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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
sad
tense
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:
Yes
There were so many things I like about this book, yet so many things that drove me crazy. I really enjoyed the multilingualism and think the premise was interesting. I did start to get so tired about hearing about the grief, although I know that in life it can be all encompassing. I think I just haven’t experienced something like this and was not able to fully connect with it which made it hard to read sometimes.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
tense
medium-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:
Yes
There is something incredible happening in this book that really got me invested and curious, and made my gears turn in ways they don't usually get to when I read fiction. It is horrific in more ways than one, and forces you to consider the depth of a person that would otherwise be completely villianized (a cartel ganster). Combined with religious imagery, brujeria, commentary on poverty and its intersections with race and ethnicity, it truly enraptured me. Relative to how I normally read, I couldn't put this down.
That being said, there were some parts (especially in the internal monologue) that were preachy in a way that took me out of the narrative. The author is so successful at directly showing the issue, making it uncomfortable and gross, and even addressing/resolving it with dialogue, that having Mario extensively commentating on it internally just feels like overkill. It read like the author feared being misunderstood by the reader, which is unfortunate, but perhaps not unwarranted.
This book also gets quite graphic at some parts. The tension leading up to the scenes in question was enough to make me squirm, even before I knew exactly what was going to happen. The author does a great job at creating and maintaining tension and discomfort, and really making you sit with it.
Great read.
That being said, there were some parts (especially in the internal monologue) that were preachy in a way that took me out of the narrative. The author is so successful at directly showing the issue, making it uncomfortable and gross, and even addressing/resolving it with dialogue, that having Mario extensively commentating on it internally just feels like overkill. It read like the author feared being misunderstood by the reader, which is unfortunate, but perhaps not unwarranted.
This book also gets quite graphic at some parts. The tension leading up to the scenes in question was enough to make me squirm, even before I knew exactly what was going to happen. The author does a great job at creating and maintaining tension and discomfort, and really making you sit with it.
Great read.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
tense
medium-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:
Yes
Pacing felt off, like a ton of build up for such a small set of scenes. Also not all of the Spanish was translated after it was spoken in the audiobook, so even with my old HS Spanish,I fear I missed things
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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:
Yes
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes