The Boundaries of Their Dwelling

by Blake Sanz

Moving between the American South and Mexico, these stories explore how immigrant and native characters are shaped by absent family and geography. A Chilanga teen wins a trip to Miami to film a reality show about family while pining for the American brother she’s never met. A Louisiana carpenter tends to his drug-addicted son while rebuilding his house after a slew of hurricanes. A New Orleans ne’er-do-well opens a Catholic-themed bar in the wake of his devout mother’s death. A village girl from Chiapas baptizes her infant on a trek toward the U.S. border.

In the collection’s second half, we follow a Veracruzan-born drifter, Manuel, and his estranged American son, Tommy. Over decades, they negotiate separate nations and personal tragicomedies on their journeys from innocence to experience. As Manuel participates in student protests in Mexico City in 1968, he drops out to pursue his art. In the 1970s, he immigrates to Louisiana, but soon leaves his wife and infant son behind after his art shop fails. Meanwhile, Tommy grows up in 1980s Louisiana, sometimes escaping his mother’s watchful eye to play basketball at a park filled with the threat of violence. In college, he seeks acceptance from teammates by writing their term papers. Years later, as Manuel nears death and Tommy reaches middle age, they reconnect, embarking on a mission to jointly interview a former riot policeman about his military days; in the process, father and son discover what it has meant to carry each other’s stories and memories from afar.
 

Genres: Short Stories

210 pages, Paperback

Published October 15, 2021

Reviews

[Sarah-Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

The short stories in Blake Sanz's The Boundaries of Their Dwelling offer original, surprising characters and settings. They balance humor and sorrow effectively, letting readers laugh, while also refusing to allow them to forget the seriousness of the issues underlying that laughter. Sanz takes us behind the scenes at a not-what-it-appears-to-be talk show, on migrant journeys, into a father-son relationship that grows increasingly complex over the years. If you enjoy short stories and/or Latinx literature, you have a delightful time making your way through The Boundaries of Their Dwelling.

I received a free electronic ARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice collection of stories. There is a pretty wide variety, well-written, and include some very interesting and well-crafted characters. This is probably best for literary fiction fans that enjoy short stories.

I really appreciate the free ARC for review!!

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Boundaries of Their Dwelling” by Blake Sanz

In this short story collection, Blake Sanz weaves together a kaleidoscope of mostly interconnected stories featuring a fractured family saga between a Mexican-born artist Manuel and his estranged US-born son. Characters from other stories which seem disconnected cycle in additional characters, factors in their lives both big and small. All together the effect is a beautiful, frustrating, and moving look at the human propensity to reach for life in spite of or because of those barriers put in our way. 


I really enjoyed this collection a lot, and I’m frankly surprised it hasn’t gotten more widespread recognition as far as I’ve seen. Sanz’s writing captures a humanity and ponderousness in his characters that is very special, the nuances of what it means to yearn for something on bright display. Each of the stories worked very well, but I was especially drawn into Hurricane Gothic, The Laurel Wreath, and the interwoven stories of Manuel and Tommy starting at In the City of Murals. Usually I don’t love when story collections weave together so many stories; it leaves me wondering why it’s not a novella or novel. Although I still wonder that here, I found the arrangement of stories in “The Boundaries of Their Dwelling” worked well to achieve the task Sanz set out for, helped along by shifting the point of view between Manuel and Tommy, as well as a couple others, and using shifts in style to keep each story unique. 


What a beautiful collection. This is one that I will be keeping on my shelves not just as a part of my library, but in the hope I meet someone that I feel will need this collection someday, that I can pass it on for someone else to witness and draw up on it’s beauty.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this as an eGalley from NetGalley.

I was surprised to see this pop up on NetGalley and recognize the author- I took one of my favorite college electives with Blake when I went to LSU. It was an English course that focused on Latin American and Southern Literature and the things they shared etc.

These stories were about folks in Mexico and/or Louisiana and made me feel real homesick for my family as I freeze in the tundra that is Massachusetts. I was glad I read them and it kinda made me wanna see if I could dig up the old syllabus for Blake’s class- which is prolly in one of my many boxes that just sit in my parents’ garage.

Points to him using the phrase “might could” in one of the stories which as soon as I read it- I recognized as the kind of regional Southern speak that I miss hearing.

[Court Small · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fantastic collection of short stories.
The characters in these stories come across as very real people all trying to navigate through life with the tools they have available to them.
Very well written.
I adore the cover!

[Ashley]

I enjoyed this collection of short stories, though some more than others. The stories compiled in The Boundaries of Their Dwelling largely focus on Latinx people making their way in the world. The author explores relationships between husbands and wives, parents and children, and friends along the way. There is a great commentary on the stereotypical way Latinx are treated in America. Most of the stories also take place in Louisiana, so if you like southern literature I would also recommend.

My favorite stories included:
Lives of the Saints ¡Hablamos! - two best friends win a trip to appear on a Jerry Springer-esque talk show. During the trip, the friends are forced to play the part of “typical” Latinas. The friends becomes closer during the trip and their sisterly bond becomes stronger.
Hurricane Gothic - a heartbreaking story about a son who struggles to overcome his past demons, while dealing with the aftermath of his parent’s deaths. We also see the struggles his father faced in the past.
In the City of Murals - a Mexican struggling with the difficulties of starting a new business in America

Thank you to NetGalley and the University of Iowa Press for an advanced copy.

[Susanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author, the University of Iowa Press and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This collection of short stories (and one longer, novella-length story) is a fantastic read. The author masterfully creates worlds that drew me in and absorbed me in each individual story. Looking at the question of identity and belonging, how you define yourself in regions where both geography and social class are rigid constructs that open and close doors, the boundaries of possibility are hard-edged - and yet the stories left me with a feeling of hope. Highly recommend.

[Andy Oram · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a heartfelt and heartening novel, fashioned out of collected stories that are mostly about one extended, blended (and dysfunctional) family. It's nice to have stories that grab your attention and air very human situations, but have a basically upbeat feel. Sanz is particularly good at stories that chug along--sometimes seeming to decrease in energy--just like real life, right up to a surprise in the last couple paragraphs.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok book of short stories, many of them amusing.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

review edited after additional conversation

[Ray Sinclair · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's rare when a book cover has much influence on me, but this one made me push other books out of the way. And it was worth it. The content is every bit as good as its wrapping. Sanz's characters have limited means but unlimited passions and plans.