The killer's tears by Anne-Laure Bondoux

Translated from the French, this short read will leave you pondering for a long while about friendship, love and redemption. At the end of the world, far from any town or company, Paolo lives with his parents, scratching a living from the bare rock, visited only by a traveling ornithologist or geographer, interested in mapping or watching birds on the southernmost tip of South America.

The bleakness of the surroundings is reflected in the confines of Paolo's life as he later reflects that no one ever hugged him or told him he was loved. Into this family comes a man on the run, Angel. He murders Paolo's parents and takes over as the only adult in the house. The two develop a way of living with each other, their dependence on each other increasing as time goes on. But a third man tips the balance of the household and together the three have an uneasy relationship until they decide to travel to the nearest town and buy some lambs. Here their baseless camaraderie dissolves, as Paolo realises that there are other influences that will change their lives.

Themes: Redemption, Chile.

Fran Knight