Reviews - Nuestra parte de noche

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5.1k reviews for:

Nuestra parte de noche

Mariana Enríquez

4.2 AVERAGE

aandres_torress's review against another edition

5.0

me tomó mucho tiempo terminarlo pero valió la pena OMG

alfboyreads's review against another edition

4.5

this book was so... enveloping, so familiar, so intimate, i dont quite know how to describe the vibe of this but it is typical mariana enriquez' writing which is always so luxurious but not in a vladmir nabokov, uses a lots of unusual adjectives kind of way, it's simpky the way she builds setting and character and mood, it pulls you in and holds you there and it feels weirdly intimate even if it's a little strange to you, like when a hot stranger at a party puts their mouth right next to your ear to talk to you so you can hear them. all my usual praise for mariana enriquez applies, excellent character construction, excellent dialogue, engaging til the last line (which is particularly impressive in this one because it is a 500 page novel), and weaves her trademark horror into the story. the only reason this book is not a 5 star is that im not sure im entirely sold on the plot itself; it felt a little aimlessltly windey at points and i'd venture to say that it didnt feel necessary all of the time. i think she had all the ingredients of a good novel because she is such a great writer and knew she wanted to write about the supernatural, witchcraft, rituals, and folk magic but didnt quite end up with a solid Plot that felt foolproof and totally figured out. and i am no critic of long novels with no defined plot but it felt like she did Try to bring it beyond that and while still a completely engrossing, successful novel in other respects, i think it just slightly missed that mark and could have used some more carving out and refining. what this book explore exquisitely though was family and familial dynamics and reading about the father/son relationship was complex and fascinating. also wider family and every single dynamic was so intricate and never painted with a black or white brush, just like regular human relationships they were all multi faceted and not easily summed up.
also in my fervour to read as much as possible, i had forgotten how much i love to read long books, how they start to feel so familiar and like youre visiting old friends each day, how everything feels like it Matters because you are invested in these characters youve been reading about for several hundred pages. i mean im sure a large portion of that was how good of a writer enriquez is and how she creates such palpable atmosphere that you cannot help but want to get wrapped up in. also it really is a testament to her writing because generally i tend to struggle to not be quite disconnected from more fantastical stories and sort of roll my eyes almost when it comes to things like magic, but i really did not have a problem with this book in terms of that at all, the magical element felt natural and almost realistic for the situations they appeared in. i think basically what im saying is that i would read mariana enriquez' grocery lists if i could.

anivivi's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

diziet's review against another edition

3.5

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

I enjoyed this book, but the last chapter and ending are disappointing.

The story starts out strong with many vibes of the best of 1980s horror stories - and not just because a large part of the book actually takes place in the 1980s.

The setting in Argentina is a welcome change, and the historical context is interesting and well woven into the horror aspects of the story. I liked the detailed backstories and everyday life alongside the horror and the supernatural.

Lots of creepy and scary stuff. The story does an excellent job of setting up The Order as an evil cult - that worships a god that reflects them or perhaps they conjure forth by their own wickedness? Grandma Mercedes is especially despicable.

Though the scariest bit is actually true. The fate of the young girl Omayra Sánchez, who got half buried in a landslide with her legs pinned under concrete. Rescuers cannot get her out (lack of equipment or knowledge?) so she slowly died over 3 days. The photo of Omayra is truly real-life horror - I did not go looking for the video….

The last chapter about Gaspar and the ending are not on the same level as the rest of the story. The ideas are good - but not the actual narrative. There is a long passage where nothing really happens. Gaspar is not a very interesting character, and the ‘everyday life’ details take up too much space compared to the very short wrap up at the end.

The book is 724 pages - the last chapter 163 pages - and the final showdown with The Order is only 30 pages. Especially the final reckoning with evil grandma is a huge miss.

Characters that are important early on are abandoned. The last 30 pages left me with a ‘Huh, was that it??’ and I felt cheated after having been with these characters for 700 pages.

Still worth a read - 70% of the book is excellent.

lu_tsh's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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: Yes

literatura gótica argentina con personajes bisexuales, paisajes de misiones y corrientes, un drama familiar que entrelaza presente, pasado y futuro junto con la fantasía oscura y la historia del país. amé cada página que leí, sin dudas pienso leer más de mariana enriquez <3