A review by stormlightreader
The Sorrows of Mexico by Juan Villoro, Anabel Hernández, Lydia Cacho

4.0

"In Mexico each horror story surpasses the previous one and Mexico looks increasingly like one enormous mass grave"

Stories of 'disappeared' people, prisons without bars, cartels exerting their seemingly endless power, girls/women 'boyfriended' into the sex trade, journalists kidnapped and tortured and civilians training themselves to do what the authorities should be doing but are too scared to do.

To quote the writer Gregor von Rezzori (cited in this book)

I am "fascinated and horrifed by Mexico in equal measure". 

At least I get the fascination fulfilled by Mexican fiction books and the horror from Mexican non-fiction books.

The Sorrows of Mexico was a bit of a mixed bag, but mostly good with some really interesting stories and some less interesting ones towards the end. However, it introduced me to some new Mexican non-fiction writers that I'm looking forward to reading more from.

Sidenote: I don't think I've ever used a map so much while reading a book 😂