Muerte Con Carne presents us with an utterly ghastly premise: there’s a Texas-Chainsaw-Massacre-ish family living on the border between the U.S.A. and Mexico, waiting for tired/weary illegal adventurers into the land of the free…waiting for ingredients for their tacos. And, boy, their tacos sure are popular in the little wasteland of a border town where Felix and Marta stay before embarking on a suicidal documentary-making mission.
McKenzie has a real knack for painting believable characters with very urgent conflicts, no matter how bizarre the premise (read the unforgettable Pus Junkies and Toilet Baby for evidence of this). I particularly enjoyed Felix’s scenes, especially at the seedy bar and with the overweight Norman Bates-esque hotel clerk. This one contained a lot more grue than the other McKenzie books I read, and will be a special delight to torture-porn addicts. I guess I enjoy McKenzie’s work the most for its wacky humor intermixed with absolutely harrowing scenes that place you deep into the rapidly unfolding tale with his excellent use of sensory details and clipped/direct style.
I look forward to more of his books!
nicholauspatnaude 