Before

A profound & moving coming-of-age novel that explores the end of one woman's innocence in childhood.

Part bildungsroman, part ghost story, part revenge novel, Before tells the story of a woman who returns to the landscape of her childhood to regain her innocence, knowing that in order for her to discover her identity, she must overcome the fear that held her captive as a little girl. This unique exploration of the path to womanhood & innocence lost won Mexico’s two most prestigious literary prizes. 

Introduction by award-winning author Phillip Lopate.

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"Carmen Boullosa is, in my opinion, a true master." — Alvaro Mutis

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Carmen Boullosa is one of Mexico's leading novelists, poets, & playwrights. She has published over 12 novels, 3 of which have been published by Deep Vellum in English translation. Boullosa has received numerous prizes & honors, including a Guggenheim fellowship. A poet, playwright, essayist, & cultural critic, Boullosa is a Distinguished Lecturer at City College of New York. Other novels translated into English include Before (tr. Peter Bush, Deep Vellum, 2016), Heavens On Earth (tr. Shelby Vincent, Deep Vellum, 2017) & The Book of Anna (tr. Samantha Schnee, Coffee House Press, 2020 ).