See You at Breakfast

Set in modern-day Mexico City, See You at Breakfast is the story of four characters, leading lives of quiet desperation, who are thrown together by a despicably violent act. Cristina is an optimistic prostitute managing work, police harassment and the demands of the men who fall in love with her – such as Ulises, a solitary office worker who obsesses over a promotion he will never receive. His longtime friend Adolfo, a part-trained veterinarian incapable of distinguishing between a dog and a coyote, is in turn consumed by his infatuation with his neighbour, the beautiful and sheltered Olivia. She is the daughter of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and leads a life of hermit-like seclusion, utterly oblivious to his persistent voyeurism.

As Ulises and Cristina’s relationship moves from finance to romance, and Adolfo works to make his fantasies of life with Olivia a reality, each seeks the comfort of normality amid the chaos of the city’s corruption and crime, and the seeming impossibility of maintaining a trusting relationship. Witty, dark and moving, See You at Breakfast offers a refreshingly frank take on gender politics, the nature of attraction and the burden of everyday life.

About the Author

Guillermo Fadanelli was born in Mexico City. His published books include Clarisa ya tiene un muerto, a novel (Mondadori, 2000), Lodo a novel (Debate, 2002), La otra cara de Rock Hudson, a novel (Anagrama, 2004), Compraré un rifle, a story collection (Anagrama, 2004). He won The National Prize of Published Novels in 1997 and 2002.

He has written for several magazines and newspapers in Mexico, Spain and Chile. His work has been translated into German and French. He is the founder and director of MOHO magazine, and he is a filmmaker.