All That Dies In April 🏜️

By Mariana Travacio.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Set in drought-stricken Argentina, All That Dies in April follows Lina, a woman who has long dreamt of leaving her tiny mountain village. Her son left years ago in search of work, and now, with food scarce and life becoming impossible, she decides to follow, despite her husband’s pleas to stay.

Relicario, deeply tied to the land of his ancestors, is content to remain, tending their graves. But when Lina goes, he eventually sets off after her, taking only a donkey and a sack containing his ancestors’ bones.

Told in alternating chapters, we follow Lina and Relicario on their separate journeys. Lina walks towards the unknown, seeking her son, work, and water. Relicario trails behind, unable to abandon the past, carrying his family’s remains as if keeping them close will keep him anchored. Both encounter fleeting kindness, sudden violence, and moments of deep despair, yet their hope for reunion keeps them moving forward.

The first half of the book completely pulled me in. The alternating perspectives worked so well, giving a natural flow between hardship and moments of hope, and the pared-back, poetic writing gave it a haunting edge. The themes of displacement, poverty, and ties to the land came through clearly, and the setting felt vivid and real.

Unfortunately, the second half lost some of its impact for me. The shifts in structure meant the emotional intensity dipped, and I found myself feeling more detached from the characters and their journeys. While the writing remained strong, it lacked the same urgency and intimacy that had made the first half so compelling.

This is a quiet, sparse, and thoughtful story about longing, loss, and the ties that bind us to people, to the past, and to the land we call home. I appreciated its beauty and craft, but for me, the emotional connection faltered before the end.

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