The Bitch

 By Pilar Quintana

Translated by Lisa Dillman

World Editions     2017/2020

155 pages     Literary

The Bitch is a profound novel of grief and pain. Here is a summary of the book:

“Damaris lives on a bluff overlooking Colombia's Pacific coast. Her inability to become pregnant, which has rocked her marriage to an emotionally unavailable fisherman, continues to gut her. She spends most days alone, cleaning for the rich Reyes family, whose son she saw carried away by the sea when they were seven. Her uncle whipped her until the body surfaced, and still she feels the blame, just as she still cries for the mother she lost at 14. Damaris adopts a puppy that seems to remedy the "stabbing pain... in her soul," until it disappears for a month. Damaris rejoices at the dog's return, nursing her back to health, only for her pet to run away again. When the pattern continues, Damaris pushes cold and hard against her pain, turning violent.”

Damaris’ pain is so palpable that the reader is completely haunted by the deep down despair that is causing it.

Publisher’s Weekly gave the book a star rating and says, “The brutal scenes unfold quickly, with lean, stinging prose. Quintana’s vivid novel about love, betrayal, and abandonment hits hard.” The book caused me to ponder a woman’s necessity to parent. (Not sure if necessity is the best word.) Damaris continually grieves her inability to get pregnant, and now in her 40s, she feels useless and dried up. Quintana forcefully reminds us that companionship can help overcome poverty, violence, and loneliness. That was the role that Chirii, the puppy, plays in Damaris’ life. For a while, the puppy even makes her loveless, problematic marriage tolerable. But then, when she feels rejected by Chirii, the loss is more than she can bare.

I have a nine-year-old granddaughter, and we were talking about the importance of pets in our lives. I told her the basic story line of The Bitch. She said, “I can help you write your review, Grandma.” I responded, “Well, what would you say?” “Don’t read this book if you love your pets. Don’t read this book if you are sad. It will make you sadder. But read this book if you want to read about someone who’s life is sadder than yours.”

I believe that she is right, but there is more to the book than sadness. The setting is unique and interesting. I had never read a book set in Colombia. The prose is unique, pointed, and memorable. Additionally, The Bitch is only 155 pages, so the reader’s pain is short term, thank goodness. Quintana is one of Colombia’s best authors, and we learn a great deal about life in this remote part of the world as we read a beautifully written, beautifully translated, novel.

Pound for Pound

by Shannon Kopp

William Morrow     2015

273 pages     Memoir

The Shortlist

Shannon Kopp is a recovering bulimic, who found purpose for her life befriending and nurturing dogs in animal shelters. Her story is told as a string of memories and incidents, and slowly we begin to understand the depth of her despair. Her father is an alcoholic, and Shannon spent many years being very angry at him. Additionally, body image problems made her teenage years miserable and she spent time in a live-in rehab center and many hours in support group meetings for eating disorders. 

Pound for Pound focuses primarily on the pain in Shannon's life that led her to punish her body with binging and purging, the months in recovery, and the faithfulness of her boyfriend (now husband). The other, and probably more impressive focus, is on the power of pets to heal broken people. Shannon found a job at the San Diego Animal Shelter, and it was here that she began to find herself and her calling. This led her to a writing class, which led her to writing this memoir.

While Pound for Pound is an inspiring story, the writing is a bit choppy. If you are able to look past that aspect of the book, Shannon Kopp shares a lovely message of hope and redemption, for both broken people and the pets who save them.

The review in Kirkus Reviews.