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thelauramay's review against another edition
4.0
A fascinating, psychedelic journey full of the unexpected. It explores identity issues (especially that of Mexican Americans) and so much more. It's like a dream of a rabid elephant, and about as unstoppable. I've never read anything quite like it.
4.5*
4.5*
anna_hepworth's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I'm sure that there is a good name for the genre that this book gets classed as, but I don't know what it is. It isn't magical realism, because it is in no way realistic at any point, nor does it ever really attempt a consistent internal logic. It makes me think of E. Abbott's Flatland and M Cavendish's Blazing World, which is a very difficult comparison for me to describe!
I love the writing, I love the dreamy narrative and the various set pieces the protagonist wanders between. I didn't love a lot of what is happening, and there are some really icky scenes, and being inside the protagonist's head was occasionally very off putting.
Worth reading, but don't expect to come out of it understanding much of the detail of what has happened, because it is far too surreal for that. Explanations are hinted at, in that towards the end the protagonist talks about having known the answers, but they are not told to the reader.
I love the writing, I love the dreamy narrative and the various set pieces the protagonist wanders between. I didn't love a lot of what is happening, and there are some really icky scenes, and being inside the protagonist's head was occasionally very off putting.
Worth reading, but don't expect to come out of it understanding much of the detail of what has happened, because it is far too surreal for that. Explanations are hinted at, in that towards the end the protagonist talks about having known the answers, but they are not told to the reader.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Torture, Drug use, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Racism
There are a lot of things that should be warned for, but as I'm writing this down some time after reading parts of it, I know I'm missing some.mdpenguin's review against another edition
5.0
What a wonderful book! Garcia somehow manages to create a dreamy world that actually has real tension and action in it. The underlying theme of the importance of curiosity in defining oneself is a good one but it's not really thrown in the reader's face. I also found the ending to be entirely satisfying.
kateofmind's review
5.0
I read a lot of weird stuff, but this is one of the weirdest things I've read that wasn't by J.G. Ballard, and I don't evoke that name by chance. There are definite Ballardian elements in this strangeness, a lot of humor and more than a little philosophy. Another gem from the Latinx story bundle, which has been a closet of wonders!
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