I was drawn to this book by its mesmerising cover. Once I had read the first page, what was meant to be a quick leaf-through became an instant buy. I had to know what would become of the ghost of a baby whose bones were uncovered by her grand-niece.
This first opening story sets the tone for the rest of the collection; surreal, eerie, slightly terrifying and thoroughly captivating. Within a couple of days I had finished the book, yet the tales continue to swirl around in my mind, making this a book I recommend to anyone who will listen.
First published in 2009, Mariana Enriquez’ short story collection Los Peligros de Fumar en La Cama, gained a new audience when Megan McDowell’s English translation hit shelves earlier this year. Mariana is an Argentine journalist and author of a number of novels and short story collections. Megan was also responsible for the English translation of The Things We Lost in the Fire, published in 2017. Their efforts for this new book were once again successful, with The Dangers of Smoking in Bed shortlisted for the 2021 International Booker Prize.
The collection contains 12 short stories, each of which demand the reader’s complete attention from the get-go and do not relinquish this hold until the very last word. The stories delve into the darkest depths of relationships, desire, danger, pleasure, illness, poverty and perhaps most of all, fear. While it is difficult to summarise a whole collection of stories so varied and unique; words that come to mind when recalling this book are macabre, dark, startling. And yet these stories of stolen children, generational curses and invisible forces are written with a deft hand; Mariana is a sophisticated writer who pays close attention to detail and provides the reader with exquisite descriptions. Even when faced with unexpected horrors, you won’t want to stop reading.
In Mariana’s tales, women are the focus. Not only are the female characters battling misfortune and evil; oftentimes it is female characters who demonstrate cruelty and subversion. In Our Lady of the Quarry, a group of teenage girls driven by jealousy enact lethal revenge on a friend, and in Where Are You, Dear Heart?, we meet a woman whose fetish for heartbeats leads to alarming consequences. Mariana’s dark realm is one where women can take up space in myriad and sometimes unnerving ways.
The Dangers of Smoking in Bed is an unapologetic collection, it will enthrall you and take you on a wild ride full of surprises, cliff hangers and chilling realisations. This is a book that, once read, is not easily forgotten.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars
Disgraceful Magazine 