One of BBC’s 10 Books to Read in August
An altogether fresh take on the coming-of-age story…Boullosa manages to merge humor with panic seamlessly. - Publishers Weekly Starred Review

Carmen Boullosa is, in my opinion, a true master. -Alvaro Mutis

Part bildungsroman, part ghost story, part revenge novel, Before tells the story of a woman who returns to the landscape of her childhood to overcome the fear that held her captive as a girl. This powerful exploration of the path to womanhood and lost innocence won Mexico’s two most prestigious literary prizes.