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4.2 AVERAGE
4.2 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
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 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.
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
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Torture, Murder
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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:
Yes
challenging
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:
Yes
Content warning for almost everything for this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug use, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual violence
Mi libro preferido de todos los tiempos. Oscuro y para nada predecible, cargado de información nueva, de cultura, esotérico, perfecto. Mariana como cuentista es fabulosa, pero esta novela se llevó mi alma. Infinitas veces sentí la piel de gallina en sus páginas. Lo volvería a leer.
DNF.
Nothing happened in 250 pages and while the writing was beautiful and drew me in, I didn't like any of the characters. This wasn't so much horror as it was mundanity with random bits of disturbing content thrown in. Not a lot of plot, and no explanation of the magic system. The creeping dread was deadened by the meandering minutiae that formed the bulk of this novel.
Nothing happened in 250 pages and while the writing was beautiful and drew me in, I didn't like any of the characters. This wasn't so much horror as it was mundanity with random bits of disturbing content thrown in. Not a lot of plot, and no explanation of the magic system. The creeping dread was deadened by the meandering minutiae that formed the bulk of this novel.