7.44k reviews for:

Monstrilio

Gerardo Sámano Córdova

4.2 AVERAGE

eggdung's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

yvetttte's review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

bjkingape's review

4.25

adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense 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

---

Family grief and love through a lens of horror, done well! Cordova offers a story centered on difference, that is, a being brought into existence who is sentient and humanlike at times but very much not human nor wanting to be.  His family responds to him with loyalty but also with great emotional struggle. Some who love him can't quite see him for who he truly is, which was a key point for me (love isn't always enough). The queer body horror makes a good frame for all of this, right on theme and never superfluous. 

vasanta's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional sad tense 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

kayseyvsthevoid's review against another edition

4.25

challenging dark slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

davidfiel24's review against another edition

2.0

dark emotional fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

doteot's review against another edition

4.75

dark emotional 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

kirsten0123's review against another edition

3.0

---

Dit boek stelt me teleur. Voor wat beschreven wordt als een "gothic horror" verhaal, met magical realism elementen, is de schrijfstijl plat en ongeinspireerd. Niks van de beeldspraak en kleurvolle beschrijvingen die je normaal bij dit genre terugvind. Het dialoog voelt stuntelig en onecht, en de personages komen niet echt van het papier af. Het is alsof het boek niet kan kiezen tussen moderne literatuur of horror als genre, waardoor het bij allebei eigenlijk tekort doet.

Toch is het plot wel interessant, en zijn de thema's van verdriet, familie en acceptatie wel mooi, wat het boek net naar 3/5 sterren trekt.

sam3_wich3's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

nikki_silk's review against another edition

4.25

challenging emotional funny reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes