Into the Beautiful North

We are introduced to Tres Camarones, a village in the province of Sinaloa, Mexico. It could be considered a “backwards” town because its citizens do not like change; there was a great “civic upheaval to bring electricity to Tres Camarones” (3). However, there is danger looming on the horizon as bandidos are invading the village.

The chapter introduces the novel’s protagonist, Nayeli, a nineteen-year-old “futbolista” who works at “The Fallen Hand Taco Shop”. She is “dreaming of leaving town again” (4) with the possibilities of a more “fancy” life always on her mind.

The bandidos (Scarface and the cop) stop at the Fallen Hand for something to eat. They eye up Nayeli, and Tacho, the “Fallen Hand’s taco master” is uninterested and almost belligerent to the customers because he is “tired of the thugs” (10). The men make Nayeli uncomfortable, but she serves them anyway.

The narration then moves to some historical and geographical context of Tres Camarones and the influx of American tourists that sometimes arrive on their beaches. These are the types of people the bandidos are looking to serve; the “Americano surfos” would be looking for some marijuana.