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rexpostfacto's review against another edition
3.0
Unfortunately not SMG’s best work. The plot is very unique and intriguing. The book definitely picks up in the latter half, but the writing is off for much of it. It really seems like it could’ve used some additional editing and/or like it was something written in the very early days of her career. I really had to push myself to keep going with it because I KNOW how good SMG’s writing can be and what kind of payoff one can expect. I’m glad I ultimately wasn’t disappointed, but it took a lot of effort I’m not used to when it comes to her work.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Violence, and Racism
achay91's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Racism and Cursing
Minor: Drug use and Murder
dconlon's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Car accident and Murder
Minor: Addiction
tamara_joy's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Car accident, and Death
Moderate: Classism and Murder
Minor: Bullying, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Homophobia, Misogyny, Ableism, Medical content, Infidelity, and Cancer
meika_one's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This one took me a few weeks to get into. I had to remind myself that the content of conspiracy theories can be a slow burn. I found the characters to be unlikeable in the first few chapters as well, but they let me in eventually. There were some deep themes about connection and loss woven into the plot, and it didn't disappoint with the magick/Nazi/Templars plot once it got going. The second half of the book pulled me along easily to the end (and made a difficult morning at work after 3 hours of sleep (oops)).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Murder, and Alcohol
abitbetterbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This was a great read. I listened to the audiobook and loved the narration; it was super engaging and the story, while a bit slow to take off, built and built and built until everything came to a head in a bold climax with a very satisfying conclusion.
I always say I’m not a horror fan, but I think I’m constantly getting proved wrong. This book wasn’t even that scary! I loved Mexican Gothic (which in my opinion was much more disturbing than this one) so I knew I had to give Silver Nitrate a shot. While I’m no film buff, I still really enjoyed the connections and details to the industry.
I loved Monserrat and Tristan. I loved their banter and closeness that only knowing someone your whole life can bring. I also adored heroes that were 38 and felt like real adult humans that made real adult human decisions. I also appreciated how flawed the characters were.
As a note, there is a decent amount of discussions of Nazis and Nazism as they pertain to post-WWII in Latin America, and in particular the ideas of “Aryan superiority” and eugenics.
I always say I’m not a horror fan, but I think I’m constantly getting proved wrong. This book wasn’t even that scary! I loved Mexican Gothic (which in my opinion was much more disturbing than this one) so I knew I had to give Silver Nitrate a shot. While I’m no film buff, I still really enjoyed the connections and details to the industry.
I loved Monserrat and Tristan. I loved their banter and closeness that only knowing someone your whole life can bring. I also adored heroes that were 38 and felt like real adult humans that made real adult human decisions. I also appreciated how flawed the characters were.
As a note, there is a decent amount of discussions of Nazis and Nazism as they pertain to post-WWII in Latin America, and in particular the ideas of “Aryan superiority” and eugenics.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Sexism, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Blood, and Racism
Moderate: Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Addiction, Toxic relationship, and Antisemitism
Minor: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Biphobia
hendrixpants's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Murder
blewballoon's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It took me a while to get through this book, but I think ultimately I enjoyed it. The two leads with alternating perspectives are very different from each other and both have their own flaws and strengths. I feel like turning their friendship into a romance in the very last chapter didn't quite work. I would have liked a little more development throughout to make it feel less sudden. For a horror book, I would say the horror elements are fairly mild. I enjoyed learning about Mexican film and culture. The story is set in 1993, but the characters reflect on Mexico's past as well. I got a little bored with the villain backstory and spending time with the older, somewhat underdeveloped characters that were there to provide threats, rescues, and exposition mostly. I would recommend if you like the idea of niche horror movies, but don't actually want a book with really disturbing or gruesome scenes, and don't mind a slower pace that's more character focused.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Death, Murder, Ableism, Sexism, and Blood
Minor: Body horror, Alcoholism, and Drug abuse
erandle's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Blood, Classism, and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Cancer, Drug use, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Drug abuse, Violence, and Addiction
carriepond's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Set in early 1990s Mexico, Silvia Moreno-Garcia's Silver Nitrate is full of film references and dark magic. Montserrat and Tristan, friends since childhood, are horror film aficionados who become embroiled in a sinister plot by occultist magicians when they meet famed director Abel Urueta and agree to help him complete his unfinished film Behind the Yellow Door in hopes of lifting the curse Urueta feels has caused him to fade into obscurity.
Look, I am a SMG fangirl. This is the seventh book of hers that I have read. I love how she explores common themes like racism, colonialism, and misogyny by dipping into so many genres and periods of Mexican history. I love her female characters, who are so different from one another but are all strong, smart, and cool in different ways. I will never discourage people from reading her books. She is awesome.
With that caveat, I will say that I found Silver Nitrate more difficult to get into than other books of hers that I have read. She is not one to write breakneck, fast-paced books, so I didn't go in with that expectation, but this one was so slow in the beginning that I found it difficult to get into. Probably around 70 percent of the way through the pieces really started coming together and I was hooked, but it took me longer to get invested than it usually does with her books.
Although not my favorite of her novels, Silver Nitrate has much of what I love about Moreno-Garcia's writing-- flawed characters, strong female leads, and a progressive, feminist lens applied to traditional genre tropes and themes.
Look, I am a SMG fangirl. This is the seventh book of hers that I have read. I love how she explores common themes like racism, colonialism, and misogyny by dipping into so many genres and periods of Mexican history. I love her female characters, who are so different from one another but are all strong, smart, and cool in different ways. I will never discourage people from reading her books. She is awesome.
With that caveat, I will say that I found Silver Nitrate more difficult to get into than other books of hers that I have read. She is not one to write breakneck, fast-paced books, so I didn't go in with that expectation, but this one was so slow in the beginning that I found it difficult to get into. Probably around 70 percent of the way through the pieces really started coming together and I was hooked, but it took me longer to get invested than it usually does with her books.
Although not my favorite of her novels, Silver Nitrate has much of what I love about Moreno-Garcia's writing-- flawed characters, strong female leads, and a progressive, feminist lens applied to traditional genre tropes and themes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Racism, and Murder
Moderate: Car accident