Reviews

His Name was Death by Rafael Bernal

matt717's review

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

lbthand's review

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

jot2301's review

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

The main character was fantastically flawed. He was an aggrieved outcast that got caught up in something he had no business in influencing.

The male gaze thing was present but wasn't overly cringey. "Blonde hair" was mentioned more than I cared for, but I took it as the protagonist's inability to really express his feelings (he couldn't or didn't want to?). This was subtle, but it made the character slightly more interesting (not just another obsessive poet).

whybrywhy's review

dark sad tense fast-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

4.0

audreyschuler1's review

reflective medium-paced

4.0

paigelewis's review

dark reflective medium-paced

4.0

laurelscout's review

adventurous challenging dark sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

latrian_scholar's review

dark

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

stephpl's review

adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Le narrateur est un alcoolique misanthrope qui s'isole au coeur de la jungle mexicaine, développant une relation particulière avec une tribu Lacodón qui le considère comme une divinité aux puissants pouvoirs. Affaibli par la fièvre et la consommation d'alcool abusive l'homme devient obsédé par les maringouins qui prolifèrent et leur buzz incessant... Jusqu'à ce qu'il se mettre à y déceler leur langage et, à l'aide d'une flûte, à établir la communication avec eux. Le récit prend un sinistre tour quand notre antihéro découvre les ambitions de domination totale des moustiques, et le pacte qui lui est proposé pour aider ces insectes à arriver à leur fin. 

Publié en 1947 au Mexique, traduit pour la première fois en anglais en 2021, ce court roman offre de la science-fiction style désastre écologique, des questions philosophiques et des réflexions politiques sur le colonialisme, le pouvoir et l'organisation sociale. Le tout à travers une histoire incroyablement originale! 

yahaira's review

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated

4.75