No Place to Bury the Dead follows the heartbreaking story of a young mother on her journey to bury and mourn her deceased twin boys. Driven to desperation by a speculative plague of amnesia which has swept Latin America, the young mother, aptly named Angustias, must journey to the Third Country, an illegal cemetery on the border operated by an eccentric woman named Visitación.

It is clear while reading that Angustias is little more than a ghost herself, beaten down by the extreme poverty, governmental chaos and the dog-eat-dog nature of their country. With no direction, Angustias agrees to help Visitación in her work, if for no other reason than to stay near her boys.

No Place to Bury the Dead focuses on themes of governmental corruption, poverty and displacement. It is not clear exactly in what country the story takes place, though through language it is clear that it is within Latin America.

The novel is written with sparse prose. There is a certain lack of clarity (absence of quotation marks and indication of speaker, shifting POV between first and third person, lack of explanation for the plague which seems to no longer infect people) that mirrors the chaos our characters’ experience. The stylistic choice works, but did make it a more laborious read.

I’m having a hard time deciding how I felt about this. It’s a difficult read, but a powerful one. Sainz Borgo takes a real-life humanitarian crisis and builds around it a house of horrors which will haunt readers. Where this book missed the mark for me had more to do with stylistic choices, so that’s really more a matter of personal taste. If this one sounds like something you’d like, I’d definitely say pick it up!

Wow, so much to unpack here. The horror is great, the social commentary is spot on, and I really enjoyed the writing and translation. I felt so tense reading this, so worried about these characters. Very impressive.

Intriguing and interesting plot, I was deeply invested in how it would all play out. I found the writing to be quick and snappy, but the translation, at times, took me out of the story. I found that the first few chapters didn't catch my attention immediately, but it definitely picked up and I flew through it. It's bleak and sad but an important read.

Thank you netgalley and HarperVia for the advanced copy for an honest review! Excited to read more from this author.

I was very interested in this book based off the summary and I was very engaged for maybe the first quarter of the book, but then it felt like a bait and switch happened and the memory erasing plague was no longer a threat. Instead we follow Angustia and Visitación as they fight for the burial ground where her sons are laid to rest. At that point I felt it lost all momentum, I made it about 50% of the way through before I had to DNF it. It was well written and some of the characters were interesting but I didn't feel as drawn into the plot as I was with the start.

2.5 stars rounded up because I would have enjoyed the experience more if I had been in a better state of mind to read this type of work.

To preface, I read through the translation. Translations can be tricky in that it can be difficult to fully capture the essence of the writing. Using a different language can transform the nuance into something unfamiliar, and at times something awkward. That being said, I think that may be part of the issue that I had with the work-- that certain spots of dialogue feel rigid and unnatural.

My other difficulty in proceeding through the story was in the layout of the chapters. The entire work comprises many chapters that are on the short side. There are perspective changes between a fair number of characters, and so a reader can go from following along in first-person to doing so in third. I don't see anything inherently wrong with the shifts, but my larger issue lies with the chapter length in and of itself. I believe shorter chapters are useful in conveying a sense of urgency. They can place readers on what feels like a train zooming down the tracks at high speed without any sign of stopping. They can be fun! In this case, however, I do think that the shortness was to the detriment of the work. It contributed to that "stiltedness" in the dialogue, and it also had a way of breaking the immersion.

Overall: the concept is intriguing and there are blips of the writing that I most certainly highlighted because of the way that they personally resonated with me; unfortunately, the experience was more comparable to... something along the lines of searching for a diamond in the rough.

My thanks to the author (Karina Sainz Borgo), the translator (Elizabeth Bryer), the publisher (HarperVia), and NetGalley for providing the eARC through which I was able to read the work and write this review.

Epic and impressive story with some of the greatest characters I've ever read in a work, and I've read a LOT of good characters. 5 stars

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Karina Sainz Borgo’s No Place to Bury the Dead is a powerful and evocative novel that delves into the human dimension of the migrant crisis through a lens of magical realism and dystopian fiction. 

Set in an unnamed Latin American country ravaged by a mysterious plague that erases the memory of anyone infected, the novel follows the journey of a woman named Adela as she navigates this perilous landscape. The plague serves as a poignant metaphor for the loss of identity and history faced by migrants and refugees. 

Adela is a compelling protagonist whose strength and determination drive the story forward. Her journey is fraught with danger and uncertainty, yet her unwavering resolve to remember and honor her past provides a powerful counterpoint to the erasure caused by the plague. 

Borgo’s prose is lyrical and immersive, drawing readers into the surreal and often harrowing world she has created. Her use of magical realism adds a layer of depth to the story, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy in a way that enhances the novel’s emotional impact. 

While No Place to Bury the Dead is a beautifully written and deeply affecting novel, its heavy themes and bleak outlook may not appeal to all readers. The pervasive sense of loss and the stark portrayal of the migrant crisis can be challenging to navigate. 

No Place to Bury the Dead is a poignant and thought-provoking novel that shines a light on the often-overlooked human dimension of the migrant crisis. Karina Sainz Borgo has crafted a story that invites readers to reflect on the fragility of memory and the resilience of the human spirit.

Highly recommended for readers who enjoy magical realism, dystopian fiction, and stories that delve into the complexities of memory, identity, and survival.

This novel will particularly appeal to those who appreciate a blend of lyrical prose and profound thematic exploration.

I think that I did a disservice to this novel by reading it so closely to another soon to be published novel about a fictional plague. I wonder if I’d not have done that, would I have found this one to be better.

Overall I found it quite boring. I do think that there are a few people who may love this one in my inner circle, so I’ll be sure to recommend it to them.

No Place to Bury the Dead centers around two women, Angustias Romero and Visitacion Salaza, fighting to protect a cemetery in a town called Mezquitte. This is set in a dystopian-like world where Angustias and her family are fleeing from a plague that affects memory. Her twin sons tragically die along the journey and the grieving mother must now look for a burial ground. In her search, she meets Visitacion, a cemetery caretaker.

Karina Sainz Borgo’s portrayal of this world is brutal, bleak, and grim. Violent gangs, corrupt politicians, and shady businessmen control most of the power. I liked the parallels she drew between this world and the real migration crisis in Latin America. In this hopeless setting, the characters have been hardened to a lot of suffering and misery. I won’t forget the vivid images of the Third Country and how Sainz Borgo contrasted the harsh lives of these people with the tenderness and care the dead are treated. The themes of life and death are beautifully written. Visitacion gives peace and dignity to those who have passed.

Unfortunately, while I enjoyed the setting and the insight into migrants in desperation, it was a challenging read because of the slow pace. It didn’t seem to pick up until the final third of the novel, and I especially struggled in the middle part of the story. Visitacion was compelling, but the other characters weren’t that memorable. The villains were bad and the good guys were good. They didn’t have the complexity and depth that would I have liked to see.

Thank you Netgallery and HarperVia for providing an advanced copy to review. All opinions are my own.

This book had a lot going on but it started very slow. And it was confusing about the virus that was mentioned but didn't seem to effect anyone we interacted with directly, it could've been removed entirely if it wasn't kind of the reason our main character left her home.
I really did enjoy the last 2/3rds of the book but getting to it was a struggle.

First of all, I'm glad that this book was translated into English so it can reach a wider audience. I think the translation was mostly well done and I enjoyed the author's writing style. However, I couldn't get behind this story.

At first, I was hooked. This "re-imagining of the border as a purgatory," to borrow words from the book's description, was gripping at first. I was instantly gripped by Angustias and her search for a place to bury her twin sons.

Once that was done and other elements were introduced, though, the interest went downhill for me. I was confused by a lot of what was happening and the story stopped holding my attention. Once I have to go back and reread lines or paragraphs several times because my mind is wandering, I know it's over.

I tried to push further than I was comfortable with because, being Venezuelan and reading a Venezuelan author I felt I had to force myself to be engaged and liked this. That didn't work, this was a DNF at 44%.

I see a lot of people liking it and I hope people pick this up, it just didn't work for me.

I want to enjoy this book. The premise and the blurb sounded so good. Sadly this never came to pass. I honestly have no idea what happened for most of the book. It just didn’t stick.

I’m willing to bet though that it was because it was translated from Spanish to English. I think something got lost in translation. It just feels like it’s missing it’s heart.

“Everything had been taken from me, everything but my rage. If I could not pay for a grave, I was prepared to die for the sake of one.”

This was a brutal book about the desperation of refugees and the men in power who prey on them. It was really well written and difficult to read, with moments of casual violence that were jarring even when expected. There’s a sense of impending doom waiting around each corner, and the whole last half of the book felt like we were tumbling towards something horrible.

Winner of the 2023 Jan Michalski Prize!

A familiar story of climate migration based in a time not far from now. No Place To Bury The Dead takes a microscope to the migrant crisis in Latin America that has expanded due to a mysterious epidemic that causes memory loss and death. Angustias (Anguish) Romero flees with her family to the North. When both of her children perish she is forced to consider what can be done next. Can she leave them behind? Where can they be buried?

Stuck in the purgatory that immigrants fleeing terror and hunger experience, Angustiat deals with violence, gangs and political corruption in a small town called Mezquite. A fever dream, a surreal nightmare, a perfect metaphor for the immigration crisis (Crisis for the immigrants, that is !) #noplacetoburythedead #harperbvia #karinasainzborgo #Elizabethbryertranslator

A virus that wipes out people's memories before killing them. Angustias is a refugee who, along with her husband and two young children, is trying to outrun the virus. Another woman, Visitación, has made it her life's purpose to bury the dead with dignity. Their paths collide, and Angustias decides to stay with Visitación (and her children) in the unnamed town.

The structure of the story was not what I am used to, but the translator explained the shorter sentences and why it was written the way it was, and that made sense to me. Even though this is speculative fiction, many parts of it read as true to life - towns with an influx of immigrants that they struggle to help, human trafficking, abuse, and a lack of basic resources. The trauma and fear was palpable in "No Place to Bury the Dead," which made it immensely readable.

Thank you to Karina Sainz Borgo, HarperVia, and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for the arc of this upcoming book!

This was a necessary read, very telling of our current migrant crisis. And it was also horrific. But not for the reasons youd think. The horror rests within humanity and the dark corners we often avoid.

A dystopian novel about people fleeing an unknown plague from the east to the west. Angustias Romero and her family set out on the journey but sadly her two sickly premature infants succumb on the trip and are buried in the THIRD COUNTRY CEMETERY governed by Visitacion Salazar.
The ordeals encountered in the novel bring to mind the writings of Cormac McCarthy-a favorite author of mine. IMO the book could serve as a metaphor for the current world wide immigration crisis and the ordeal of immigrants everywhere. A good read-but not for the faint of heart.

Karina Sainz Borgo’s *No Place to Bury the Dead* is a gripping and poignant novel set in a dystopian Venezuela. Through Adelaida Falcón’s eyes, we experience the harsh reality of a nation in collapse, marked by violence and despair. Sainz Borgo's raw and vivid writing captures the brutality and resilience of life under extreme circumstances.

The novel draws parallels with Venezuela’s real-life crisis, highlighting political corruption and social injustice. It's a powerful commentary on authoritarian regimes and a testament to human perseverance. While the book is emotionally intense, its portrayal of struggle and hope makes it a crucial read that lingers long after the last page.

I would give this a solid 3.5 stars.

Angustias Romero, her husband, and her infant sons flee their home in an attempt to escape a plague. Sadly, her children do not survive the journey. She buries them at the Third Country Cemetery. This place is lovingly tended by Visitacion Salazar. Unable to leave her babies behind, Angustias decides to stay at Third Country helping Visitacion to defend the land against Alcides Abundio, a sadistic landowner intent on claiming the cemetery.

The book is an emotionally demanding read. It covers themes of migration, survival in impossible circumstances, and how extreme situations can bring out the best or worst in humans.

It's a bit Cormac McCarthy: bleak, disorienting, and stark, but without the meandering prose. Sainz Borgo weaves a fever dream that will stay with you long after you finish the book. The dystopian world she creates is without mercy but not without hope.

The characters are simple in the sense that they are clearly good and evil, yet they are wonderfully rich and developed. Some of the secondary characters were a little forgettable, but I was actively pulling for Visitacion and Angustias the entire time.

The pacing is a little uneven. It starts pretty strong, drags in the middle, then really picks up speed in the last third. It did throw off my sense of time passing over the course of the book which may have been intentional, but I found it distracting. I think the short chapters and shifting perspectives added to the confusion, especially early on in the book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

A plague, two women, one a mother separated from her children, the other a cemetery worker trying to keep her place in the world. Karina Sainz Borgo has written an eerie, fraught story of the politics of our times. Set in an unnamed Latin American country in the near future, No Place to Bury the Dead is atmospheric and thought-provoking. I felt the setting was better laid out than the characters but this was a read that will stay with me.