with me.
Whistle While You Work - 2
As somebody who works part-time as a housekeeper, I get the frustration of how people don’t respect you, bosses don’t listen, etc. But still, the ending solves nothing. It is childish and immature
Saint Dismas - 3
Liked the ending more than anything. They were all desperate
Heart Sleeves - 2
Did not need it ending with a question
Caídas - 3
Not a fan of the ending
Bus Stop Baby - 4
Liked the ending with the choices
Fight Sounds - 2
Ugh, I get tired of men’s sexist, gross POV
Scrimmages - 3.5
“We waited as he stared into each set of eyes, saw us as individuals: Mihuel the future banker who loved Cantinflas movies, Jaramillo the painter and father of two, Abel the older brother, future wife beater, and insurance agent. He was looking at us as Yuri the future debate team captain, Casimalo the future politician, Bendito the future gangbanger. Not a professional soccer player among us.”
Hotel of the Gods - 3
Dark Road with Diesel Stains - 3
A Cleansing - 3
Not sure I fully understand it. Need a little more
February 18, 2025
Guatemalan Rhapsody clearly demonstrates how talented Jared Lemus is as a writer. The stories are engaging and reflect examples of the diaspora that most Latin populations experience. Though a variety of stories, he allows us to immerse ourselves several socioeconomic experiences. Unfortunately, these experiences sometimes do not ring true or authentic because of the language they are expressed in.
Given some of the character's experiences and explanations of social circumstances, the characters felt too educated for their life experiences. For example, the dialogue for some of the characters, felt a little highbrow. In my experience, even those of the lower socioeconomic classes, like those in my family, will code switch when talking to their peers even when they speak proper English or Spanish and are educated. This impression was exasperated by the narrator, While I applaud that a native Guatemalan was chosen as the narrator, the narrator range didn't change significantly between the prose and dialogue, This is the only reason it gets a 4 out of 5 stars for me.
Thank you HarperAudio Adult | HarperAudio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Given some of the character's experiences and explanations of social circumstances, the characters felt too educated for their life experiences. For example, the dialogue for some of the characters, felt a little highbrow. In my experience, even those of the lower socioeconomic classes, like those in my family, will code switch when talking to their peers even when they speak proper English or Spanish and are educated. This impression was exasperated by the narrator, While I applaud that a native Guatemalan was chosen as the narrator, the narrator range didn't change significantly between the prose and dialogue, This is the only reason it gets a 4 out of 5 stars for me.
Thank you HarperAudio Adult | HarperAudio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this ARC. All opinions are my own.
January 22, 2025
This book was very well written and enjoyable overall. Most of the stories included this book were pretty sad but some ended on a hopeful note, like the last story. However, some of these stories are pretty dark.
The main characters and setting of each story is really diverse. I think the author should have included at least one story in this collection in which the main character was a woman or girl. Even so, each main character was different from the last. Most are poor (but a few are comfortable), some are old, some are young, etc. The setting also varied from story to story and a few stories take place in the US, not Guatemala.
I learned a little bit more about the country of Guatemala and its culture from this collection of short stories. It was especially interesting to learn about Mayan mythology and the various gods that the Mayas worshipped from the Hotel of the Gods short story. I was also fascinated by the belief system featured in the Ofrendas short story.
I’m looking forward to reading this author’s full-length novel. I hope I won’t have to wait too long to read it.
The main characters and setting of each story is really diverse. I think the author should have included at least one story in this collection in which the main character was a woman or girl. Even so, each main character was different from the last. Most are poor (but a few are comfortable), some are old, some are young, etc. The setting also varied from story to story and a few stories take place in the US, not Guatemala.
I learned a little bit more about the country of Guatemala and its culture from this collection of short stories. It was especially interesting to learn about Mayan mythology and the various gods that the Mayas worshipped from the Hotel of the Gods short story. I was also fascinated by the belief system featured in the Ofrendas short story.
I’m looking forward to reading this author’s full-length novel. I hope I won’t have to wait too long to read it.
March 22, 2025
Wowza. I'm about to rhapsodize about Guatemalan Rhapsody. This collection is excellent--rich, gritty, lush. I could picture every rivulet of sweat and each dusty windshield. I loved getting a peek into life in Guatemala and her diaspora through these stories. As I finished each one, I thought: this is the best one. And then I'd read the next one and have to reshuffle the order again because every story is a banger. No skips.
I took a writing class with Jared Lemus at Pitt, and he's also a fantastic professor. It was easily one of the best classes I've ever taken on any subject.
I'm excited to see what he does next. I hear there's a novel forthcoming, and I'm ready to pre-order rn!
I took a writing class with Jared Lemus at Pitt, and he's also a fantastic professor. It was easily one of the best classes I've ever taken on any subject.
I'm excited to see what he does next. I hear there's a novel forthcoming, and I'm ready to pre-order rn!
September 17, 2025
this book was very interesting. I love writing short stories myself so reading a bunch of them collectively from majority male pov , also not really wanting to root for the person who's sharing his pov 😂. it was just simply a good read. my favorite was either fight sounds or whistle while you work
April 8, 2025
Ok as a Chapina - American.
I loved this book I saw stories of my people reflected back at me after every page. Stories from my uncles, cousins, and friends. Familiar places, I could smell my own hometown through the descriptions.
After looking over some of the reviews I’m a little confused….
We get upset when men write from a woman’s perspective and we get upset when men speak from their own perspective. A lot of complaints about misogynistic perspectives and moments… I hate to tell you this but as a Latina… yeah our culture is that. It is getting better, there are a lot of strong feminine voices but I personally wouldn’t want to hear that from a guy.
Maybe just me.
My one complaint Jared, if it’s cool that I call you Jared, is HOW DARE YOU LEAVE ME WANTING MORE!
So many stories ended with us asking a million questions or endings with us choosing what happens next in our own head canon.
I’ll have to come back, edit and cite the actual story names but the ones that hit me the most was the very first one, Caída, ( I think that’s the story’s name ) Bus stop one and Cleansing.
I loved this book I saw stories of my people reflected back at me after every page. Stories from my uncles, cousins, and friends. Familiar places, I could smell my own hometown through the descriptions.
After looking over some of the reviews I’m a little confused….
We get upset when men write from a woman’s perspective and we get upset when men speak from their own perspective. A lot of complaints about misogynistic perspectives and moments… I hate to tell you this but as a Latina… yeah our culture is that. It is getting better, there are a lot of strong feminine voices but I personally wouldn’t want to hear that from a guy.
Maybe just me.
My one complaint Jared, if it’s cool that I call you Jared, is HOW DARE YOU LEAVE ME WANTING MORE!
So many stories ended with us asking a million questions or endings with us choosing what happens next in our own head canon.
I’ll have to come back, edit and cite the actual story names but the ones that hit me the most was the very first one, Caída, ( I think that’s the story’s name ) Bus stop one and Cleansing.
February 15, 2025
Great energy to the prose. Narrators each had their own voice, though Lemus’s style and expertise shines through all of them. So many “what the fuck noooo!” scenes that will stick with me. Also, straight up funny.
December 20, 2024
Just wasn't for me.
March 29, 2025
Thank you to Libro.fm for the ALC!
Guatemalan Rhapsody is a literary short story collection that offers a vivid window into everyday life in Guatemala. These stories are deeply character-driven, with multifaceted writing and a wide range of circumstances and protagonists. While some plot elements and endings didn’t entirely resonate with me, I still found this to be a stunning and thoughtful debut.
The narration was fantastic and brought each story to life with warmth and clarity. The collection is emotionally rich—many stories are quite sad and delve into dark themes, though a few end on a hopeful note, especially the final story, which I found particularly moving.
I appreciated the variety in the characters and settings. Each story introduced someone entirely new—young and old, impoverished and comfortable, rural and urban, with a few stories even set in the U.S. However, I did find it surprising that none of the main characters were women or girls, which felt like a missed opportunity for even greater representation.
Beyond the compelling storytelling, the book gave me insight into Guatemala’s culture and beliefs. I especially enjoyed learning about Mayan mythology in the “Hotel of the Gods” story and was intrigued by the spiritual elements explored in “Ofrendas.”
While not every story was exactly my cup of tea, Guatemalan Rhapsody was an engaging and beautifully crafted collection overall. A promising debut well worth reading.
Guatemalan Rhapsody is a literary short story collection that offers a vivid window into everyday life in Guatemala. These stories are deeply character-driven, with multifaceted writing and a wide range of circumstances and protagonists. While some plot elements and endings didn’t entirely resonate with me, I still found this to be a stunning and thoughtful debut.
The narration was fantastic and brought each story to life with warmth and clarity. The collection is emotionally rich—many stories are quite sad and delve into dark themes, though a few end on a hopeful note, especially the final story, which I found particularly moving.
I appreciated the variety in the characters and settings. Each story introduced someone entirely new—young and old, impoverished and comfortable, rural and urban, with a few stories even set in the U.S. However, I did find it surprising that none of the main characters were women or girls, which felt like a missed opportunity for even greater representation.
Beyond the compelling storytelling, the book gave me insight into Guatemala’s culture and beliefs. I especially enjoyed learning about Mayan mythology in the “Hotel of the Gods” story and was intrigued by the spiritual elements explored in “Ofrendas.”
While not every story was exactly my cup of tea, Guatemalan Rhapsody was an engaging and beautifully crafted collection overall. A promising debut well worth reading.
May 17, 2025
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I’m not usually a short story person but this worked for me. Some of the stories have cultural elements that reminded me of Benin which sparked some pleasant memories for me. It was nice! I’d be really curious to read a full length novel by this author.
May 23, 2025
Short stories by nature are tricky. Some felt too long, others too short, and a few hit that sweet spot of satisfaction. Solid debut book, great writing.
September 12, 2025
This is a beautiful collection of literary short stories. Each story offers a small vignette into a characters life or circumstance. While many of the stories felt incomplete, it left me wondering and wanting more—which I feel worked in this book’s favor. I really enjoyed this book.
Thank you to Libro.fm for my copy.
Thank you to Libro.fm for my copy.
March 25, 2025
Thanks Ecco for the gifted ARC book.
Guatemalan Rhapsody is sharp. Lemus knows just when to end a story.
It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of short story collections. This book kept me entertained from start to finish. On several occasions, my reactions startled my dog as she slept next to me while I read. I, of course, filled her in on what was happening!
Each character-driven piece featured a male narrator, himself flawed, experiencing circumstances unique from the next. Despite being on page for only a short time, the characters carried complexity, capturing snippets of Guatemalan life. I really enjoyed the range provided.
Guatemalan Rhapsody was an engaging and memorable debut that I definitely recommend. I look forward to Lemus’ forthcoming novel!
Guatemalan Rhapsody is sharp. Lemus knows just when to end a story.
It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of short story collections. This book kept me entertained from start to finish. On several occasions, my reactions startled my dog as she slept next to me while I read. I, of course, filled her in on what was happening!
Each character-driven piece featured a male narrator, himself flawed, experiencing circumstances unique from the next. Despite being on page for only a short time, the characters carried complexity, capturing snippets of Guatemalan life. I really enjoyed the range provided.
Guatemalan Rhapsody was an engaging and memorable debut that I definitely recommend. I look forward to Lemus’ forthcoming novel!
March 22, 2025
Almost finished this one in a day because each story had me enthralled. Great short stories that were heartbreaking, relatable, funny, and full of very human characters. Solid debut.
March 17, 2025
Stellar collection of stories. His stories remind me of my university professors’ in short story collections: you may think it’s a simple short story but if you think about it, you’re like, did he just talk about the material reality of his people and how it affects morality? How are some of his short story structures familiar to some of the greats but he makes it his own? What is Guatemalan fiction? He answers all of that but also poses several more which I think a sign of someone exciting. I wonder how he does with a novel!
June 3, 2025
I don’t read many short stories like these but all the stories made me feel so sad for the hardships of the characters and also enlightened because somehow the endings felt…airy? Idk how to describe it. If he is a debut author, this isn’t shabby at all. It gave me a glimpse of Central Americas culture and what the “American dream” for them is. NOICE!
June 20, 2025
"You and your passengers work seven days a week. It's a miracle you know the year, but the weekday is a mystery."
I had some favorite short stories within here, but all of them were beautifully written. The characters were so real, and each story was unique.
I don't read as many short stories, but maybe now I will. Fun quick read. Highly recommend 🙏
I had some favorite short stories within here, but all of them were beautifully written. The characters were so real, and each story was unique.
I don't read as many short stories, but maybe now I will. Fun quick read. Highly recommend 🙏
October 18, 2025
I’ve waited a long time for a book like this. Guatemalan perspectives and characters come once in a blue moon. I thought these stories were rich and crafted with reverence. I got through this book as the ice raids in Chicago continue to disturb Latine communities. I don’t know how real life events will play out. I do know that my heart resonates with the stories from this book. To keep going even if that means alone in the dark.
October 18, 2025
This was a distinctly mixed collection, spanning the spectrum from genuinely beautiful, unusual stories to several that felt unfortunately forgettable. It was an okay read overall, but I gave the final rating a significant bump because I appreciated how much it pushed my boundaries as a reader. Its divergence from my typical material made it an interesting, worthwhile read.
January 23, 2025
Read this book! ❤💛
May 27, 2025
4.5
Great collection of unique stories, many different voices that stay with me
Great collection of unique stories, many different voices that stay with me
June 27, 2025
A mixed bag of stories. The good ones were very good. The others, not as good.
August 13, 2025
4.5 - I think short stories are so hard to do well. Having something engaging and then wrap up in 10 pages or less can be tricky. I really enjoyed this book and love the country of its focus!
October 26, 2025
I’d read a full novel of any one of these.
April 2, 2025
Need to collect my thoughts, I’ll be back.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews