Set in a future Argentina where the Pampas have transformed due to climate change, Michel Nieva's debut novel follows Dengue Boy, a humanoid mosquito navigating a world filled with absurdities. This dystopian narrative combines elements of satire with grotesque imagery, depicting a society dominated by conglomerates exploiting pandemics. It reflects on the tragic consequences of environmental degradation while also infusing humor into dire situations. Nieva’s distinctive gauchopunk style challenges traditional storytelling through its unhinged fantasy and social critique, making it a notable commentary on capitalism and survival in a post-apocalyptic landscape.
Is it true your mom was raped by a mosquito? the kids taunt. Dengue Boy hesitates, because Dengue Boy is a giant, humanoid mosquito, inexplicably born to a human mother.
The book is classic dystopian pulp: global warming, pandemics, radioactive mutation; rich people surviving in climate-controlled enclaves; poor people living short, wretched lives.
But it's also a wildly original anti-capitalist satire: this world is run by conglomerates such as Ebola Holding Bank and Influenza Financial Services.
Smugglers traffic contraband such as sheepies, lab-grown, semi-sentient sexual organs, showcasing a society where absurdity meets harsh reality.
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