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"Closed for Repairs is one of those books that makes me extremely glad to have explored short stories collections in the recent years...I greatly enjoyed reading the entire book. The stories have a way of always reaching deep inside the reader and leading them on a journey filled with raw emotion, often accompanied with humor and ideas that provoke and inspire."—The Literary World Blog
"Alonso's sparse prose and absurdist narrative move at a sprightly pace, allowing the keen wit behind the tales to sink in and provoke a thoughtful chortle and create a memorable impression of human resolve."--Booklist
"The best of the 11 stories in this slim collection is "Mutiny on Board," in which bus passengers mutiny against the driver and the fare-taker, resulting in a comedy of errors until the police finally resolve the conflict, allowing the exhausted passengers to continue on their journey. This story, which could be interpreted as symbolic of all bureaucratic problems facing Cubans as well as their uncertain future, is well written and funny."--Bessy Reyna, MultiCultural Review
“"There is a lot of Russian humor in these stories, not only because this is communism with all its warts, but because forbearance seems the principal inheritance of systems pitched too high morally and practiced too low in daily life...Alonso...navigates a careful route though contemporary Havana, sticking with gentle satire and staying clear of hard ideological battles with authorities."--”–Paul Christensen, The Texas Observer
Closed for Repairs is a series of eleven vignettes that depict Cuban ingenuity in the face of urban problems. Each solution is framed with humor and irony and gives a glimpse of life on the Island today.
Alonso shows us the spirit of resolve on the part of Cubans when faced with such issues as transportation problems, lack of water, and the shortage of consumer goods and construction materials caused by the embargo.
Illuminating the endurance and resilience of the Cuban people, these stories will make you chuckle. Alonso’s sly wit is compelling as she satirizes the bureaucracy--an element of her work that will resonate universally.
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