New Orleans, that sultry jewel of the American South, has long been a place where history and myth intertwine like Spanish moss on a live oak. It’s a city of ghosts and mysteries, of music that seeps into your bones and flavors that linger on your tongue long after the meal is done. Into this intoxicating brew steps Yuri Herrera, the acclaimed Mexican author, with his latest novel “Season of the Swamp.”
Herrera, known for his taut, allegorical tales of border crossings and cultural clashes, takes a surprising turn here. He dives headfirst into historical fiction, imagining the 18-month exile of Benito Juárez – future president of Mexico and one of Latin America’s most revered reformers—in 1850s New Orleans. It’s an audacious move, filling in a blank spot in the historical record with a fever dream of a novel that’s equal parts bildungsroman, political awakening, and love letter to a city teetering on the edge of catastrophe.
The Plot: A Revolutionary in Waiting
We meet Juárez as he disembarks in New Orleans, a young man of 47 (though the corrupt port official records him as 21) fleeing political persecution in Mexico. Accompanied by a small band of fellow exiles, Juárez finds himself adrift in a city that’s both alluring and deeply troubling. As they struggle to find work and plot their eventual return to Mexico, Juárez and his companions are drawn into the city’s vibrant, multicultural underbelly.
Herrera’s New Orleans is a fever dream of sensory overload:
- The suffocating heat that warps reality
- The intoxicating rhythms of jazz in its infancy
- The mingled aromas of Creole cuisine and rotting swamp vegetation
- The ever-present specter of yellow fever
Through Juárez’s eyes, we witness the grotesque spectacle of slave auctions, the simmering tensions between various ethnic groups, and the desperate scheming of a city always on the verge of reinvention or collapse.
Key Characters:
- Benito Juárez: Our protagonist, intelligent and reserved, struggling to find his place and purpose
- Pepe: Juárez’s brother-in-law, more impulsive and prone to getting into trouble
- Thisbee: A mysterious free woman of color who becomes a crucial ally
- Madame Doubard: An eccentric, retired French singer who takes in the exiles
- Miguel Miguel: A runaway slave Juárez tries to help escape to Mexico
Strengths: A Kaleidoscopic Vision of the Past
Herrera’s prose, even in translation, crackles with energy. He has a gift for sensory details that bring 1850s New Orleans to vivid, often unsettling life. The novel is structured as a series of vignettes, some only a paragraph long, others stretching for pages. This fragmented approach mirrors Juárez’s disorientation and allows Herrera to create a panoramic view of the city’s many contradictions.
Some of the novel’s strongest moments include:
- A harrowing depiction of a slave auction that lays bare the dehumanizing logic of the “peculiar institution”
- Juárez’s encounters with the city’s vibrant music scene, where African, European, and Caribbean influences collide
- A surreal fever dream sequence during a yellow fever outbreak
- Tense political discussions among the exiles as they debate the future of Mexico
Herrera doesn’t shy away from the ugliness of the era, but he also captures moments of transcendent beauty and unexpected connection across racial and cultural lines. The friendship that develops between Juárez and Thisbee is particularly well-drawn, challenging both characters’ preconceptions.
A Nod to Language and Identity
One of the novel’s most intriguing aspects is its exploration of language. Juárez arrives speaking only Spanish and his native Zapotec, but gradually acquires a hodgepodge of English, French, and Creole. Herrera cleverly represents this linguistic journey through shifts in dialogue and narration, reminding us how central language is to our sense of self and place in the world.
Weaknesses: Historical Liberties and Pacing Issues
While “Season of the Swamp” is undeniably ambitious, it’s not without its flaws. Some readers may find the novel’s episodic structure disorienting, and the pacing can be uneven. There are moments when Herrera seems to get lost in the atmosphere he’s created, letting the plot meander.
Additionally, hardcore history buffs might take issue with some of Herrera’s imaginative leaps. While he’s clearly done his research on 1850s New Orleans, the author takes considerable liberties with Juárez’s experiences and inner life. This is, after all, a work of speculative fiction, but those expecting a straightforward historical novel may be disappointed.
A Matter of Perspective
The choice to focus so heavily on Juárez’s personal journey occasionally feels like a missed opportunity. While we get glimpses of the broader political context, both in Mexico and the United States, these elements sometimes feel underdeveloped. A stronger engagement with the looming specter of the American Civil War, for instance, could have added another layer of tension to the narrative.
Style and Themes: A Fever Dream of History
Herrera’s prose style in “Season of the Swamp” is a departure from the sparse, allegorical approach of his earlier works like “Signs Preceding the End of the World.” Here, he embraces a more lush, almost baroque style that mirrors the humid, overgrown landscape of New Orleans. Sentences unfurl like vines, rich with metaphor and sensory detail.
Key Themes Explored:
- The Forging of Identity: Juárez’s time in New Orleans forces him to confront questions of race, class, and nationality in ways that will shape his future political views.
- The Power of Music: Herrera portrays music as a universal language, capable of bridging cultural divides and expressing truths that words cannot.
- The Corrupting Influence of Power: Through his observations of American slavery and political machinations, Juárez develops a deep skepticism of unchecked authority.
- The Tension Between Past and Future: New Orleans is portrayed as a city caught between its colonial past and an uncertain future, mirroring Juárez’s own journey.
- The Complexity of Freedom: The novel grapples with different conceptions of freedom, from political liberty to personal autonomy, and the prices paid for each.
Comparisons and Context
“Season of the Swamp” marks a significant departure for Herrera, both in terms of setting and style. Fans of his earlier, more allegorical works like “The Transmigration of Bodies” or “Kingdom Cons” may be surprised by this foray into historical fiction. However, Herrera’s preoccupations with borders, identity, and the abuse of power remain central.
In its vivid portrayal of 19th-century New Orleans, the novel bears some resemblance to works like Nathaniel Rich’s “King Zeno” or Michael Ondaatje’s “Coming Through Slaughter.” Herrera’s focus on a historical figure’s formative experiences also brings to mind novels like Colm Tóibín’s “The Master” (about Henry James) or Jay Parini’s “The Passages of H.M.” (about Herman Melville).
Final Verdict: A Flawed but Fascinating Historical Fever Dream
“Season of the Swamp” is a novel that lingers in the mind long after the final page is turned. Herrera’s imagining of Juárez’s New Orleans sojourn is by turns brutal, lyrical, and deeply thought-provoking. While the book’s episodic structure and occasional pacing issues may frustrate some readers, those willing to surrender to its feverish rhythms will find a richly rewarding experience.
Herrera has crafted a work that feels both timely and timeless, using the past to illuminate our present moment’s struggles with identity, belonging, and the corrosive effects of systemic injustice. “Season of the Swamp” may not be a perfect novel, but it’s an undeniably ambitious and often brilliant one.
Who Should Read This Book?
- Fans of literary historical fiction
- Readers interested in Latin American history and politics
- Those who enjoy novels with a strong sense of place
- Anyone fascinated by the cultural melting pot of New Orleans
- Readers who appreciate challenging, non-linear narratives
Who Might Want to Skip It?
- Those looking for a straightforward historical biography of Benito Juárez
- Readers who prefer fast-paced, plot-driven novels
- People sensitive to depictions of racial violence and historical injustice