Blood Relations: A NovelThis is the story of Refugio, whose family has worked in the mines of Northern Mexico for generations. His grandfather dies of silicosis, while his father is reduced to part-time work, but Refugio plans to follow in their footsteps. He takes it as rejection when his brother, Antonio, refuses to let him enter the mines. Then Antonio, too, begins spitting blood, and once more the pageantry of flowers and a black casket repeats itself. Refugio has been saved, but only to know the agony of watching helpless as the one who sacrificed himself slowly wastes away. To read this book is to know the daily round of the miners, which runs to such trivia as cigarettes, sex, sleep, food, money, and a sort of divine communion which occurs in the silence before a last. |
Common terms and phrases
afternoon Alfredo already anymore asphyxia black coffin blood breathing brother burning bury candles carbide lamp Carlos Fuentes Carlos Montemayor cemetery cigarette close my eyes corral creek DALE CARTER dark death Don Ricardo door earth everything Extreme Unction face father feet felt flowers forgive fucked grackles Grandfather Refugio grandfather's grave ground Hail Mary handful of dirt happens he's my brother head hear hill Holy Holy holy unction hurt inside Julia leave lived look Lord Manuel mezcal miners mother never night noise okay Parral Pérez railroad rain river Santa Bárbara shouts silence silicosis sister sleep smell smile someone sound station stay stop street sweat sycamore Talamantes talk tell There's things thought throw tired tombs trees trip with Gregorio understand Villa Escobedo voice waiting walk wall wife women