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stormywolf's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This month's pick for Maven's Vampire Book Club is a recent reprint following the author's wildly successful Mexican Gothic, which I admittedly haven't read yet. So, other than knowing that this author has gotten a lot of praise for her suspenseful and beautiful writing, I had absolutely no idea what I was getting into. I'm not one who usually enjoys gritty stories (I'm a bit put off by the mention of "narco-vampires"), but a kick-ass vampire on the run with a charming human sounds like it could be fun, right? Right?
Read my full review at The Wolf's Den
Overall, it took a while, but like the puppy that is Domingo, this story grew on me. It's definitely not for everyone, with dark and adult themes very much overwhelming the 'vampire romance' vibes, but so long as you're prepared for a somewhat gritty vampire noir, I think you'll enjoy it as much as I did. The fast-paced writing and unique world made it easy to fly through, though you may, like me, need more time added to the end to fully digest everything, but luckily the newer version offers just that with its Encyclopaedia Vampirica, author interview, discussion questions, and more. So if you're in the mood for a stand-alone vampire book with unique lore, strong female characters, a bit of sci-fi punk, and a lot lurking beneath the surface, then try sinking your teeth into this one.
Read my full review at The Wolf's Den
Overall, it took a while, but like the puppy that is Domingo, this story grew on me. It's definitely not for everyone, with dark and adult themes very much overwhelming the 'vampire romance' vibes, but so long as you're prepared for a somewhat gritty vampire noir, I think you'll enjoy it as much as I did. The fast-paced writing and unique world made it easy to fly through, though you may, like me, need more time added to the end to fully digest everything, but luckily the newer version offers just that with its Encyclopaedia Vampirica, author interview, discussion questions, and more. So if you're in the mood for a stand-alone vampire book with unique lore, strong female characters, a bit of sci-fi punk, and a lot lurking beneath the surface, then try sinking your teeth into this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Medical content, Murder, Violence, Animal cruelty, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Hate crime, Gun violence, Grief, Mental illness, Torture, and Xenophobia
Minor: Animal death, Sexual harassment, Addiction, Colonisation, Drug use, Sexual content, Police brutality, and Sexual assault
Adult is 23, Minor is 17. Hate crime & Xenophobia is against vampires as a race. Dogs are injuredwomanwill's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Gun violence, and Colonisation
Moderate: Vomit, Police brutality, Medical trauma, Kidnapping, Drug use, Death, Confinement, and Animal cruelty
hanz's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Drug use and Kidnapping
horizonous's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Violence
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Death of parent, and Gun violence
Minor: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Homophobia, Sexism, Sexual harassment, and Suicide
◦ Death = Siblingwardenred's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.0
Vampires, we are a diverse lot. So many differences. Yet we are united by one simple unavoidable fact: we are our hunger.
I remember starting this book a few years ago and then DNFing it pretty quickly because I just couldn't connect with any of the characters. But lately, a friend whose tastes I usually trust mentioned it as one of the inspirations behind her newest Vampire the Requiem campaign. So I decided to give this novel another chance.
I must say I'm pretty glad I did. This isn't going to be my favorite read of the year or anything, and it was pretty enjoyable. I still struggled a bit through the beginning, but pretty soon, I started feeling that connection with most of the alternating narrators, Ana and Atl in particular.
The story had a definite VtM/VtR vibe, but there's also plenty of unique worldbuilding and I really liked how it was handled: there were zero infodumps, and yet at every point of the story, I felt like I had all the setting information I immediately needed. The plot isn't too complex, but it's quite engaging. There's vampire politicking, gang politicking, and all the staples of neo-noir set in a corrupt, bloodthirsty city you can wish for. Things do get pretty dark now and then, but that's too be expected from a book like this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gore, and Blood
Minor: Animal cruelty
samanthaella's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
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
5.0
Certain Dark Things is filled with suspense, excellent world-building, detailed descriptions, and imaginative twists on vampire mythology. My sympathies kept shifting between vampire Atl and her human companion Domingo, and the villainous vampire Nick provides an excellent counterpoint to their interaction. I was also pulled into the narrative by police detective Ana's storyline, trying to make a difference as a single mother, striving for respect in a sexist workplace. (And there's Atl's dog! Every time the dog was mentioned, I immediately wanted MORE DOG!) I especially enjoyed the structure of the book, shifting points of view between main characters, which kept my attention and propelled the story forward. When a novel does this well, it's always fun for me to read, and Moreno-Garcia balances her narrators very well here. I also really enjoyed reading a take on vampire tropes that pulls the action out of Europe.
I'm not much of a horror reader, and at times I felt like I was reading with my hands over my eyes :) but the intricacies of the plot kept pushing me forward. The vampire politics plus the conflicts between the human gangs and police in an alt-universe, dystopian Mexico City made the book a fast read for me. I loved Mexican Gothic, so I'm reading everything else I can get my hands on by Moreno-Garcia. This book had a very different tone than that novel, but it's equally well-written.
Big thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan-Tor/Forge for getting this book off my To Read shelf and in my hands!
I'm not much of a horror reader, and at times I felt like I was reading with my hands over my eyes :) but the intricacies of the plot kept pushing me forward. The vampire politics plus the conflicts between the human gangs and police in an alt-universe, dystopian Mexico City made the book a fast read for me. I loved Mexican Gothic, so I'm reading everything else I can get my hands on by Moreno-Garcia. This book had a very different tone than that novel, but it's equally well-written.
Big thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan-Tor/Forge for getting this book off my To Read shelf and in my hands!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gore, and Blood
Minor: Animal cruelty
hagiasophia's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-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? It's complicated
3.25
I enjoyed this, but I didn't find it as engaging as other books by the author I've read. This is one of her earlier books and I think she's still finding her footing. The world-building felt a little clunky at first and the pacing was uneven. Additionally, the character of Ana did not feel fully utilized and her arc was uninteresting to me. However, the atmosphere and the characters of Atl and Domingo were fabulous. The last 100 pages were excellent. I'm going to continue to work through Silvia Moreno-Garcia's backlog and will read anything else she puts out, no matter the genre.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Blood, Gun violence, and Violence
Minor: Animal cruelty
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