The Brothers Corona

The Brothers Corona is a novel that reads like a Sam Shepard story made into a Wim Wenders road movie. It is the first Mexican detective novel that reflects rural Mexican life and culture, showcasing the splendor of its customs and traditions. The novel unfolds as two revolving stories that eventually intertwine into one. The first is the story of Abel Corona and his three brothers, who are involved in a nasty feud with the neighboring Alcaraz family. The second story focuses on the journey that Abel undertakes to search for his girlfriend by catching a ride from a truck driver who is involved in the drug trade. When he steals money from the driver, Abel starts fearing for his life. Then his brother Ismael is found dead, and Abel is confronted with an old family feud: a fight over land ending in death. Is he being lured into a trap to fall victim to revenge? Portraying ranch life across the great expanse of northern and western Mexico, Guedea dazzles the reader with numerous subplot lines and sequences of Abel’s journey. The novel doesn’t hold back, and it’s inventive, honest, and often beautifully brutal.