First published 1987
Carlos Ruweda's world shatters when his wife vanishes in late 1970s Argentina. Thousands of people disappear into the military government's prisons and torture chambers, leaving families desperate for answers. Carlos discovers he possesses an extraordinary ability. Through waking dreams, he sees clear visions revealing what happened to the disappeared. Other families seek him out, hungry for knowledge about their missing loved ones. Carlos can show them the fates of their relatives through his mystical gift. Yet his power fails him when he needs it most. He cannot penetrate the mystery of his own wife's disappearance. The one person he loves above all others remains invisible to his visions. This cruel limitation drives Carlos toward madness as he struggles with imagination, stories, and the deeper secrets of human spirit during Argentina's darkest period.
Genres: literary-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, mystery, magical-realism
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: mystical-gifts, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Argentina
Period: 1970s
214 pages · Hardcover · Doubleday
Content warnings: torture