How to Order the Universe by María José Ferrada trans. Elizabeth Bryer, 170 pages.
Seven-year-old M wants nothing more than to join her father on the road as a traveling salesman, a wish he is (perhaps irresponsibly) happy to indulge. While her mother thinks she is at school, she is instead using this unique upbringing to construct a worldview all her own.
M's unique voice guides some profound insights about humanity. I found the story simple, engaging, and very quick to read. I also thought it was fascinating how the Pinochet dictatorship managed to saturate the whole story, despite never being explicitly named. I think this is a story with very wide appeal. It is a very quick read that I do believe I will be thinking about for much longer than it took me to read.
