Book Review: 'Debris' by David Miklos

Literal Publishing 

"Debris" is a short novel written by David Miklos (translated by Tanya Huntington). It is a haunting story, to say the least. It starts off with a mother's death and how the urn weights no more than a newborn baby. That is what you get from "Debris," it reads like poetry. 

The story is about a town, a town that is dying. The settings are Montebello, Puerto Trinidad and in one area of the book, the author writes "abandoned Puetro Trinidad to its useless fate." The young leaves and the old stay behind. There are characters who have to deal with a mother dying, siblings who rely on their each other (though one wishes she could just leave), and characters that just disappear (like Bruno and Maria). I really felt for the character Iris. 

I liked how Miklos used the sea has a metaphor throughout. I am not even sure if a metaphor is a right term for what Miklos did, but in one scene a character describes being in the sea as having sex. His writing style reminded me reading works by Laura Esquivel.

I will admit "Debris" is a depressing read, but that is not saying that it is a bad book.  It just means that David Miklos is good at writing emotional passages and that you should be prepared to not only feel but to think. It is actually a beautiful piece of art. Something that will touch your heart and soul. Sounds cliche but it is the truth.