Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

In the novella Signs Preceding the End of the World by Yuri Herrera, translated by Lisa Dillman, Herrera crafts an evocative story, blending topics of immigration, ancient mythology and self identity in a poetic journey.

Despite the novella being short of 100 pages, the author still manages to build a sort of surreal and tenacious feel in the book that keeps the reader attentive. He uses the philosophy of less is more to simplify his writing, yet manages to give readers the ability to interpret it in different ways.

The story follows the protagonist Makina who is a multilingual young woman that operates her small town’s telecommunication switchboard in Mexico.

Her journey begins when her mother Cora sends her across the border in search of her older brother, who went to the U.S. in search of land that his family allegedly owned. Herrera uses border crossing as a metaphorical symbol to start Makina’s journey.

What’s special about this book is that it is only nine chapters long, which was intentionally done by the author. Each of the nine chapters is meant to represent one of the nine stages of Mitclán, the Aztec underworld.

In Aztec mythology, those who died of natural causes would go on a four year journey to their final resting place, Mitclán. In those four years, the souls would go through nine levels, facing many challenges along the way.

Herrera combines the stages of the journey to Mitclán with the challenges and risks that immigrants face when crossing the border to create Makina’s compelling story, who in the end, finds the place where she is meant to be and can essentially rest.

On her journey across the border, Makina also receives guidance and assistance from many other characters in the book. These helping characters are supposed to embody the helpers that help guide souls through the nine stages to Mitclán.

Chuco, one of the prominent helpers in the book, acts as a coyote that helps get Makina across the border by water using an inner tube. Chuco is meant to embody the Xoloitzcuintle dog, who helps souls in their first obstacle, crossing the Apanohuaya river.

In fact, the name Chuco is often used as a spanish slang word for dog or mutt.

It is definitely a book that could be read multiple times and the reader will always find new understanding and analysis.

Herrera also does a great job developing Makina’s character as a brave and determined young woman who, along her journey, discovers herself. Leaving her home town to enter an entirely new world with different people and culture makes her realize that identity is not set, but something that can evolve.

She starts to see that her journey across the border has changed her in many ways, and she begins to wonder whether her new reborn self would even fit in her previous life in Mexico.

All in all, if you are looking for a short read that is still as emotionally fulfilling as a regular fictional novel and that explores Mesoamerican mythology and immigration, Signs Preceding the End of the World is definitely a top contender to add to your list.