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mondovertigo's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Murder, Infidelity, Child death, and Animal death
Moderate: Rape, Adult/minor relationship, and Sexual assault
teii's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Xenophobia, Murder, Racism, Abandonment, and Misogyny
Moderate: Child death, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, and Animal death
Minor: Rape, Miscarriage, and Homophobia
taural41's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I can see how this book is not for everyone, but it was very much for me. Reflecting on my reading experience, the word that keeps coming back to me is “lovely” - it was a lovely, surprising, and quiet reading experience. Lovely because the writing and cadence, even the frequent peppering of Spanish, flowed so beautifully for me. Even as terrible, brutal things were being told, something about the rhythm and the prose made me experience the beauty of the worlds and stories being laid out for me rather than feeling gutted by the brutalities taking place. I know the lyrical words won’t be enough far every reader, but for me, they made the whole experience truly lovely - there is no other word. Surprising because I was not expecting to love this book, I picked it up as a curiosity, trying to explore my reading tastes. Surprising too because I had thought I valued a fast-moving plot and likable characters, but here there was very little plot to be found, and I found myself caring not at all. At one point, about 2/3rd’s of the way through I realized that I didn’t care what the ending was at all - no matter how it ended it couldn’t ruin in for me because I was so enjoying the ride. As for likable characters, so many characters are so deeply flawed, broken, hurting, or hurting one another. They are not what I would call “likable”, but I loved their stories all the same. Finally, quiet because this wasn’t a loud or busy novel, even as it has so many characters, so many voices, even stories within stories - a kind of atmosphere of quiet and stillness somehow still prevailed for me. Quiet too because something about reading this story helped me to connect with who I am as a reader and the kind of stories that I love, and that experience left my soul feeling deeply satisfied and quieted. A lovely, surprising, and quiet reading experience. My deep gratitude to the author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Infidelity, and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent, Deportation, Misogyny, Rape, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Confinement, Dementia, and Racism
Minor: Animal death, Pregnancy, Homophobia, and Miscarriage
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