Cousins by Aurora Venturini is a strange and candid work of translated fiction. It follows a dysfunctional family of women in Argentina as they experience abuse after abuse.
Synopsis
Yuna, our young narrator, observes the women in her family suffering these abuses, including miscarriages, illegal abortions, murder, and ableism. Nearly all of them have some form of a disability. Yuna struggles with articulating her thoughts and dreads using punctuation. She is an aspiring artist, but due to her disability, her family doesn’t take her seriously until a professor vouches for her.
Review of Cousins by Aurora Venturini
This translated novel is such an unusual story that I nearly DNF’d it, but I’m glad I didn’t. The writing style and the voice of Yuna are considerably odd and took a minute to get used to. Initially, the writing is akin to stream of consciousness. But as Yuna matures and starts reading the dictionary, the writing style becomes more traditional.
The topics discussed are dark, but Yuna’s unique narration and innocence keep it from feeling completely bleak. However, there is a noticeable shift when she realizes the weight of the injustices befalling her cousins.
This novel is brutal and bizarre and not for the faint of heart.
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Expected Publication: 16 May 2023
Thank you to Soft Skull for providing an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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