Reviews tagging 'Pandemic/Epidemic'

Un lugar soleado para gente sombría by Mariana Enríquez

5 reviews

unboxedjack's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Mariana Enriquez is a master at the unsettling. The collection of stories in A Sunny Place for Shady People all give that trill of horror any good book of the genre will offer, but with poignant takes on sexism, queer relationships, generational/historical trauma, colonialism, and classism. These stories, set in Argentina, offer a wide scope of perspectives and characters, each deeply developed and captivating. At times Enriquez's prose gets in the way of story, but that's easily excusable for the atmosphere it presents. Thanks to NetGalley and Granta Publications for an ARC of this collection.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

rainbowbookworm's review

dark mysterious fast-paced

5.0

Un lugar soleado para gente sombría fue mi primera experiencia leyendo a Mariana Enríquez en castellano, y definitivamente no será la última. Escuché el audiolibro, narrado por Mara Brenner, quien hizo un trabajo excelente al capturar la atmósfera inquietante de cada historia—aunque el inglés en las citas sonaba un poco fuera de lugar.

Enríquez sabe cómo hacer que el horror se sienta profundamente real y cercano, con cuentos que van de lo espeluznante a lo francamente asqueroso. Como ocurre en la mayoría de las colecciones de cuentos, algunas historias se destacan más que otras, pero todas logran transmitir esa sensación de peligro latente en lo cotidiano. Una lástima que el audiolibro no incluya los títulos de cada cuento, porque me hubiera gustado mencionar mis favoritos en esta reseña.

Para mí, Mariana Enríquez es una de las mejores voces del horror latinoamericano, y me alegra ver que su obra esté recibiendo el reconocimiento que merece en el mercado anglosajón. Después de esta experiencia, estoy decidida a seguir leyendo sus libros en el idioma original, pues siento que ciertos matices y detalles podrían perderse en la traducción.

En definitiva, Un lugar soleado para gente sombría es una lectura perturbadora e imperdible para los amantes del terror que buscan explorar historias con una perspectiva única y profundamente inquietante.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

aisling1771's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A stellar collection of short stories. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore

Moderate: Body horror, Drug abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Blood, and Pandemic/Epidemic

veposve's review

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cancer, Death, Gore, Mental illness, and Blood

Moderate: Forced institutionalization and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Addiction and Pandemic/Epidemic

vickyoyarzun's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Death, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Blood, Vomit, and Dementia

Moderate: Cancer and Sexism

Minor: Abortion and Pandemic/Epidemic