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No Place to Bury the Dead centers around two women, Angustias Romero and Visitacion Salaza, fighting to protect a cemetery in a town called Mezquitte. This is set in a dystopian-like world where Angustias and her family are fleeing from a plague that affects memory. Her twin sons tragically die along the journey and the grieving mother must now look for a burial ground. In her search, she meets Visitacion, a cemetery caretaker.

Karina Sainz Borgo’s portrayal of this world is brutal, bleak, and grim. Violent gangs, corrupt politicians, and shady businessmen control most of the power. I liked the parallels she drew between this world and the real migration crisis in Latin America. In this hopeless setting, the characters have been hardened to a lot of suffering and misery. I won’t forget the vivid images of the Third Country and how Sainz Borgo contrasted the harsh lives of these people with the tenderness and care the dead are treated. The themes of life and death are beautifully written. Visitacion gives peace and dignity to those who have passed.

Unfortunately, while I enjoyed the setting and the insight into migrants in desperation, it was a challenging read because of the slow pace. It didn’t seem to pick up until the final third of the novel, and I especially struggled in the middle part of the story. Visitacion was compelling, but the other characters weren’t that memorable. The villains were bad and the good guys were good. They didn’t have the complexity and depth that would I have liked to see.

Thank you Netgallery and HarperVia for providing an advanced copy to review. All opinions are my own.