by Eva Baltasar
First published 2011
The protagonists in these twelve interconnected stories navigate the collision between ordinary life and ancient myth. A woman discovers that her morning routine mirrors Sisyphus pushing his boulder. Another character finds herself living out Pandora's story while cleaning out her grandmother's attic. Each story examines how mythological patterns repeat in contemporary settings, from office cubicles to family dinners. Baltasar uses rich metaphorical language to explore the intimate spaces of consciousness where daily experiences transform into something larger. The characters struggle with forces that attack or impact their inner lives, whether through relationships, work, or memory. As the stories progress, the boundary between the mundane and the mythic dissolves. The collection reveals how ancient narratives continue to shape modern experience, suggesting that the twelve labors of Hercules might be happening in any ordinary life. The emotional core lies in recognizing these mythic patterns within personal struggle and finding meaning in the repetition.
Genres: short-stories, mythology, literary-fiction, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, unreliable-narrator
56 pages · Paperback · Pagès editors, S.L.