TEPOZTECO'S BELLY

Mexican author Agustín presents a Mesoamerican mythology-based adventure in this title translated from the original 1992 Spanish-language edition.

Seven friends, eager to escape Mexico City for the Independence Day holiday weekend, set off for a mountain escape in Tepoztlán. Yanira, Thor, Erika, Alaín, Homer, Indra, and Selene join Alaín’s family at their home, which Alaín returns to each weekend. They meet up with Pancho, Alaín’s local friend and the son of the town bruja, to explore the surrounding mountains and ruins. When Pancho leads the group into a mysterious cave, they encounter a hidden world of ancient gods and goddesses and a tradition yearning for revival. Pancho’s uncanny connection to the enigmatic place and its residents is slowly revealed. The novel is heavy on dialogue and light on scene setting, especially in the early portion, which makes it challenging for readers to get their bearings. Likewise, the pantheon of deities is introduced at a dizzying pace with little backstory; readers without prior knowledge of Toltec and Mexica gods may become discombobulated. At times, the translation is clunky, seemingly verbatim rather than based on meaning; for example, some jokes based on wordplay are not conveyed for English-language readers. In contrast to the central cast, Pancho is described as “dark complected” with “indigenous features.” Overall, the treatment of Indigenous people leans into “magical Indian” tropes, feeling out of step with contemporary perspectives.

Other, better modern Mesoamerican mythical retellings exist.