Sophomore entry from critically acclaimed author: Ornamental was a finalist for the 2020 PEN Translation Award and reviewed by the New York Times, the Los Angeles Review of Books, the Guardian, and others.
Timely subject matter: addresses destructive effects of monocrop agriculture, religious fanaticism, and capitalism.
Propulsive, atmospheric noir novel that subverts expectations: while this book has many classic ingredients of a thriller-a washed-up hero, a mysterious murder, secrets, underworld figures, sex, booze, and drugs-Cárdenas twists the way these elements play out to create sophisticated commentary on power and capital in the global south. The plot is full of misdirections and red herrings, and is more interested in raising questions than answering them.
Charismatic author-translator duo eager for events: Juan Cárdenas will be living in Ithaca, New York in summer 2023, and both he and translator Lizzie Davis are excited for in-person and virtual events.
For readers of Fernanda Melchor, Eugene Lim, Rachel Ingalls, and Yuri Herrera.