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markedwithanm's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Cannibalism, Child death, Child abuse, Death, Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt
plantbasedbride's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I waited a while to read this one, letting the anticipation build. Sadly, it didn't live up to the hype.
I loved the beginning of the novel and the setup. I was immediately intrigued! But as the plot plodded on I started to notice the awkward writing style, especially in dialogue, the hollow characters, and the lack of a creepy and immersive atmosphere.
First, the writing style. It was dispassionate and disconnected with oddly formal choice of vocabulary and excessive repetition. The dialogue was stilted and unnatural.
The characters started off well - I loved that early scene between Noemi and her father - but once Noemi arrived at the house it all fell apart. The characters were one dimensional - either creepy and suspect or likable and trustworthy - and didn't feel real in the slightest. Even our protagonist, Noemi, had no development or growth through the story and seemed to be largely unaffected by her circumstances.
And the saddest of all, the atmosphere. I was SO looking forward to the Gothic vibe promised here (I love a creepy old house full of secrets) and it just didn't deliver. "Creepy" things were described, but there was very little tension or sense of foreboding or closing in so common in this kind of tale. It also didn't feel particularly Mexican, with the house and its occupants leading incredibly Anglophilic lives.
The final nail in the coffin was the reveal, which was a letdown. I had theories about what was going on and each and every one of them was more interesting than what we got. I'll add my spoilery thoughts at the end of this review.
This was such a disappointing read. I loved the concepts and themes, and it could’ve been incredible, but the characterization, pacing, and writing style were so lacking that it felt flat as a whole.
Spoilery Thoughts
[I found the mushrooms/mycelial network aspect very intriguing and honestly wish the focus had been more on that aspect rather than the supernatural eternal life incest cannibalism thing! The more I think about the twist, the more interesting I found the growth and spreading of the mushrooms a metaphor for colonization. Especially with the detail that the tonic is native to Mexico. There are some very interesting parallels there and some valuable commentary about colonization, racism, sexism, classism, and more. I wish I could have been pulled into this story more and that it had committed to this metaphor fully rather than getting lost in the weeds of trying to be a traditional gothic horror with supernatural elements. It tried to do too much and ended up not being able to deliver on any aspect in a satisfying way. (hide spoiler)]
I loved the beginning of the novel and the setup. I was immediately intrigued! But as the plot plodded on I started to notice the awkward writing style, especially in dialogue, the hollow characters, and the lack of a creepy and immersive atmosphere.
First, the writing style. It was dispassionate and disconnected with oddly formal choice of vocabulary and excessive repetition. The dialogue was stilted and unnatural.
The characters started off well - I loved that early scene between Noemi and her father - but once Noemi arrived at the house it all fell apart. The characters were one dimensional - either creepy and suspect or likable and trustworthy - and didn't feel real in the slightest. Even our protagonist, Noemi, had no development or growth through the story and seemed to be largely unaffected by her circumstances.
And the saddest of all, the atmosphere. I was SO looking forward to the Gothic vibe promised here (I love a creepy old house full of secrets) and it just didn't deliver. "Creepy" things were described, but there was very little tension or sense of foreboding or closing in so common in this kind of tale. It also didn't feel particularly Mexican, with the house and its occupants leading incredibly Anglophilic lives.
The final nail in the coffin was the reveal, which was a letdown. I had theories about what was going on and each and every one of them was more interesting than what we got. I'll add my spoilery thoughts at the end of this review.
This was such a disappointing read. I loved the concepts and themes, and it could’ve been incredible, but the characterization, pacing, and writing style were so lacking that it felt flat as a whole.
Spoilery Thoughts
[I found the mushrooms/mycelial network aspect very intriguing and honestly wish the focus had been more on that aspect rather than the supernatural eternal life incest cannibalism thing! The more I think about the twist, the more interesting I found the growth and spreading of the mushrooms a metaphor for colonization. Especially with the detail that the tonic is native to Mexico. There are some very interesting parallels there and some valuable commentary about colonization, racism, sexism, classism, and more. I wish I could have been pulled into this story more and that it had committed to this metaphor fully rather than getting lost in the weeds of trying to be a traditional gothic horror with supernatural elements. It tried to do too much and ended up not being able to deliver on any aspect in a satisfying way. (hide spoiler)]
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Death, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Body horror
Moderate: Incest and Sexual assault
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