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abookwormspov's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
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? It's complicated
3.75
This book is conceptually amazing, and I wanted to enjoy it overall more than I did. I found the story a bit hard to follow, especially in keeping the timeline straight and understanding the sci-fi elements, and I found the narration to be a bit inconsistent in style between the different character point of views. But did I really like that it was from multiple points of view even though I wasn’t expecting that; I particularly enjoyed Margarita’s chapters! Ultimately, I think that this just suffers in that it shouldn't have been a novella. It excels in concept and writing style, but there is too much story and not enough pages! I really do look forward to reading more of the authors work in the future though!
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, Murder, and Violence
bookishmillennial's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
This is a Taínofuturistic speculative/dystopian fiction story about colonized Puerto Rico, which has now been colonized by China. The novella shares multiple perspectives of folks who are navigating the aftermath of genocide, but continue to rebuild community and choose to take care of each other amidst their grief, loss, and anger.
I am not from Puerto Rico, nor have I ever been there, but I often asked myself as I read this, 'Is this even fiction?' and that's how you know an author has succeeded in writing speculative/science fiction, because the world they've created is not far from the current state of the world. The themes of reclaiming land and joining resistance groups to rise up against colonization are painted so powerfully, and I really enjoyed Conde's writing. I do think it could have benefited from being novel-length, but it still packs a punch as a novella!
I loved the inclusion of sign language, having a Deaf character, and the array of identities included in this story. I will absolutely read more from Conde in the future, and I would love more novellas or stories from this world too!
This is a Taínofuturistic speculative/dystopian fiction story about colonized Puerto Rico, which has now been colonized by China. The novella shares multiple perspectives of folks who are navigating the aftermath of genocide, but continue to rebuild community and choose to take care of each other amidst their grief, loss, and anger.
I am not from Puerto Rico, nor have I ever been there, but I often asked myself as I read this, 'Is this even fiction?' and that's how you know an author has succeeded in writing speculative/science fiction, because the world they've created is not far from the current state of the world. The themes of reclaiming land and joining resistance groups to rise up against colonization are painted so powerfully, and I really enjoyed Conde's writing. I do think it could have benefited from being novel-length, but it still packs a punch as a novella!
I loved the inclusion of sign language, having a Deaf character, and the array of identities included in this story. I will absolutely read more from Conde in the future, and I would love more novellas or stories from this world too!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation and Violence
Moderate: Death, Transphobia, War, Genocide, Fire/Fire injury, and Murder
almostqualified's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Colonisation
Moderate: Genocide, War, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Transphobia
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