There Is No Such Place — Ignacio Solares

There Is No Such Place is a novel by acclaimed Mexican writer Ignacio Solares and translated into English by Timothy G. Compton. Set in the remote and inhospitable mountains of Chihuahua in northern Mexico, it tells the story of a young priest, Lucas Caraveo, who spends three remarkable days in San S¿stenes, an extraordinary Utopian community. Most of the town's inhabitants have been diagnosed with terminal illnesses, and have fled civilization to confront death without fear or dread. Surrounded by Tarahumara Indians and drawing upon their ancient outlook on death and human relationships, the village of San S¿stenes has a unique economic and spiritual harmony, despite the harsh physical environment. The town's leader is either a self-aggrandizing, twisted, charismatic, dangerous outcast, or a spiritual, economic and social visionary. In this refreshing yet odd and isolated locale, Caraveo struggles to make sense of his own value system, meets intriguing people, encounters astonishing, highly charged circumstances, and anguishes over whether he will ever be allowed to leave. The original Spanish version of this novel received the Mazatl¿n prize for Mexican literature in 2004.