“Profoundly moving and beautifully written . . . each story is its own universe that transports the reader through the characters’ joy and pain.” — Amy Stuart

The nineteen stories in No Stars in the Sky feature strong but damaged female characters in crisis. Tormented by personal conflicts and oppressive regimes that treat the female body like a trophy of war, the women in No Stars in the Sky face life-altering circumstances that either shatter or make them stronger, albeit at a very high price. True to her Latin American roots, Bátiz shines a light on the crises that concern her most: the plight of migrant children along the Mexico–U.S. border, the tragedy of the disappeared in Mexico and Argentina, and the generalized racial and domestic violence that has turned life into a constant struggle for survival. With an unflinching hand, Bátiz explores the breadth of the human condition to expose silent tragedies too often ignored.

MARTHA BÁTIZ is an award-winning writer, translator, and professor of Spanish language in literature. She is the author of four books, including the story collection Plaza Requiem, winner of an International Latino Book Award, and the novella The Wolf’s Mouth, winner of the Casa de Teatro Prize. Born and raised in Mexico City, she lives in Toronto.

Martha Bátiz's profile page

This incisive and evocative collection of stories feature strong and resilient women faced with violence, disappearance and tragedies that all too often remain unseen.

Ms. Magazine

No Stars in the Sky is a remarkable volume that grants a voice to the voiceless. Poignant and memorable.

Miramichi Reader