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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
Crime noir mystery based on real events. I’m impressed that Moreno-Garcia can switch genres so completely and would remind/ caution other readers that this book is completely different than her others. I think this switch takes bravery & skill, but it must be hard to deal with the comparisons. I must admit that in the context of loving 2 of her other books, I found this one dry. As for characters, Maite was annoying- not entirely awful but not likeable, reminding me a little of the protagonist in Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine. Both are interesting in their frustrating flaws, & though we might run in the other direction from these people IRL, in novels they can be compelling in a different way— to a point… because while reading this, I found I was just not in a rush to spend time with her
dark
slow-paced
dark
mysterious
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
I’ve never read a noir before, and I’m really pleased that this one was my first. Velvet Was the Night felt cinematic; if it were a movie, it’d be the kind that people called a film to sound smarter than they are.
I love the element of history that drives this story. Moreno-Garcia has a real talent for telling stories inside of an event that gives me the same satisfaction as a retelling.
This book is very character-heavy, and as such, the mystery that drives the plot was honestly the least interesting part of the book. The characters didn’t care too much about finding the missing girl, and I didn’t either. That was fine with me, but I could definitely see it being a problem for someone else.
I love the element of history that drives this story. Moreno-Garcia has a real talent for telling stories inside of an event that gives me the same satisfaction as a retelling.
This book is very character-heavy, and as such, the mystery that drives the plot was honestly the least interesting part of the book. The characters didn’t care too much about finding the missing girl, and I didn’t either. That was fine with me, but I could definitely see it being a problem for someone else.
Had to cleanse my eyes after the horribleness that was Daughter of Fire so I picked up a book by an author who has never let me down.
Blew through it. Read 142 pages in one sitting and finished the rest today. Always such interesting plots and characters with Silvia.
Maite, girl, she was embarrassing at times but real. Really liked Elvis. I never liked Ruben or Emilio but I guess Emilio was pretty obvious.
Blew through it. Read 142 pages in one sitting and finished the rest today. Always such interesting plots and characters with Silvia.
Maite, girl, she was embarrassing at times but real. Really liked Elvis. I never liked Ruben or Emilio but I guess Emilio was pretty obvious.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Favorite piece of noir, pulp fiction I’ve read to date. The setting is lush and smoky, dark and dangerous; the characters are engrossing; the plot intriguing. Maite and Elvis’s POVs orbit around each other, the story unfolding at a rapid pace. It’s easy to get hooked into their story.
Not vibing with it right now. May come back to it another day.
I am fascinated by Moreno-Garcia’s work as it draws on such different genres and stories across the book world. I love reading about the inspiration for the novels and the atmosphere Moreno-Garcia creates is unparalleled.
I normally wouldn’t have picked up this book, but I like this author, so I thought I would at least try it. I was also unfamiliar with the genre - noir - as I’m not really one for thrillers. But noir isn’t really a thriller, and I appreciated the historical aspect and the character development and mood. It reads like a B movie, but it’s supposed to read like a B movie, and I can appreciate that.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ What an interesting read. Pulp Fiction meets a Mexican novella, this book took me by surprise. I had read Moreno-Garcia’s The Daughter of Doctor Moreau which left me with mixed feelings, but the ending of Velvet of the Night really sold it for me. SMG, seems to like an open-ended ending, and the way Maude and Elvis’ lives entwine and run parallel to each other leads the story to a very climatic ending. I enjoyed the characters very much. I knew from early on El Mago was also Leonora’s uncle. Speaking of, Leonora, who is missing most of this book, is so one-dimensional and I could not get into her character nor did I care where she was or what happened to her. I was a little annoyed at the constant comparison between Leonora’s “beauty” and Maite’s plain-Jane, homely vibes, when we know Maite is a vastly more interesting character and person. Oh, and Rubén can go f**k himself. The actual historical and political elements in the book were also so well executed. I love learning about Latin American history, which as someone born and raised in the US, our education system does not do. Also, just so I’m clear, Rubén can once again go f**k himself. That is all.