(Reviewed by JD Jung)
“Something crouches in the streets of Poso Wells, and it attaches the nerves like a persistent drumbeat. Whatever it is haunts the dreams of the residents, panting I their faces, slobbering them with noxious saliva and septic-tank breath, leaving their bodies sticky and dirty when they wake up.”
“…if you wanted to end your life, there was no need to commit suicide. All you had to do was get yourself trapped someplace like Poso Wells.”
That tells you a lot about this Ecuadorian cooperative, “the most stinking, forgotten hole on this side of the Pacific.” It seethed with crime but it didn’t even have a police station. No one reported any criminal activity since no one trusted the police when they were around. Even when over one hundred young women went missing, law enforcement did nothing.
The only time Poso Wells received any attention was at election time. This is where our story begins. A Presidential candidate falls victim to a freak accident during a rally. Let’s just say that urine and electricity is a lethal combination. The lone survivor of this mass tragedy is rushed off by a group of blind men.
Journalist Gonzalo Varas is assigned the task of investigating the whereabouts of these men. Varas, an ethical man with a conscience, is focused on finding the 100+ missing women. Since his editors have no interest in this case, he soon finds himself without a job. Of course lack of money does not stop him.
As Varas continues to unofficially investigate, even at his physical peril, other characters come into play. Crime lords, crooked politicians, Canadian investors, cult leaders, poets, and peasants who just want to protect the environment are among them. Also, let’s not forget the prostitute who is obsessed with reading Dale Carnegie. We find each of these characters in bizarre situations, often in an understated manner. Sometimes it seems only strange to us.
Poso Wells exposes multiple issues facing much of Latin America and really the world: political and corporate corruption, drugs, crime, poverty, cult figures, violence against women and threats to the environment.
Though initially the story may seem disjointed, you find that it all falls into place and the characters find some connection to each other. I would not be giving anything away in saying that eventually the bad get their comeuppance. Is it only a temporary victory? That is a topic for discussion.
Part noir thriller, part satire, Poso Wells will keep you engaged to the very end.
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