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4.2 AVERAGE
4.2 AVERAGE
This book seemed unnecessarily long and then just ended! I am not the target audience for this book. I don't know if it is horror, thriller, or just a super long book genre. Some sections were hard to read, unclear where the story was heading, or what the point was. This was a book club book, maybe after discussion I'll like it better. Clearly in the minority with my rating.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Una obra de arte
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Te atrapa desde el principio, la historia te agarra por sorpresa en distintas ocasiones.
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
"You have something of mine, I passed on something of me to you, and hopefully it isn't cursed. I don't know if I can leave you something that isn't dirty, that isn't dark, our share of night."
An aristocratic cult willing to exploit underclasses and disappear Indigenous youth, against the violent historical backdrop of Argentinian dictatorship. In an effort to achieve immortality, they commune with a mystical, hungry force through the medium they find in each generation, a human being with powers that can only be enacted through strain and sacrifice. I was interested in the premise, though I might need to read more about South American storytelling traditions and political history to recognize all their influences.
The latest medium Juan makes a pact with the supernatural to protect his son Gaspar. The book is certainly a page turner, shocking and grotesque in moments. There were also touching scenes of care and intimacy in the paternal relationship at the heart of the story. Only I struggle to get behind narratives that revolve around angry taciturn men having to isolate themselves to protect their loved ones. Similarly, violence that turns out to be necessary to protect Gaspar feels like juvenile storytelling, and Juan feels too much like a romanticized hero for someone who sometimes hits his son just in frustration.
I can see the draw to a story that skips around its timeline, what that can do in terms of uncovering family legacies and secrets, but I do think some of the plot points were too obvious to return to--did not need to be so explicitly or repeatedly laid out on the page, could have been edited more elegantly. I would have particularly appreciated a lighter touch when it came to Juan's plan given fantasy/horror already tends to get bogged down in exposition. There may also be too much of a mix for me when it comes to perspectival shifts (third-person to first to found archival footage) and time span coverage (concentrated trips vs years) each chapter, even if these distinctly written chapters are tied together thoughtfully.
An aristocratic cult willing to exploit underclasses and disappear Indigenous youth, against the violent historical backdrop of Argentinian dictatorship. In an effort to achieve immortality, they commune with a mystical, hungry force through the medium they find in each generation, a human being with powers that can only be enacted through strain and sacrifice. I was interested in the premise, though I might need to read more about South American storytelling traditions and political history to recognize all their influences.
The latest medium Juan makes a pact with the supernatural to protect his son Gaspar. The book is certainly a page turner, shocking and grotesque in moments. There were also touching scenes of care and intimacy in the paternal relationship at the heart of the story. Only I struggle to get behind narratives that revolve around angry taciturn men having to isolate themselves to protect their loved ones. Similarly, violence that turns out to be necessary to protect Gaspar feels like juvenile storytelling, and Juan feels too much like a romanticized hero for someone who sometimes hits his son just in frustration.
I can see the draw to a story that skips around its timeline, what that can do in terms of uncovering family legacies and secrets, but I do think some of the plot points were too obvious to return to--did not need to be so explicitly or repeatedly laid out on the page, could have been edited more elegantly. I would have particularly appreciated a lighter touch when it came to Juan's plan given fantasy/horror already tends to get bogged down in exposition. There may also be too much of a mix for me when it comes to perspectival shifts (third-person to first to found archival footage) and time span coverage (concentrated trips vs years) each chapter, even if these distinctly written chapters are tied together thoughtfully.
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated