Reviews

El Viento Que Arrasa by Selva Almada

qomareads's review against another edition

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3.0

It’s like watching a movie where everything happens within a day with a few characters reminiscing about the past. The focus is primarily on religion and the morality of the characters.

What I loved about this book were the ways the author described the fight, the dogs behavior, the rain and the storm, the coughing fit, and almost all the settings can be imagined in vivid images, like watching a movie. Okay, did I say it twice, I did. The use of words just flows easily and the plot is pretty much simple to digest.

I can’t wait to read more of her books in the near future.

hilmerjj's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

pink_moon96's review against another edition

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fast-paced

5.0

viquilombo's review against another edition

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4.5

Osea que los partió un rayo???

rouge_red's review against another edition

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reflective medium-paced

4.5

Too soon to call it a 5...so 4.5 stars it is. There's something to a short story that goes through so much emotion, backstory and which gives you pause at the end. On the one hand, it's about trauma and how it informs your present state of mind; on the other, it's about not being able to move on from the past. There are themes of hypocrisy, humble...dishonest beginnings, anger. One man, Gringo Brauer, lives as he's always done, as honestly as he chooses to. The other, Reverand Pearson, has a veneer of respectability but doesn't follow rules as much as he should and embraces his pride in a way a Christian man ought not to. Then we have the two young people- Leni, Pearson's daughter, who is at odds with the two sides of her father, dearly loving the man, but not the Father; Tapioca, who's yet to form much of his worldview, though is receptive to, yet is also unknowingly a pawn for Pearson. 

It's only a novella, but I think there's a lot to think about. I don't think I can quite call it a favorite for the year, but I'm really impressed with the level of thought put into it. Selva Almada, I'm into it.

swimming_squirrel's review against another edition

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emotional reflective tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

xuanlephant's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • 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

3.5

missfugu's review against another edition

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3.0

La narración es más cercana al cuento que a la novela. El estilo es sencillo, de lectura fácil pero profundo.

shksprsis's review against another edition

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reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

nattalonzo's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious reflective 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

3.25