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greavuem's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, and Animal death
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Vomit
caroisreading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book is written from the perspective of Thiago writing to his wife, the love of his life who lost her life to a random accident, only a few months prior. He is still processing his grief and anger, and we sort through his memories together. Then the creepy elements start to appear, like the Alexa-inspired speaker that seems to be haunted. Only Thiago, his wife, and his mother-in-law seem to witness these strange events. As he makes the move away from Chicago and this mysterious darkness, he realizes he's being followed. Layered within this is his in-between identity, being Mexican and American, feeling like he carries the ancestral curse of any family wrongdoings -- racism and the polarizing discourse on immigrants as background themes.
For me, this story was bleak (rightfully so?) and unraveled in a messy way, continuously confirming there's only darkness in the end, "life is life." I think any comedic undertone got lost on me.
I was so excited to read a Chicagoan author's work, and really appreciated Gus Moreno's writing style -- sparse enough to read with ease, but decorative and meandering where it needed to be.
You'll like this if you're into horror and supernatural concepts, bicultural perspectives, stories that reflect grief and loss of loved ones.
Graphic: Suicide, Gore, Self harm, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Medical content, Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit
sabrinalexis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Violence, Death, Body horror, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Animal death
hannaheinhorn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Gore, Car accident, Body horror, Death, Animal cruelty, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Suicide, and Grief
Moderate: Xenophobia, Death of parent, Racism, Classism, and Gun violence
grrrcait's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Gore, Animal cruelty, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, and Death
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
fremlo's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Grief, Death of parent, Animal death, and Death
insomniacsun's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Thank you. I love you. I’m sorry. Thank you. I love you.
I’m sorry. For the things that still need to be written out.
Sono molto contenta nel vedere che l'autore ha sfoggiato il meglio della sua prosa nelle descrizioni del lutto che invade la vita di Thiago, e non mi sorprende il fatto che questo libro sia nato dall'elaborazione di una sua perdita.
I primi capitoli ambientati al funerale della moglie sono sicuramente la parte migliore del libro: per quanto l'elemento horror che ha seguito mi abbia raggelato il sangue nelle vene, quei passaggi mi hanno sviscerato come nessun demonio potrà mai fare. Kudos.
People cannot bear to think there are channels of human experience that are closed off to them, that they’ll never know. People want to believe their experience is universal, that nothing’s outside their scope.
Onestamente, dopo aver letto la trama, mi aspettavo un libro molto più incentrato sull'assistente Itza (stile AI che prende coscienza) invece è decisamente a tema sovrannaturale, che ho comunque apprezzato. L'autore ha gestito meravigliosamente la tensione e la confusione del protagonista di fronte a situazioni surreali, specialmente nel secondo arc.
Al momento sto ancora rimuginando sul finale, che mi ha lasciato un po' perplessa, e questo mi blocca dal dare 5 stelle al libro. Probabilmente rileggerò il libro per avere una visione più ampia fin dal principio. Alla fine, il fascino di un finale aperto come questo sta anche nel godersi una nuova esperienza con ogni rilettura. So che ci rifletterò su a lungo.
Comunque sia, Moreno mi ha stregato con questo debutto, per cui il suo nome è uno che terrò sicuramente a mente, aspettando di leggere altri suoi libri.
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EDIT: portato su a 4.5 perchè non riesco a smettere di pensarci su. Tra svariate interpretazioni sulla natura di certi avvenimenti, e la validità di tutte loro, mi sento in obbligo di dover lodare un libro del genere. Riflettere sugli intrighi di questa storia ormai è parte della mia routine.
Graphic: Violence, Animal death, Blood, Vomit, Animal cruelty, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Body horror, and Gore
blueowl2ivy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Gore
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Racism, Death of parent, and Xenophobia
ghost_rider's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Moderate: Animal death, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Racism
bedetterman's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Body horror, Animal death, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Suicide, Animal cruelty, Medical content, and Abandonment