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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
Those rich tourists who hire Viridiana are more sinister than they first seem (of course!)
The good-looking one tries to seduce her (of course!)
The plot is following the rules of the noir genre.
.
What makes this book so enjoyable – and different - is that Viridiana has her eyes open and her brain turned on. She is a PROtagonist, making decisions to get what she wants. So, for example, she recognizes that the handsome one is trying to seduce her, and…decides she wants to go ahead and sleep with him.
.
The small-coastal-town setting makes it a nice change from the city stereotype of noir, as well.
.
You’ve probably seen #MexicanGothic around – for good reason! This is nothing like it, but also great…as basically all of #SilviaMorenoGarcia ’s books are. Not every good or even great book is for every person – I never would have picked up this book by a different author, because I don’t usually enjoy this genre. But SMG is an auto-buy for me, for good reason…this is definitely recommendable.
The good-looking one tries to seduce her (of course!)
The plot is following the rules of the noir genre.
.
What makes this book so enjoyable – and different - is that Viridiana has her eyes open and her brain turned on. She is a PROtagonist, making decisions to get what she wants. So, for example, she recognizes that the handsome one is trying to seduce her, and…decides she wants to go ahead and sleep with him.
.
The small-coastal-town setting makes it a nice change from the city stereotype of noir, as well.
.
You’ve probably seen #MexicanGothic around – for good reason! This is nothing like it, but also great…as basically all of #SilviaMorenoGarcia ’s books are. Not every good or even great book is for every person – I never would have picked up this book by a different author, because I don’t usually enjoy this genre. But SMG is an auto-buy for me, for good reason…this is definitely recommendable.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia is always a pleasure to read, but her take on a mystery is something truly amazing. Set in Baja California in the 70s, UNTAMED SHORE follows Viridiana, a young woman who yearns for more than the small town she's trapped in. Viridiana is hired as the personal assistant to a rich American and his family one summer, but when one of the Americans is killed, the resulting investigation changes Viridiana forever. I couldn't put this book down, watching Viridiana grapple with her longing to live her own life as well as her newfound loyalties and or morality was breathtaking. It's hard to review this book without spoilers, but the ending was both chilling and heartfelt, it reminded me of the old movies Viridiana loves so much.
If you venture into this book expecting a high-stakes, fast-paced thriller, you will inevitably be disappointed. This is not a mystery; there is no whodunit, no hunting clues to track down the killer, no chases or escapes. Untamed Shore is instead a languid, character-driven coming-of-age tale, a sort of literary noir set against the atmospheric background of 1970s small-town Baja California.
And what a background it is. Moreno-Garcia has always had a way of bringing settings and locales to life. Her prose is exquisite: rich and dense and layered. The mood she evokes is thick and oppressive, heady with tension. I could feel the heat coming off the desert. I could smell the rotting shark carcasses. I could feel Viridiana's tension and boredom, her desperate desire for escape. There is a certain creeping dread to it all, an eeriness to this small seaside prison.
The narrative traces the development of Viridiana's arc, from clever but sheltered girl to clever and ruthless young woman. It is done slowly and carefully and subtly. The culmination of Viridiana's arc is what pushed me to give this book 5 stars; when I first started I was convinced this was a 3-star read. By 60% I knew it would be 4 stars. But by that explosive, absolutely baller ending? I knew this was 5 stars for sure. Viridiana is the star of this novel; she shines above the other characters and even the plot, which was very slow to start and never really found its feet. Because this novel isn't about plot; it's about Viridiana coming into her own and achieving her goals, no matter what it takes.
And what a background it is. Moreno-Garcia has always had a way of bringing settings and locales to life. Her prose is exquisite: rich and dense and layered. The mood she evokes is thick and oppressive, heady with tension. I could feel the heat coming off the desert. I could smell the rotting shark carcasses. I could feel Viridiana's tension and boredom, her desperate desire for escape. There is a certain creeping dread to it all, an eeriness to this small seaside prison.
The narrative traces the development of Viridiana's arc, from clever but sheltered girl to clever and ruthless young woman. It is done slowly and carefully and subtly. The culmination of Viridiana's arc is what pushed me to give this book 5 stars; when I first started I was convinced this was a 3-star read. By 60% I knew it would be 4 stars. But by that explosive, absolutely baller ending? I knew this was 5 stars for sure. Viridiana is the star of this novel; she shines above the other characters and even the plot, which was very slow to start and never really found its feet. Because this novel isn't about plot; it's about Viridiana coming into her own and achieving her goals, no matter what it takes.
I love Silvia Moreno-Garcia and appreciate how she explores different genres. It took a bit for this to turn into a thriller, something that kept me on the edge of my seat, for me but once it did I could not put the book down. I had been in a reading slump prior to starting this, and it quickly provided a cure. I also think the character of Viridiana is beautifully written so that almost anyone could find parts of themself in her thoughts, feelings, and action. Classic Hollywood movies were also a recurring theme in this book that left you feeling a bit of that nostalgia and glamour throughout the story as well.
Alas, the dude is not fed to the shark after all, but this is still quite satisfying. You can taste the salt in the air and smell the decomposing bodies of the sharks the fishermen have left on the beach, you can feel the sun on the back of your neck, and you know exactly what it's like for Viridiana in Desengaño with everyone watching everything she does. Another book that was good enough to read in a few hours.
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Nothing in the book would indicate the story takes place in 1979. This was my second book by this author, and unfortunately it is also my last. Her main characters have inspiring qualities (independent, strong-willed, take-no-shit), but they seem robotic, boring, haughty, and unlikeable. Viridiana was incredible smart but it served her for nothing. For all her intelligence, she was quite naive and a little stupid. Dialogue between characters is stiff, predictable, and cliché. It is honestly difficult to believe two people would talk to each other the way Moreno writes they do. It is a Young Adult book disguised as a normal book. This is okay for anyone looking for a basic, predictable beach read.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was fine. Not as good as Mexican Gothic, but still intriguing and very original. The author’s prose is lovely, beautiful descriptions mixed with blunt slang and swears. I wanted to scream at Viridiana so many times, but I was also interested in how the story would end, and whether or not she would get the happy ending she so desperately wanted.
Untamed shore takes place in Baja California following 18 year old viridiana as she questions what she wants in life and dealing with three mysterious strangers. Silvia Moreno- Garcia’s writing is simple but so elegant, I just love her descriptions of Baja California. The story starts slow but gradually grew more tense especially after that death happen. I enjoy our main character viridiana and loved her development throughout the story. It was nice seeing her go from native to learning how to use the skills she learn from the white family. I wished some of the side characters were fleshed out more but oh well. The commentary on class privilege was also well done,. Overall this book was amazing from the plot and setting to the main character, and I can’t wait to read more from this author
A Mexican thriller set in the late 70s by the author of [b:Gods of Jade and Shadow|36510722|Gods of Jade and Shadow|Silvia Moreno-Garcia|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1543268579l/36510722._SY75_.jpg|58230232]—did someone hear me quietly praying to my Kindle at night?? I read Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s historical fantasy plotted around an ancient Mayan god of death a little less than a year ago and have been hoping for more from her ever since. With Untamed Shore coming out February 11th and the absolutely seductive-sounding [b:Mexican Gothic|53152636|Mexican Gothic|Silvia Moreno-Garcia|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1575673549l/53152636._SX50_SY75_.jpg|73647361] arriving in June this year, I’m beginning to wonder if Moreno-Garcia herself has made a deal with an ancient spirit to keep churning out these utterly unique and appealing projects, one after the other.
The book itself was a little slow to start, with not much happening until about a third of the way in, and even after that there wasn’t a lot of action til the very end. But that ending, my god, it’s satisfying. I probably wouldn’t really classify it as a thriller, either, but more of a domestic suspense. That’s not really my favorite sub-genre, but I still plodded through because I really loved the setting.
Viridiana lives in the small town of Desengaño in the state of Baja California, Mexico. The major industry of her quiet beach town is fishing, with many still catching and killing sharks, despite the overall drop in profitability. The entire village is in a plateaued decline with tourism all but dried up, so when three Americans arrive carrying with them the allure of a world outside of what Viridiana can even imagine, she gets swept up in their plots, in hopes it will help her carve out a new life for herself far away.
Some of the characterization is a bit heavy-handed, especially the dialogue. There’s also very little mystery surrounding the events of the novel, but that doesn’t mean you won’t still be on edge. I liked Gods of Jade and Shadow more than this and am desperately awaiting Mexican Gothic, but all in all this was a solid performer by Moreno-Garcia.
*Thanks to Polis Books & Netgalley for an advance copy!
The book itself was a little slow to start, with not much happening until about a third of the way in, and even after that there wasn’t a lot of action til the very end. But that ending, my god, it’s satisfying. I probably wouldn’t really classify it as a thriller, either, but more of a domestic suspense. That’s not really my favorite sub-genre, but I still plodded through because I really loved the setting.
Viridiana lives in the small town of Desengaño in the state of Baja California, Mexico. The major industry of her quiet beach town is fishing, with many still catching and killing sharks, despite the overall drop in profitability. The entire village is in a plateaued decline with tourism all but dried up, so when three Americans arrive carrying with them the allure of a world outside of what Viridiana can even imagine, she gets swept up in their plots, in hopes it will help her carve out a new life for herself far away.
Some of the characterization is a bit heavy-handed, especially the dialogue. There’s also very little mystery surrounding the events of the novel, but that doesn’t mean you won’t still be on edge. I liked Gods of Jade and Shadow more than this and am desperately awaiting Mexican Gothic, but all in all this was a solid performer by Moreno-Garcia.
*Thanks to Polis Books & Netgalley for an advance copy!