The Abyss.

"The Abyss" by Fernando Vallejo is a raw, unflinching exploration of death and decay in Medellín. The autobiographical novel follows the narrator as he returns to care for his brother dying of AIDS, confronting the ghosts of his past and a city transformed. Vallejo’s biting prose tears into Colombia’s corruption and hypocrisy, while vividly portraying Medellín’s faded glory. Through a fog of memory and regret, the novel delves into queer identity, fractured family ties, and the relentless passage of time in a city the narrator both loves and resents.