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2.94 AVERAGE
2.94 AVERAGE
Well. I must tell you at the outset that this is erotica, pure and simple. It's not romance, it's erotica, although there is an unlikely romance lurking just beneath the surface. If you are Christian (or Muslim) you'd call it porn. It has been compared to The Story of O and (I think) Fifty Shades of Grey, but I've never read those books, so I can't say. I CAN say that the sex scenes compare favorably with Jacqueline Carey and Sarah Gran.
The book itself was a bumpy ride in the first half. The backstory is told in flashbacks. The setting is Madrid in the 70s & 80s, with plenty of references (although not by name) to the Franco regime. I didn't like the translation, although I generally like Sonia Soto's work. But this time, it was translated into British vernacular for a British publisher. Words like "knickers" and "bloke" just kinda threw me out of the story every time they appeared.
But I was ultimately satisfied with it. The final act redeemed the book, with a climax that is both erotic and very cringeworthy. Your call...
The book itself was a bumpy ride in the first half. The backstory is told in flashbacks. The setting is Madrid in the 70s & 80s, with plenty of references (although not by name) to the Franco regime. I didn't like the translation, although I generally like Sonia Soto's work. But this time, it was translated into British vernacular for a British publisher. Words like "knickers" and "bloke" just kinda threw me out of the story every time they appeared.
But I was ultimately satisfied with it. The final act redeemed the book, with a climax that is both erotic and very cringeworthy. Your call...
15/100.
No me ha aportado nada nuevo a la vida. Tampoco es que me guste demasiado el estilo de prosa que tiene. La "trama" me ha mantenido aburridísimo, hasta el punto que he tardado casi dos meses en terminarlo.
No me ha aportado nada nuevo a la vida. Tampoco es que me guste demasiado el estilo de prosa que tiene. La "trama" me ha mantenido aburridísimo, hasta el punto que he tardado casi dos meses en terminarlo.
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Writing this review as I land back in London. This book came as a recommendation from the NY Times on reading one's way through Madrid. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/06/books/madrid-spain-books-elena-medel.html
Erotica but also thoughtful, provocative, political. I can see why they recommended this - the city features prominently in the story. It's dark erotica, so if you're squeamish about violence in books and sex, it might not be for you. For example, I had to skim through a couple or so pages because I wanted to be happy. Despite this, it's a good read and matched the vibe I had of the city.
Erotica but also thoughtful, provocative, political. I can see why they recommended this - the city features prominently in the story. It's dark erotica, so if you're squeamish about violence in books and sex, it might not be for you. For example, I had to skim through a couple or so pages because I wanted to be happy. Despite this, it's a good read and matched the vibe I had of the city.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Una novela iniciática, Lulú, la protagonista descubre sus límites y las posibilidades del placer, de la mano del amor de su vida, Pablo. En esta, su primera novela, ya están presentes las cualidades narrativas que le granjearon a Grandes el reconocimiento por el que fue conocida: descripciones precisas, deshinibición, atmósferas bien construidas; aunque también hay algunos detalles de escritora novel (cierta inocencia en la voz narrativa y en la construcción de los personajes, y no a pesar de las peripecias eróticas que vive, padece, Lulú, sino justamente por ellas, como el adolescente que hace aquello que cree hará enojar más a sus padres).
Una novela iniciática, Lulú, la protagonista descubre sus límites y las posibilidades del placer, de la mano del amor de su vida, Pablo. En esta, su primera novela, ya están presentes las cualidades narrativas que le granjearon a Grandes el reconocimiento por el que fue conocida: descripciones precisas, deshinibición, atmósferas bien construidas; aunque también hay algunos detalles de escritora novel (cierta inocencia en la voz narrativa y en la construcción de los personajes, y no a pesar de las peripecias eróticas que vive, padece, Lulú, sino justamente por ellas, como el adolescente que hace aquello que cree hará enojar más a sus padres).
tense
fast-paced