Contemporary Mexican Literature in Translation

Contemporary Mexican Literature in Translation

This article relates to The Accidentals

The Accidentals is a collection of short stories by Mexican author Guadalupe Nettel, translated from Spanish to English by Rosalind Harvey. Nettel's novel Still Born, also translated by Harvey, was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize in 2023.

Here are some more examples of contemporary Mexican literature in translation worth having on your radar.

Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor, translated by Sophie Hughes
Following the murder of the local "witch," a village tries to find out what transpired; multiple narrators share their perspectives to arrive gradually at the truth. This is a brutal and breathless look at a community ruled by poverty, violence, and corruption.

Red Ants by Pergentino José, translated by Thomas Bunstead
This collection of short fiction is the first literary work ever translated into English from Sierra Zapotec, an Indigenous Mexican language. It is a magical realist work that explores the Indigenous experience, love, family, and independence.

Loop by Brenda Lozano, translated by Annie McDermott
Recovering from an accident, a woman chronicles the time she spends waiting for her boyfriend to return from a trip to Spain. Written in short, poetic fragments, this book is a rumination on love, solitude, and our relationship with writing.

Reservoir Bitches by Dahlia de la Cerda, translated by Julia Sanches & Heather Cleary
In this collection of linked short stories, thirteen Mexican women rail against the systematic misogyny that would have them be silent. This is a searing, darkly funny social commentary full of gritty, unapologetic heroines.

Signs Preceding the End of the World by Yuri Herrera, translated by Lisa Dillman
In order to cross the US border in search of her missing brother, a young woman becomes embroiled in the dangerous world of Mexico's underground gangs in this short yet impactful exploration of the migrant experience.

The Gringo Champion by Aura Xilonen, translated by Andrea Rosenberg
Having faced neglect and hardship throughout his childhood, a young Mexican man crosses the US border to start a new life and to discover who he is beyond the fear and loneliness that have previously defined him.

Filed under Reading Lists

This article relates to The Accidentals. It first ran in the June 4, 2025 issue of BookBrowse Recommends.