Strange Horizons, March 25, 2019

“Saligia” by H. Pueyo

Reviewed by Victoria Silverwolf

This issue of Strange Horizons is one of a series of quarterly special editions, known as Samovar, which contain fiction and poetry translated into English from other languages.

“Saligia” by H. Pueyo, translated from Portuguese by the author, is set in South America during the late Nineteenth Century. The title is an acronym for the names of the seven deadly sins in Latin. (Superbia, Avaritia, Luxuria, Invidia, Gula, Ira, Acedia; Pride, Greed, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Wrath, Sloth.) The story is divided into seven sections, one for each sin.

A marriage is arranged between a young woman and an older man. The unhappy bride soon has an affair with a servant. Her lover disappears, and she gives birth to his son. Because of his mother’s adultery, the child is destined to be a werewolf. His mother hates him, lavishing all her attention on his legitimate sister.

Her husband’s siblings have a history of vice. One brother is greedy, plotting to obtain the family fortune. A sister is mad, a result of having been sexually abused as a child by another brother. It seems as if this pattern will continue when the incestuous brother focuses his attention on his niece. A final confrontation between the werewolf, his innocent sister, and their wicked relatives leads to a dramatic conclusion.

The structure of the story, and the way in which each character represents a deadly sin, is somewhat artificial. The theme of lycanthropy seems out of place in what is mostly a tragic family saga. Despite these quibbles, this is a colorful and emotional tale, written in a clear and elegant style.

Victoria Silverwolf thinks Sloth is the best deadly sin.