A review by maxwelldunn
The Frost on His Shoulders by Lisa Dillman, Lorenzo Mediano

4.0

At first glance, Mediano's The Frost on His Shoulders is a short & simple story of two young lovers destined to be kept apart yet determined to be together. It's set in the Pyrenees Mountains in the 1930's, and Mediano brings to life the harsh, yet beautiful setting: the vertiginous cliffsides, bountiful forests and grazing flocks of sheep and cattle. Then, juxtaposing the natural world's unrelenting force with the rivalry of poor & rich houses in this isolated community, Mediano expands the story to comment on so much more than meets the eye. It's at once a natural, political and social commentary on the power of love and communal silence. I found myself engrossed, and at under 150 pages, it's a read that you'll be able to get through quite easily. Looking forward to checking out more of Mediano's work.