Reviews

The Perishing by Natashia Deón

bookish_withsky's review

4.0

The writing was absolutely gorgeous. The plot was intriguing, not something overdone lately. Someone else described this as ambitious and I can't disagree. I fell in love with it and cannot wait to obtain a physical copy so that I can go back through and annotate.

grayssuh's review

mysterious 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? It's complicated

2.0

alli_always_reads's review

emotional mysterious 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

3.0

fereshteh's review

reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

kristin_boren's review

I'm just fighting my way through and I'm deciding to give up. I love the concept. After I got through the prologue I felt like I got a handle on my understanding of the story but unfortunately my mind won't stop wandering as I read it. Maybe I'm too stupid for this one (probably this.) I just am tired of fighting my own brain on this one.

angelamichelle's review

3.0

There are a few potential great books here—one social commentary, historical fiction of LA in the 1930s. One about a person who lives multiple lives. One about a group of 36 and their enemy. But none of those books really comes to be. And the sermonizing is a bit heavy-handed—the purpose of a novel is to SHOW it so we can FEEL it, not to lecture is about it. I agree with the reviewers who say that the action gets compressed into the last 30 pages.

pay1510's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.75

beddybeddy83's review

mysterious

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No

1.75

I don't understand what I read. I finished the book just feeling confused. I understood it was in different time periods but I'm still not sure if the main characters with the same person or not.

staciathebookworm's review

challenging mysterious slow-paced

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

2.75

trivial_reads's review

3.0

"The Perishing" by Natashia Deón is a captivating novel set in the vibrant city of Los Angeles. It tells the story of Lou, a Black woman who navigates the complexities of the 1930s. Lou is a talented writer for the Times, chronicling countless deaths and transforming her observations into stories that offer a semblance of understanding to those grappling with grief. The novel is narrated through the dual perspectives of Lou and Sarah, a woman living in futuristic Los Angeles. 

Lou's existence is shrouded in riddles, inviting the reader into a world where the boundaries between life and death blur, challenging our understanding of both. While the story predominantly focuses on Lou, there are also varying timelines, some in the past and some in the future. Despite captivating moments, the "immortality" thread took a back seat for most of the novel. I wish we could've delved more into that or that the plot had been removed entirely to focus on Lou living her life in the 1930s.

The novel has been described as ambitious, and it's easy to see why. It's a compelling journey into the heart of mystery, memory, and the indelible marks they leave on our lives. The story is told almost quietly and whimsically but may have been too long for some readers.