Short Story Review – The Tiger Came to the Mountains (Trespass, Book 1) by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (4/5 stars)
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Historical Fiction
Length: 28 pages
Publisher: Amazon Original Stories
Release Date: February 24, 2022
ASIN : B09P19GS8W
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in the Trespass series
Source: Borrowed ebook through Kindle Unlimited
Rating: 4/5 stars
“Mexico, 1917. On a farm during the violent tumult of revolution, a more immediate threat prowls in a short, emotional story about survival by the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic.
She is the adventurer of the family. Her brother, the gentle dreamer. Even as they bond over folktales and hold each other close, their world has never felt so dangerous. Revolutionaries and pelones are in conflict, soldiers have turned into scavengers, and an escaped tiger has slipped up the mountain, looking for easy prey. As the darkest of legends becomes real, a young girl will do anything to save her brother’s life.”
Series Info/Source: 1st story in the Trespass series. I borrowed a copy of this on ebook through Kindle Unlimited.
Thoughts: This was a well done story. It was very entertaining and impactful for the short story it was. I actually enjoyed it a lot more than some of Moreno-Garcia’s full length books.
The story talks about a young woman living with her family in 1917 Mexico. As they dodge soldiers and revolutionaries and try to eke out a living on their farm, are heroine longs for true adventures. Little does she know she’s about to have a scary adventure of her own where her and her brother run into a tiger on the mountain.
This is beautifully written and highly entertaining. I fell in love with the characters quickly and enjoyed the look into 1917 revolutionary Mexico. I liked the improbability of an escaped circus tiger wandering the mountains.
The story does end up a bit melancholy. The encounter with the tiger is a crazy event that happened during some desperate times. As the main protagonist wanders into a more settled life, you can tell that some of the toughest times of her life were the most exciting and alive for her.
My Summary (4/5): Overall this was well worth the read and a pleasant surprise for me since I picked it up on a whim. If you enjoy historical fiction and especially short entertaining stories that are very engaging I would definitely recommend it. I look forward to reading more short stories in the Trespass series.
