TEHRAN – The Persian translation of the novel “Fever Dream” written by the Argentinian author Samanta Schweblin has been released in the Iranian book market.

Translated by Mehdi Ghabraee, the book has been brought out by Niloofar Publications in 120 pages, Mehr reported.

In the book, originally published in 2014, a young woman named Amanda lies dying in a rural hospital clinic. A boy named David sits beside her, though he is not her child. Together, they tell a haunting story of broken souls, toxins, and the power and desperation of family.

The novel has elements of psychological fiction and takes inspiration from the environmental problems in Argentina. “Fever Dream” is about the bond between a mother, Amanda, and her daughter, Nina, and how relationships can shift when different situations threaten them, such as poisonous water, a suspicious energy healer, and disturbing secrets, not to mention the evil child and dead animals give the story an eerie vibe.

“Fever Dream” is structured like a play, one that would require two actors and very little movement. The entire novel is an unbroken dialogue between Amanda and David. It is a nightmare come to life, a ghost story for the real world, a love story, and a cautionary tale. One of the freshest new voices to come out of the Spanish language, Samanta Schweblin creates an aura of strange psychological menace and otherworldly reality in this absorbing, unsettling, taut novel.

Schweblin drew inspiration from the use of harmful pesticides in farming towns throughout Argentina, which she stated causes multiple issues. Schweblin states that Argentina is a major producer of soybeans, a product related to pesticides. It is also one of the world's top producers of genetically engineered crops, mainly soybeans designed to resist pesticides. This allows for excess spraying of herbicides with no negative effects on the crops. 

Pesticides can have several effects on the members of farming towns in Argentina, including birth defects and other health issues. This is illustrated in the novel as many children in the town have birth defects. Pesticides, along with other agricultural runoff, can drain into water sources, causing contamination. There are many communities without running water, and their water sources are contaminated by agricultural runoff containing pesticides. In some cases, old pesticide containers are even used to collect rainwater. This is seen within the novel as several characters are poisoned through local water sources.

Samanta Schweblin was chosen as one of the 22 best writers in Spanish under the age of 35 by Granta. She is the author of three collections of short stories that have won numerous awards, including the prestigious Juan Rulfo Story Prize, and been translated into 20 languages. “Fever Dream” is her first novel and is longlisted for the Man Booker International Prize. Originally from Buenos Aires, she lives in Berlin.

Her stories have also appeared in anthologies and magazines such as The New Yorker, The Paris Review, Granta, The Drawbridge, Harper’s Magazine, and McSweeney’s. 

SS/SAB