Cockfight by María Fernanda Ampuero

Cockfight is the debut work from Ecuadorian writer and journalist María Fernanda Ampuero. It's a dark and disturbing collection of short stories that focuses on themes of the body, violence, abuse and distorted love. The stories centre around the home, familial relationships, friendships and abusive relationships.

The imagery is visceral and brutal at times and the stories are utterly compelling and incredibly unsettling. Without a shadow of a doubt these stories are incredibly dark and that reminded me of Irenosen Okojie's work without the magical realism.

Ampuero makes strong use of metaphors and imagery to impress upon the reader the experiences and pain of the individuals in her story. She doesn't shy away from telling the grotseque and twisted aspects of people's lives.

This is certainly not a collection to delve into lightly but one that offers a stark and brutally honest exploration of power, trauma and the destruction humans wreck on each other.

TW: rape, violence, abuse, suicide, trauma.