First Impression Friday will be a meme where you talk about a book that you JUST STARTED! Maybe you’re only a chapter or two in, maybe a little farther. Based on this sampling of your current read, give a few impressions and predict what you’ll think by the end.

Synopsis:

My name is Ixca Cienfuegos. I was born and I live in Mexico City. Which is not so grave: in Mexico City there is never tragedy but only outrage. Thus begins Carlos Fuentes’s first novel, unfolding a panorama in which many people’s lives depend on the fact that they live in today’s Mexico City, where the air is clear and yet filled with the old gods and devils still struggling to overcome the new, where a long and bloody revolution is still being fought and paid for in flesh. The vividness of Fuentes’s characters and the country that is theirs has made critics claim this as his best novel. It is unquestionably among the finest works of literature to be produced in the Western Hemisphere.

It’s the end of the workweek—yay! Finally, the weekend is here. The first full work week of the year, the first after the long Holidays. How is everyone feeling? I know. Most of us are still feeling sluggish after that long break. Still, I hope everyone is getting their mojo back. I hope that everyone gradually regains their motivation to work. Anyway, I hope everyone was able to—or will be able to—finish the workweek on a high note. I hope you accomplished all your tasks or at least made significant progress toward them. It’s now time to dress down and let your hair down—to dive into the weekend! I hope you get to spend this brief reprieve wisely, whether by simply resting and taking a break from the rigors of a tedious career, pursuing your passions, completing household chores or other tasks you put on hold, or spending time with your family and loved ones. I hope you’re all doing well—physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Personally, the first work week of the new year saw me starting with a new employer. I am both thrilled and nervous, but I am looking forward to what the future has in store for me. Speaking of the future, with the new year comes new reading goals and journeys. With this in mind, I decided to commence my 2026 literary journey with the works of Latin American writers. Although I have been reading works of Latin American writers every now and then, it has been some time since I dedicated a full month to reading literary works from this region; I believe the last time was toward the end of 2023. I am looking forward to dipping my fingers into some familiar territories, while also being excited at the prospect of exploring new ones. Speaking of new ones, I am currently reading Carlos Fuentes’ Where the Air is Clear, the book I am featuring in this week’s First Impression Friday update.

If I remember correctly, it was online sellers who first introduced me to the Mexican writer. Eventually, I learned that he was among the pillars of contemporary Latin American literature, spoken in reverence alongside equally highly-regarded peers like  Gabriel García Márquez, Mario Vargas Llosa, and Julio Cortázar. They were regarded as the leading figures of the Latin American boom in the 1960s and 1970s. I kept encountering his works in said online booksellers, and during the pandemic, I finally acquired one of them. Excited at what the book has in store for me, I included Where the Air is Clear in my 2026 Top 26 Reading List. Originally published in 1958 as La región más transparente, Where the Air Is Clear is, I just learned, Fuentes’ debut novel. Upon its publication, it was an immediate sensation, catapulting Fuentest to national fame, and, eventually, establishing him into the Latin American boom. The book made him a household name, and he hasn’t looked back since.

The novel transports us to Mexico City in the 1950s. At the heart of the story is Ixca Cienfuegos. She is one of many characters populating the story, but, from the onset, it seems that he is the one tying the novel’s threads together. Deeply rooted in Aztec mythology, he is the spiritual guide who tours us across the vast expanse of Mexico City. He dismisses both the present and future, seeking to reclaim the country’s ancient past. A conduit for the Aztec gods, he seeks revenge against the Spanish conquerors. To do so, and in keeping with Aztec mythology, he needs a blood sacrifice. This will allow him to overthrow the modern-day gods: the affluent an influential. On the other side of the spectrum is Gladys Garcia, a prostitute and direct descendant of the Aztecs. Ironically, their paths never crossed. One of the factors, it seems, is that Ixca primarily orbits around the circles of the rich.

Speaking of the rich, we are introduced to Federico Robles whose personal story the novel is built around. He was born into desitution. Following the end of the Mexican revolution, he quickly established himself as a formidable banker. Gradually, he was able to accrete wealth through ruthless business practices, and create his own powerful financial empire. He was married to Norma Laragoiti, a green-eyed woman and self-absorbed materialist. Marrying Norma was Federico’s rebellion against his mestizo heritage. However, Federico was an unfaithful husband, taking as his mistress Hortensia Chacón, a blind mestizo woman. Hortensia, like most of the characters in the novel, was another lonely character. She was married to a petty functionary husband. Interestingly, Federico was able to find true love and happiness with his mistress.

I just finished the First Part of the three-part novel. One of the major catalysts in the first part is the lively party hosted by Bobo, captured in a section titled Navel of the Moon. Bobo is renowned for bringing together the city’s jet set, mixing the city’s intellects, artists, and even social climbers. In these shindigs, the old aristocrats seduce the young, and fashionable women. Ixca serves as a spectator, witnessing these events unfold. He observes in disdain, observing the transactional nature of the social interactions around him. Meanwhile, Federico was struggling to find meaning in life, hence his growing fascination with a group of intellects. Another key character is Rodrigo Pola, a laywer who contemplates suicide amidst the decay of the de Ovandos family. The first part concludes with Ixca and Rodrigo having a conversation where Rodrigo shares his frustrations about his life.

The premise, so far, captures my interest. In particular, one of Ixca’s opening lines piqued my interest. He mentioned that living in Mexico City is not “so grave,” that there is “never tragedy but only outrage.” Understandably so, considering the historical context. The country was undergoing major changes, following the end of the revolution. The characters are representative of the people of Mexico. Ixca is the embodiment of tradition and a sliver of magical realism. Federico represents ambition and cilinical precision, while Rodrigo represents idealism and romanticism. Every major facet of Mexican culture, it seems, are embodied by these characters. Even the female characters have key roles. It is interesting how the story evolves. There is so much to look forward to in the Second Part, as details of the characters’ lives unfold.

My first Fuentes novel has certainly gotten me invested. I’m looking forward to seeing how the story pans out. How about you, fellow reader? What book—or books—are you reading this weekend? I hope you’re enjoying your current read. Happy weekend!