The Book of Wanderers by Reyes Ramirez is a debut collection of short stories that follows those of Mexican and Salvadoran descent living in Houston and beyond. The Houstonian writer, who is also Mexican and Salvadoran, is no stranger to the art of writing. Reyes has been the recipient of fellowships, received grants, and has been the finalist in various contests, all of which you can find on his website. His collection of short stories is a testimony to these well-deserved recognitions.
The debut is composed of 10 unique worlds and characters across three chapters. These wanderers consist of laborers, a renowned curandera, a driver, a zombie-and-neo-Nazi fighter, and more. Something that stands out about Reyes’ debut is that almost every story is presented in a different genre. Readers are able to digest many categories while Reyes is able to introduce his many strengths as a writer. Two stories that stood out to me the most were “Lilia” and “An Adventure of Xuxa, La Última.” An honorable mention is “Ximena DeLuna v. The New Mars Territory.
In “Lilia,” we meet a rideshare driver in mourning. Layla was partying with her friends when they called the driver to take her home. They get stuck behind a train and, from here, an honest conversation is exchanged. Layla catches him in a lie (or in his words, a “half-truth”) and when he tells her his true sorrows, she stays silent. In turn, when he tells the truth that Layla needs to hear about these “friends” that dumped her in his car, she again goes silent. There’s something about sharing your story with a stranger that you’ll know for a very short time that feels… freeing. In that short time, there’s no room for judgment. They don’t know enough about you to be critical. All they can do is listen, just like Layla. We can only guess the fateful day that the driver is mourning and we may never truly know the details of Layla and who she is. As readers, we may never be able to receive closure on these characters. And that’s what sticks with me.
“An Adventure of Xuxa, La Última” is an action-packed story with two coinciding fights: one against a zombie overlord and one against a Nazi general. Xuxa wanders from settlement to settlement warning them about the impending arrival of Mil Fuegos, a zombie overlord committing genocide against the human race. However, the next group she encounters is also ensuring the erasure of certain groups of people. A Nazi general and his camp capture Xuxa and force her to rewrite history books to fit their racist agenda of a Whites Only society. With the inevitable arrival of Mil Fuegos, instead of warning the entire camp, she helps plan the escape only for the “brown and black and varying shades of both” who have been oppressed by the hand of the Nazi General. I love a good zombie story, and with the added conflict of fighting racists and keeping the true history of your culture alive? I’m all in.
Reyes Ramirez has said before that multiple sources of inspiration were found for his stories. It shows through his excellent execution of these otherworldly dimensions. While these two stories stuck with me the most, there are more unique plots and genres that can appeal to a lot of readers. The Book of Wanderers has left me with a sense of longing for wanderers that we are honored with meeting for only a few pages.
Book content warnings: death, murder, violence, genocide
Melissa Gonzalez (she/her) is a UCLA graduate with a major in American Literature & Culture and a minor in Chicana/o & Central American Studies. She loves boba, horror movies, and reading. You can spot her in the fiction, horror/mystery/thriller, and young adult sections of bookstores. Though she is short, she feels as tall as her TBR pile. You can find Melissa on her book Instagram: @floralchapters
