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bookbunnie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Read this if you’re interested in the histories and abilities of multiple vampire subspecies, love a sweet and simple lovestruck character, and enjoy the classic dynamic of detectives, cops and criminals all being equivalently crooked.
Don’t read this if you want the elegant prose of ethereal vampire angst, need a lot of character development to be satisfied, or want a villain with substance.
This book explores the characters’ different relationships to solitude in part by examining their living conditions and in part by their actions taken to preserve, avoid, or accept their loneliness.
It was a simple and easy read, gritty but not unpalatable.
Don’t read this if you want the elegant prose of ethereal vampire angst, need a lot of character development to be satisfied, or want a villain with substance.
This book explores the characters’ different relationships to solitude in part by examining their living conditions and in part by their actions taken to preserve, avoid, or accept their loneliness.
It was a simple and easy read, gritty but not unpalatable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Vomit, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Alcohol, Gore, Death, Death of parent, and Misogyny
Moderate: Gun violence, Police brutality, and Genocide
Minor: Confinement
emmdashed's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Sylvia Moreno-Garcia paints a realized and captivating world in Certain Dark Things. All of the lore she created, this whole sprawling world of different vampires with all their physical and cultural differences were fascinating. However, this does create the issue of the book feeling a little too exposition heavy especially in the beginning. Kind of a Catch-22 she created: we need to know this world, but given that the book is so short creating the individual characters and story may have taken a bit of a back burner to explaining all the lore. At least it was well thought out, interesting lore that kept me reading.
The main POV characters themselves were fine. I didn't dislike them, but I didn't really fall in love with them either. Least favorite was Nick because he feels like a character we've seen too many times before: brutish and hot-headed, horny, rich boy. Atl and Domingo were alright, I liked them well enough, though I wasn't always sure I bought Domingo's blithe nature and immediate, absolute loyalty when there seemed little reason other than attraction. Ana and Rodrigo were interesting to me. Rodrigo really hit that banality of evil, 'I'm so tired I'll do awful things just to get out a little faster' vibe. Ana also had that scrappy cleverness that made me root for her even when she started doing some some morally gray stuff.(Honestly she got done dirty by this book. Justice for Ana) Favorite character by a long shot was Bernadino. Love that Old Honor Bound by Tradition Vampire shit, and he was just fun to read about ?? Also I just was really intrigued by Revenant vampire ideas.
The plot was also just Fine, not bad, but not incredible. Writing was very good, solid description of scenes and action without going too overboard. I could visualize everything, and enjoyed the words.
I really hope Moreno-Garcia revisits this world in the future. A lot of concepts were touched on that I would love to see more explored. More different vampires, more about the seedy underworld in and out of Mexico City, and more of those near future aspects like the weird illnesses, and the genetically modified animals. Maybe a story in the past too, Bernardino and Atl's mother's lives before this story would be super interesting.
Overall a solid book if you're okay with a lot of exposition and worldbuilding. I didn't connect with all of it the story but that's probably more personal preference than any real fault with the writing. Like I said hopefully she comes back to this world again!!!
The main POV characters themselves were fine. I didn't dislike them, but I didn't really fall in love with them either. Least favorite was Nick because he feels like a character we've seen too many times before: brutish and hot-headed, horny, rich boy. Atl and Domingo were alright, I liked them well enough, though I wasn't always sure I bought Domingo's blithe nature and immediate, absolute loyalty when there seemed little reason other than attraction. Ana and Rodrigo were interesting to me. Rodrigo really hit that banality of evil, 'I'm so tired I'll do awful things just to get out a little faster' vibe. Ana also had that scrappy cleverness that made me root for her even when she started doing some some morally gray stuff.
The plot was also just Fine, not bad, but not incredible. Writing was very good, solid description of scenes and action without going too overboard. I could visualize everything, and enjoyed the words.
I really hope Moreno-Garcia revisits this world in the future. A lot of concepts were touched on that I would love to see more explored. More different vampires, more about the seedy underworld in and out of Mexico City, and more of those near future aspects like the weird illnesses, and the genetically modified animals. Maybe a story in the past too, Bernardino and Atl's mother's lives before this story would be super interesting.
Overall a solid book if you're okay with a lot of exposition and worldbuilding. I didn't connect with all of it the story but that's probably more personal preference than any real fault with the writing. Like I said hopefully she comes back to this world again!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Violence, Blood, and Colonisation
Moderate: Confinement, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Animal cruelty, Torture, Rape, Alcohol, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Sexual content
Expanding on the Adult-Minor relationship Atl is 23 (I think? Early-mid 20s) and Domingo is 17, which is the age of consent in Mexico, but not everywhere, so be aware if this is something that may upset you.raechel's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
<i>Certain Dark Things</i> takes place in a slightly futuristic Mexico City, in a world where vampires have been known about for decades. Mexico City is one of the few places they're not allowed, but it's where we find Atl, who is on the run from a Necro vampire clan. She teams up with a human garbage collector and works on getting away. This plot is very what-you-see-is-what-you-get and there's no big twists or turns, but sometimes it's nice to have a basic story.
I loved the different types of vampire (we get a encyclopedia in the back of the book), and how the world is different because of it. There are strong themes of tradition, colonization, trust, and love. All wrapped up in violence and blood and neon noir. Side note: idk why this is labeled as YA but it is NOT.
A fun read and I'm honestly a little surprised this isn't a series. Atl was very cool and had a strong personality. Domingo was so sweet and naïve. Bernardino was a cool character, though I feel like more could have been done with him. If you like modern/sci-fi vampire stories this is a great pick.
I loved the different types of vampire (we get a encyclopedia in the back of the book), and how the world is different because of it. There are strong themes of tradition, colonization, trust, and love. All wrapped up in violence and blood and neon noir. Side note: idk why this is labeled as YA but it is NOT.
A fun read and I'm honestly a little surprised this isn't a series. Atl was very cool and had a strong personality. Domingo was so sweet and naïve. Bernardino was a cool character, though I feel like more could have been done with him. If you like modern/sci-fi vampire stories this is a great pick.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Cursing, and Blood
Minor: Animal cruelty
madnabox's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I rate books using CAWPILE created by G from bookroast on YouTube.
This book only got 4 stars because I did not enjoy this book. I think I gave it a 3/10 for enjoyment. I took me almost 2 weeks to read it and I dreaded listening to the audio book. Not because the narration was bad or that the writing was bad. The characters were well written and believable. I even like the author's parallel to colonialism with the vampire world. I loved this fresh lore on vampires.
I wish I could articulate what I did not enjoy. I can say that part of it is Atl's stubbornness.
This book will be going in the unhaul pile. I am happy to have read it. I will read other books by this author.
This book only got 4 stars because I did not enjoy this book. I think I gave it a 3/10 for enjoyment. I took me almost 2 weeks to read it and I dreaded listening to the audio book. Not because the narration was bad or that the writing was bad. The characters were well written and believable. I even like the author's parallel to colonialism with the vampire world. I loved this fresh lore on vampires.
I wish I could articulate what I did not enjoy. I can say that part of it is Atl's stubbornness.
This book will be going in the unhaul pile. I am happy to have read it. I will read other books by this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Cursing, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, and Violence
arce's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Oh good Lord, where do I start?
It definitely was not, what I was expecting from the blurb. There it sounded like Domingo was 12 years old and Atl more like 30+, and they were forming some sort of makeshift family. Very disappointing to read about two stupid teenagers (yeah, I know, Atl's 23, but her behaviours tells something different).
I hated nearly everything and everyone in this book, but least of all Bernardino, which makes him my favorite humanoid character. My favorite character was by far Cualli, the dog. At least the dog didn't get killed, else I'd have thrown the book out the window.
Chapter 32 was very bad, but chapter 34 was way worse, but the worst by far was chapter 40. Atl's now suddenly trying to behave like an adult? I'm not buying it.
I definitely wasn't sad about anyone's death, every single one was deserved.
The idea behind the different vampire species is however very interesting, and I liked the appendix.
It definitely was not, what I was expecting from the blurb. There it sounded like Domingo was 12 years old and Atl more like 30+, and they were forming some sort of makeshift family. Very disappointing to read about two stupid teenagers (yeah, I know, Atl's 23, but her behaviours tells something different).
I hated nearly everything and everyone in this book, but least of all Bernardino, which makes him my favorite humanoid character. My favorite character was by far Cualli, the dog. At least the dog didn't get killed, else I'd have thrown the book out the window.
Chapter 32 was very bad, but chapter 34 was way worse, but the worst by far was chapter 40. Atl's now suddenly trying to behave like an adult? I'm not buying it.
I definitely wasn't sad about anyone's death, every single one was deserved.
The idea behind the different vampire species is however very interesting, and I liked the appendix.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, and Violence
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