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garyy213's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
jessicarosee's review against another edition
2.0
Melchor has a brilliantly unique writing style, however this book was incredibly slow-paced and jumbled until the last 40 or so pages which went by TOO fast
mattydata's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
baby_goes_apehit's review against another edition
5.0
Krasses Brett. Absolut fesselnde Satzkonstruktion; Atemlosigkeit. Die erbarmungslose Brutalität der Existenz der Figuren und des Verbrechens haben mich das Buch vor Schrecken immer wieder weglegen lassen - trotz der schönen Worte.
Femizide zu beschreiben kann helfen, die Aufmerksamkeit auf diese riesige Ungerechtigkeit unser Welt zu lenken.
Femizide zu beschreiben kann helfen, die Aufmerksamkeit auf diese riesige Ungerechtigkeit unser Welt zu lenken.
moarekstrom's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
fast-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
5.0
astridw's review against another edition
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
fantasynovel's review against another edition
5.0
What a riveting descent into evil.
The prose is breathless and there are very few paragraph breaks, which lends a rushed effect to the work. The horror builds and builds masterfully. I'm kind of obsessed with this little novel. It's so short, but it's so satisfying/horrible. I couldn't look away. It's short, but it's dense, and I read it one sitting. Each character is so intricately drawn, so carefully constructed. The setting is just as important, the gated community of Paradais and the outlying town representing the duality of Mexican society (and society in general, everywhere!!): the wealthy and the poor living physically close together and yet mentally miles and miles away.
Paradais depicts a society scored with faultlines like racism, class inequality, and misogyny. The violent act at the end of the book importantly has two perpetrators: the white, wealthy Franco and the poor, brown Polo. Franco lives in the gates community of Paradise, while Polo lives outside it and works as its gardener. The violence happened because of Franco's entitledness and misogynistic rage; nevertheless, the circumstances of Polo's life create in him the desire for vengeance. There is something broken here, the book says. A society that creates this sort of violence is fractured. However, both characters maintain their agency. This is not about society on its own: it's also the evil that grows within a person.
I'm not sold on Franco/fatboy's fatness being necessary. His monstrosity is tied to his fatness, which is in turned tied to his wealth and privilege. Does fatness need to be part of this package? As an aesthetic shorthand for evil, fatness is overused and frankly boring, not to mention reductive. It's also fatphobic.
The prose is breathless and there are very few paragraph breaks, which lends a rushed effect to the work. The horror builds and builds masterfully. I'm kind of obsessed with this little novel. It's so short, but it's so satisfying/horrible. I couldn't look away. It's short, but it's dense, and I read it one sitting. Each character is so intricately drawn, so carefully constructed. The setting is just as important, the gated community of Paradais and the outlying town representing the duality of Mexican society (and society in general, everywhere!!): the wealthy and the poor living physically close together and yet mentally miles and miles away.
Paradais depicts a society scored with faultlines like racism, class inequality, and misogyny. The violent act at the end of the book importantly has two perpetrators: the white, wealthy Franco and the poor, brown Polo. Franco lives in the gates community of Paradise, while Polo lives outside it and works as its gardener. The violence happened because of Franco's entitledness and misogynistic rage; nevertheless, the circumstances of Polo's life create in him the desire for vengeance. There is something broken here, the book says. A society that creates this sort of violence is fractured. However, both characters maintain their agency. This is not about society on its own: it's also the evil that grows within a person.
I'm not sold on Franco/fatboy's fatness being necessary. His monstrosity is tied to his fatness, which is in turned tied to his wealth and privilege. Does fatness need to be part of this package? As an aesthetic shorthand for evil, fatness is overused and frankly boring, not to mention reductive. It's also fatphobic.
lklitup's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Disturbing and unsettling plot paired with immersive, visceral writing. The style of writing was such that the reader was rushed and carried through the frenzy of what was unfolding word-by-word, almost like the author COULDN’T give a break because the train was off its tracks. I’d absolutely read another book by this author.
abxgxil's review against another edition
3.5
This book is very disturbing, and I had very little sympathy for any of the characters. But, I couldn’t put it down.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Rape, and Misogyny