Papi
A Novel
"Papi's there, around any corner", says the eight-year-old girl at the heart of "Papi".But you can't sit down and wait for him cuz that's a longer and more painful death". Living in Santo Domingo, she waits for her father to come back from the United States and lavish her with the glorious rewards of his fame and fortune – shiny new cars and polo shirts, gold chains and Nikes. But when Papi does come back, he turns out to be more "like Jason, the guy from 'Friday the 13th'", than a prince. Papi is a drug dealer, a man who is clearly unreliable and dangerous but nevertheless makes his daughter feel powerful and wholly, terrifyingly alive. Drawing on her memories of a childhood split between Santo Domingo and visits with her father amid the luxuries of the United States, Rita Indiana mixes satire with a child's imagination, horror with science fiction, in a swirling tale of a daughter's love, the lure of crime and "machismo", and the violence of the adult world. Expertly translated into English for the first time by Achy Obejas, who renders the rhythmic lyricism of Indiana's Dominican Spanish in language that propels the book forward with the relentless beat of a merengue, "Papi" is furious, musical, and full of wit – a passionate, overwhelming, and very human explosion of artistic virtuosity.
About the Author
Rita Indiana – also known as La Montra, the monster, in her role as the lead singer of Rita Indiana y los Misterios – is a music composer and producer and rising star of contemporary Caribbean literature. She is the author of two short story collections and three novels. Born in Santo Domingo, she lives in Puerto Rico.
Reviews
"Most children believe their parents are perfect, and the realization that they aren't typically comes as something of a shock. But the 8-year-old unnamed protagonist of Dominican writer Indiana's English-language debut is not typical... As she struggles to make sense of the dysfunction, images gleaned from horror movies, science fiction, telenovelas, and fantasy collide with her lived experience. Throughout, long run-on sentences force readers to sort through a dizzying array of words, emotions, and images. Palpable pain spills forth, as do the girl's confusion, angst, and tumultuous inner life. A masterfully drawn, if sad, work of experimental coming-of-age fiction" – "Kirkus Reviews"
"[One of '10 Chicago Books to Look Forward To in 2016']... When a young girl's father returns to Santo Domingo from the United States, she realizes that America doesn't always mean Nikes and new cars. Indiana melds sci-fi and satire into a horrific coming-of-age novel about the relationship between drug dealer and child" – Calley Nelson, "Chicago Magazine"
"At times, reading 'Papi' feels like a roll through the tumble cycle of a sweaty child's fever dream. Probably intentionally, it's still difficult to weigh anchor amid the tumult. But whatever hang-ups this difficulty may present, the book allays with its slim spine and unique vision... Indiana's is a singularly inventive new voice in Caribbean literature" – Diego Baez, "Queen Mob's Teahouse"
"So fast-paced that it must be swallowed whole, for setting it aside is as dangerous as jumping from a speeding motorcycle" – "El Pais"
"As delirious as it is powerful, 'Papi' is a harrowing vision of a daughter trapped in the underworld of her father. Rita Indiana is one of a kind" – "Junot Diaz"
