Carmen Rodríguez

“Atacama”: a compelling story about love, war, and trauma

By: Tamanna T., Staff Writer From violent strikes like the La Coruña massacre in Chile to the Spanish Civil War in Spain, Carmen Rodríguez’s Atacama is a story firmly rooted in history. Rodríguez, an SFU alum and former Latin American studies instructor, beautifully moulds the fictional characters Manuel Garay and Lucía Céspedes around these real world events. The novel, which explores sexuality, fighting parental trauma, and art as escapism from the harsh reality of war, is a strong and compelling read. Manuel comes from a family of poor miners, and his father is one of the protestors battling the Chilean…

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