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theaceofpages's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I read this for a reading challenge and, while it did sound interesting, I ended up enjoying this more than I expected to. The tone of this book is very much ne of despair and things falling apart - very appropriate given its contents. It deals a lot with corruption and drug smuggling and grief. I haven't read the original, but the atmosphere is captured incredibly well in the English translation. I imagine it must be at least as good in the original.
The text is beautiful and easy to follow (even if the contents are challenging at times). I very much enjoyed most of it but pats gave me somewhat men writing women vibes (like a character being somewhat fixated on what her breasts look like - I have never met anyone who thinks this way). The characters are incredibly flawed and complex and I loved seeing how they change as the descent into chaos and despair progresses.
Some notes on some of the spoiler warnings (each is individually spoilered)
Drug use/abuse:Includes medicinal use of morphine, as well as the illegal use (and trafficking) of marihuana, as well as mentions of cocaine (use and manufacture)
Animal abuse: Wild animals being kept in horrible conditions as well as a specific incident which would have caused an animal a lot of fear and panic (at least it's a short scene but the animal dies )
Animal death:As the blurb tells you, a hippo is shot at the start. There is also another big death later on.
The text is beautiful and easy to follow (even if the contents are challenging at times). I very much enjoyed most of it but pats gave me somewhat men writing women vibes (like a character being somewhat fixated on what her breasts look like - I have never met anyone who thinks this way). The characters are incredibly flawed and complex and I loved seeing how they change as the descent into chaos and despair progresses.
Some notes on some of the spoiler warnings (each is individually spoilered)
Drug use/abuse:
Animal abuse:
Animal death:
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse, Grief, Animal death, Mental illness, Animal cruelty, War, and Death
Minor: Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, Gun violence, Medical content, Drug use, Violence, and Death of parent
nicoleisalwaysreading's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
3.25
I'm not sure if it's because I rarely read books written by men anymore (all the stories I'm interested in and upcoming hot books in my orbit seem to be from women sorrynotsorry!!!) but there were times when I was reading this where I was like, "damn. this is written by a man." [not complimentary] 3.5/Maybe it's the way men describe women in general, particularly in sex scenes or as the receiver of their affections and desire. Maybe it was a purposeful, affected tone because the narrator does have a particular voice and point-of-view. I do think we as readers are supposed to see through his objectives and narration as fallible and cynical.
The premise of this book is fascinating enough, an attempted chronicle of the life of a stranger-turned-acquaintance. Antonio is injured during the assassination of Ricardo, who he really only knows by playing pool with him and the select personal details Ricardo deigns to share with him. His journey to understand the life of this often-mysterious man is less about Ricardo himself and more about Bogotá and Colombia as a whole. With Ricardo as the unformed hero and unknown obsession, the backdrop comes in and out of focus in a smart and interesting way. This book is about memories and narratives, whether national or personal.
The premise of this book is fascinating enough, an attempted chronicle of the life of a stranger-turned-acquaintance. Antonio is injured during the assassination of Ricardo, who he really only knows by playing pool with him and the select personal details Ricardo deigns to share with him. His journey to understand the life of this often-mysterious man is less about Ricardo himself and more about Bogotá and Colombia as a whole. With Ricardo as the unformed hero and unknown obsession, the backdrop comes in and out of focus in a smart and interesting way. This book is about memories and narratives, whether national or personal.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Blood, Infidelity, and Sexual content
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