In a summer with much discourse about a Greek mythical figure (Odysseus), here is the translation of a book that uses another, Medea. In this instance Medea is relocated to contemporary Mexico. A powerful presence who rolls up in a custom-painted modified car, dressed in black with snake tattoos, Medea is an “iconic, queen of the barrio” there to motivate, impel, and facilitate characters who find themselves at major turning points.
Medea Sang Me a Corrido by Mexican writer Dahlia de la Cerda is translated by Julia Sanches and Heather Cleary. The book is made up of six interconnected narratives. The last of which is a concluding reflection by Medea on what she has just intervened in, witnessed, and experienced. Each story is riven with complexity and told with compelling efficiency by the characters themselves. To understand this lively, powerful book it is useful to know two key terms: Aztlán and corridos.
