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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
So disappointing. I expect the author feels this work is almost feminist in the way it presents a woman who comes from the depths of poverty, develops strength thru pain, and finds ways to use her obvious genius. However, I found it patronizing and patriarchial. His spotlight on the worlds of drug crime in Mexico and Europe is fascinating, and his use of colloquial expressions in several spanish speaking dialects is charming, but I didn't like the overall treatment of this royal heroine.
Not sure if I'm going to finish. I like the tone of parts of it, hate the "reporter" who narrates and interviews in some chapters.
And I'm not sure if the author really knows his character or if he was working her out to see if he could solve one of the mysteries of life: how we fall in and out of love. at least, as far as how he's developing her control over her feelings for santiago. several reviewers talked about her getting revenge on Guero's murder... is she really not over him? hmmm... march 22 2011
And I'm not sure if the author really knows his character or if he was working her out to see if he could solve one of the mysteries of life: how we fall in and out of love. at least, as far as how he's developing her control over her feelings for santiago. several reviewers talked about her getting revenge on Guero's murder... is she really not over him? hmmm... march 22 2011
From http://weeksnotice.blogspot.com/2015/10/arturo-perez-revertes-queen-of-south.html
I started reading Arturo Pérez-Reverte's The Queen of the South, a novel about a Mexican woman who had been a narcotrafficker's girlfriend in Mexico and then escaped to Spain (Melilla, specifically, on the northern tip of Africa) when he was killed. I really like Pérez-Reverte, who has a beautiful style and originality, but this book bored the living daylights out of me. I decided to stop if I got to page 100 and it hadn't changed. And it didn't. I found it to be a pedestrian and uninteresting drug story, of which there are a million to choose from. The main character Teresa is flat and boring, and there is no plot to make up for that fact. Major disappointment from a fine author.
I started reading Arturo Pérez-Reverte's The Queen of the South, a novel about a Mexican woman who had been a narcotrafficker's girlfriend in Mexico and then escaped to Spain (Melilla, specifically, on the northern tip of Africa) when he was killed. I really like Pérez-Reverte, who has a beautiful style and originality, but this book bored the living daylights out of me. I decided to stop if I got to page 100 and it hadn't changed. And it didn't. I found it to be a pedestrian and uninteresting drug story, of which there are a million to choose from. The main character Teresa is flat and boring, and there is no plot to make up for that fact. Major disappointment from a fine author.
after the inheritance of loss, i need something fun (and still well-written). that and it was one of the only interesting books i could find in the english section of the gracia neighborhood library. thusfar, enjoyable but not thrilling (ie i'm currently more compelled by the dvd boxed set of "the wire" that a friend just lent me.)
(most of this library's english-language books, by the way, are uncorrected advance copies that say "not for distribution" all over them. wtf? maybe they couldn't get a budget allotment for the english section and had to resort to this?)
update: oh what great fun. i ended up really enjoying this a lot. yay for smart entertainment.
(most of this library's english-language books, by the way, are uncorrected advance copies that say "not for distribution" all over them. wtf? maybe they couldn't get a budget allotment for the english section and had to resort to this?)
update: oh what great fun. i ended up really enjoying this a lot. yay for smart entertainment.
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It took me over a year to read this book. This past couple months, something clicked and I started from the beginning and powered through it with a new appreciation. This is definitely one to take it slow on and just absorb without any expectations for it. One of my favorites now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Suicide, Violence
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes