Mariana Enriquez is the queen of grit, fear, and comfort. The contradictory feelings shine through in each of her works, but A Sunny Place for Shady People may be my favorite so far (which is saying a lot because Things We Lost in the Fire is a top 5 book of mine.) Each story is built with incredible prose and stunning translation, and a perfect length to involve the reader deeply, while leaving them with haunting images that won't soon vanish. I cannot wait to devour everything Enriquez writes in the future, as there's truly no talent quite like what she offers.

(2.5) I absolutely loved Enríquez’s last short story collection The Dangers of Smoking in Bed but this didn’t hit as hard for me. I found myself rushing through a lot of the stories and only a couple of them gave me the chills in the way the last collection did. I’d certainly recommend reading this if you’re a fan of her work but just don’t go in comparing it with the last one.

I wwant all of Enriquez' books in English, yesterday. Anotherunsettlingand brilliant collectionfrom this master of the form.

ways to describe this wonderful collection of short stories...

apathy, haunting, trauma, loneliness, haunted places, past sins, guilt, shadows, danger

Mariana Enriquez did not grab me with Our Share of Night last year, which I also had an arc of, as I found myself incredibly engaged for the first 100 pages, then losing steam. This is a nonissue in A Sunny Space for Shady People, as she sours in a short fiction format. She’s a spectacular writer, and she’s mastered the short form.

Mariana Enriquez is biting in her commentary, melancholy in her style, and engaging in her pacing. A wonderful collection of stories woven together by the fantastic and the paranormal.

Mariana Enriquez's books are always like alchemy to me—I don't know how she does it, I'm completely absorbed while feeling wildly rattled out of my body, and I never want to leave the strange, alluring world she creates. Enriquez will forever be an instant buy for me.

Oh boy... this book. There are, unfortunately, only two things I liked about this one: 1. the cover, 2. the book title. That's it.

I think these could've maybe been good, but the way the author chose to write them was, quite frankly, a little baffling to me. Each story starts up with some heavy build-up. It seems like there might be some themes that will be explored, but that's either quickly abandoned by some weird horror things that seemingly have no connection to the initial start of the story OR they wrap up so quickly as to be unsatisfying. Almost all the stories end right as what seems like the climax of the story is happening. Which, that's fine maybe once, but it happened far too often.

And I just quite didn't "get" most of the stories. I didn't understand exactly what the author was trying to do or whether or not the horror elements were trying to make any sort of commentary on the things the author was (maybe?) trying to say.

I especially had an issue with the author taking the Elisa Lam case and making a story out of it. Maybe there was a way to do that respectfully, but I don't think the author did. It just felt... wrong to me. While, retroactively, I can maybe see what connections the author was trying to make, I dont think they were done well.

Just a pretty weird and disappointing collection. Definitely not going to be trying from this author again.

I've never read Mariana Enriquez before and was delighted to have the opportunity to read this early. I'd seen her compared to Shirley Jackson and Carmen Maria Machado, and after reading this book, that feels right on to me.

These literary horror stories have a particular style that's difficult to describe. The narrative voice is very matter of fact and practical, describing bizarre events and disturbing images that linger past the stories themselves. There's a lot of body horror and a lot of social commentary, especially around gender and family. There are some beautiful moments and some "whoa, WTF?" moments. The prose is sometimes beautiful, sometimes plain, but always highly effective.

I loved a handful of these stories and liked almost all the rest; there was only one that really didn't work for me. For me that's quite a high hit rate; short story collections and anthologies almost always have at least a few misses.

I thought this collection was a little uneven in pacing; there were a few stories in the middle that slowed the whole book down for me and I ended up setting it aside for a week or two. I'm glad I picked it back up, though, because the remaining stories were very strong.

I will absolutely be reading more of Enriquez's work, especially her short fiction. I'd strongly recommend this to readers who like literary horror, are looking for something with a strong flavor, and aren't squeamish about body horror.

Highlights for me:
- My Sad Dead
- A Sunny Place For Shady People
- Different Colors Made of Tears
- The Refrigerator Cemetery

Thank you to Mariana Enriquez, Random House Publishing Group - Random House | Howarth, and Netgalley for generously providing me with an ARC for review.

Mariana Enriquez's "A Sunny Place for Shady People" is a perfect blend of social commentary where the darkest of horror pales to the actions of those around us or honestly even ourselves. If you enjoy fiction that encourages you to take a long look in the mirror, then you can't go wrong with this collection of short stories that captivate, encourage, warn, and chill!

Mariana Enríquez's work never fails to captivate me. This book features moments of well-crafted horror and presents a compelling social critique, which I found to be one of its strongest points. The collection feels like a continuation of her previous anthologies. The style is unmistakably her own, and she revisits familiar themes such as social marginalization, the ghosts of the dictatorship, and pagan cults. For fans of her earlier works, this will likely be a positive, offering more of what they loved.

What stands out about Enríquez's work is her ability to make the everyday literary. The sources of horror in her stories often stem from our own failings and the social issues that need addressing. The supernatural scenes that evoke feelings of suffocation and adrenaline are rooted in tangible, everyday issues like gender violence, social indifference, collective amnesia, silence, lies, secrecy, and economic changes that impact people's lives. She captures the popular sentiment and the essence of life in Argentine neighborhoods.

I really enjoyed this and am now interested in her other books! This one reminded me of The Twilight Zone based on the overall imagination/mystery/horror and the way each story left you thinking and intrigued. I enjoyed each story individually!

As someone who read and loved Enriquez's previous story collections (Things We Lost in the Fire and The Dangers of Smoking in Bed), this one was sadly quite the letdown. Save for the last few stories, I was severely underwhelmed by this collection, which seemed like more of a collection of recycled material from previous stories + Enriquez's novel Our Share of Night.. If you enjoyed this, then I recommend checking out the other two collections I mentioned, as well as OSON (which I had my issues with, but at least it was thoroughly original).

Mariana Enriquez's "A Sunny Place for Shady People" is a darkly captivating and intricately woven tale that brilliantly showcases her talent for blending the macabre with the deeply human. Set against the vivid backdrop of an eerily sunny locale, Enriquez crafts a narrative that is as unsettling as it is compelling.

Enriquez's storytelling is nothing short of masterful. Her ability to create an atmosphere that is both bright and foreboding is a testament to her unique voice in contemporary literature. The sunny setting, juxtaposed with the shady characters that inhabit it, creates a tension that grips readers from the very first page.

The characters in "A Sunny Place for Shady People" are richly developed, each with their own secrets and complexities. Enriquez delves into the dark recesses of human nature, exploring themes of deceit, ambition, and the lengths people will go to in order to protect their own shadows. Her nuanced portrayal of these morally ambiguous figures makes for an engaging and thought-provoking read.

Enriquez's prose is both evocative and precise, painting a vivid picture of the setting while also delving deep into the psychological landscapes of her characters. The plot is meticulously crafted, with each twist and turn adding to the overarching sense of suspense and intrigue. Her ability to blend literary elegance with gripping narrative makes this novel a standout.

"A Sunny Place for Shady People" is a brilliant addition to Mariana Enriquez’s body of work. It is a novel that stays with you, its haunting beauty and complex characters lingering in your mind long after you’ve turned the last page. For readers who appreciate a blend of psychological depth, atmospheric tension, and literary excellence, this book is an absolute must-read. Enriquez has once again proven herself to be a master of contemporary fiction.

This book rocked. There are so many factors that are rare to find in a short story collection that this one absolutely nails. Every story was great as a standalone and to the overall collection. And what really floored me was Maria’s ability to pull you into a story so quickly, and so fully. I felt just as attached to the characters in her short stories as I did the characters in her novel despite only spending a few pages with them. I enjoyed this book SO much, and can’t wait to read it again.

Thank you for the ARC NetGalley, I’ll be preordering this ASAP. You’ll want this on your shelf.

As usual, very engaging writing from Enriquez - full of dread and imaginative detail. I had to put it down at one point because it got too horrific, which is awesome for a horror fan like me! I took my time reading it because I like to sit and think about all aspects of her stories in context of their setting and social commentary. Some stories blended together a bit, but overall I really enjoyed this collection, and I would pick it up again or recommend it to any horror reader.

This was a incredible collection of short stories. I’ve never read the authors other works before so I wasn’t sure what to expect exactly but I thoroughly enjoyed this. The writing was excellent.

Thanks to Random House | Hogarth and NetGalley for this digital ARC of Mariana Enriquez's short story collection 'A Sunny Place for Shady People.'

Even though she'd previously been know for short fiction, I discovered Mariana Enriquez via 'Our Share of the Night' a gargantuan masterpiece spanning decades and realities so I was delighted and intrigued to read her forthcoming short story collection.

The same themes that ran through 'Our Share of the Night' are prevalent throughout this collection - Argentina (her history and society), body horror (sometimes extreme), strong and vulnerable women, ghosts and hauntings, and the eliciting of extreme discomfort.

There are no tidy endings in any of these stories but I don't think you could expect any, given the subject matter and the author. I would prefer her long fiction over these short stories but I still very much enjoyed this collection.

This collection of short stories kept me at the edge of my seat and holding my breath. Just when I thought I had it figured out, Enriquez would leave some open endings. While I'm usually not a fan of open endings, especially in horror, I didn't mind it with these short stories because not everything is a perfect cycle, and Enriquez used these open endings well.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC!

Another collection of short stories from the master of feminist literary horror. Enriquez is at the top of her game here. It’s amazing how almost each time I start a new one, about five pages in I’m convinced I’m just reading an engrossing, well-written short story about some people in an interesting situation in Buenos Aires, and then suddenly I remember that I’m reading a Mariana Enriquez book and that therefore things are about to get seriously weird and disgusting, and the bottom drops out of my stomach like I completely forgot that this nice uphill ride with great scenery is actually a freaking ROLLER COASTER. Contains a whole lot of body horror, but if that’s your thing, strap in, you’re gonna love this ride.

4 stars

A very solid collection. Most stories were very enjoyable, there were a couple that didn’t resonate with me personally but I know others will love them.
Jon well done.