The Fish Child

Book Review

"The Fish Child" by Lucía Puenzo is a novel where the fragile boundary between reality and myth becomes the stage for a search for self and an escape from relentless reality. Puenzo masterfully weaves motifs of coming of age, forbidden love, and social isolation into the narrative, creating the atmosphere of a haunting fairy tale in which every detail is charged with symbolism. The main character, Lala, embarks on a dangerous journey with Guayi, and their story unfolds against the backdrop of Argentine suburbs and mysterious waters that guard their own dark secrets. Critics note that the author conveys the inner world of an adolescent with remarkable sensitivity, balancing tenderness and cruelty, while the novel’s language is cinematic in its vividness and poetic in its tone. "The Fish Child" is not only a drama about escape and the search for freedom, but also a profound meditation on the nature of love, guilt, and the impossibility of finding peace when the past refuses to let go. Puenzo creates a work in which reality and fantasy merge into a single, unsettling and mesmerizing tapestry, leaving the reader in a state of delicate uncertainty and awe.