The strange case of Rachel K

The final (and title) story of Kushner's collection is almost strong enough on its own to justify the publication of such a slender book, which contains only three stories. Inspired by a 1973 film about a Havana nightclub dancer, which Kushner has heard of but never seen, "The Strange Case of Rachel K" delves into themes of ownership and agency, reinvention of self, the mystery and pull of exoticism, and the inevitable letdown once the exotic turns out to contain the same banal discontent as the familiar. The subtlest, most engaging story in the book, it yields new discoveries with every reading. But whether the collection would still hold up with a weaker story in its place is difficult to say. The first two stories are steeped in atmospheric but florid language, and rarely feel like anything but the juvenilia they are - indeed, all three of these stories predate Kushner's debut novel, "Telex From Cuba," which appeared in 2008. In them, though, fans of her more recent work can see glimpses of the writer who went on to publish the acclaimed 2013 novel "The Flamethrowers."

Kushner (The Flamethrowers) imagines Cuban history in this small collection of strong prose. In "The Great Exception," a Portuguese admiral reminiscent of Christopher Columbus in 1492 discovers Cuba. Hundreds of years later, a woman named Aloha moves from Colorado to Havana where she discovers a new life with Ferdinand K, a Frenchman who sells fake war footage of naval battles between American and Spanish fleets. In "Debouchment," a conversation among patrons at a nightclub, and an illegal radio broadcast by a man known as "the faith healer" delve into violent political conflicts that shaped Cuba in the 20th century. And, in the title story, Christian de la Mazière, the fictionalized French Nazi from Kushner's novel, Telex from Cuba, shares an intimate talk with cabaret dancer Rachel K about her origins and her relationships with both President Carlos Prío Socarrás and the dictator Fulgencio Batista. These narratives are bridged by characters, place, and resurfacing imagery. Kushner's writing is fluid and clear and possesses a rhythm as determined as an ocean current. She navigates the limits of language, seeking new or uncommon words like "batiking" and "flumed" to fit the descriptions of the world she maps. In this slim book, readers will encounter three stories of terrific depth. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.