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tsmith424's review against another edition
challenging
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I absolutely hated how this ended. There were so many unanswered questions that I had, it was anticlimactic, and one of the main characters lacked depth. I would NOT recommend this book to any of my friends.
debbiecollectsbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Such a fun and quick read, this is a new author to me and I have really enjoyed her books.
raffydoll's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.0
The story itself was great. From the description, I thought this would be a fast paced thriller I couldn't put down, but it was an uphill battle to continue reading and I only managed to do so because it was a part of my book club. Once things picked up, it was a little easier to continue, but if I wasn't doing a buddy read with a friend, I don't think I would have finished.
liber_te's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
whitlindeman's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
demokoi's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.5
babs_reviews's review against another edition
4.0
This is historical (political) noir fiction. I picked this one up knowing while the story was fiction the event it is centered around was indeed real. (and most interesting!)
We follow the sad story of several individuals, who aren't connected but will cross paths in an unfortunate way. The way the story unfolds has enough mystery and intrigue to keep you reading. This isn't a fast action, it is fast paced but the action is small and centered.
This isn't a genre for everyone and if you don't like noir, and are expecting something like Moreno-Garcia's other novels, you'll be sorely disappointed. If you do enjoy noir, this one will be right up your alley.
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I did find it lacking at times but it's only my wanting things to fall in place quicker, I'm impatient.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Del Rey for the advanced review copy.
We follow the sad story of several individuals, who aren't connected but will cross paths in an unfortunate way. The way the story unfolds has enough mystery and intrigue to keep you reading. This isn't a fast action, it is fast paced but the action is small and centered.
This isn't a genre for everyone and if you don't like noir, and are expecting something like Moreno-Garcia's other novels, you'll be sorely disappointed. If you do enjoy noir, this one will be right up your alley.
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I did find it lacking at times but it's only my wanting things to fall in place quicker, I'm impatient.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Del Rey for the advanced review copy.
book_concierge's review against another edition
4.0
Digital audiobook performed by Gisela Chipe
Adapted from the book jacket: 1970s, Mexico City, Maite is a secretary who live: the latest issue of Secret Romance. When her next-door neighbor, Leonora, disappears under suspicious circumstances, Maite finds herself searching for the missing woman – and journeying deeper into Leonora’s secret life of student radicals and dissidents. Meanwhile, someone else is also looking for Leonora. Elvis is an eccentric criminal who longs to escape his own life. As Maite and Elvis come closer to discovering the truth behind Leonora’s disappearance, they can no longer escape the danger that threatens to consume their lives.
My reactions:
This is the third book by Moreno-Garcia that I’ve read and by far my favorite. In this work she does NOT include paranormal, horror, or magical realism elements. Rather she writes a wonderful noir crime novel based on historical events in Mexico, with interesting characters, multiple twists and turns in the plot and an unlikely partnership that I’d love to see again.
Maite starts as a somewhat naïve, dreamy young woman, more interested in romance stories that what is actually happening around her. But once she’s caught up in the mystery of her missing neighbor, Maite shows her intelligence, grit and determination.
Elvis is a marvel. A street punk and henchman, who love literature and music. He’s not sure he is where he wants to be in life and the events that unfold help him find a better life path.
The action is fast and furious, and totally believable. Well done, Ms Moreno-Garcia!
Gisela Chipe does a marvelous job of performing the audiobook. I particularly loved how she interpreted Maite.
Adapted from the book jacket: 1970s, Mexico City, Maite is a secretary who live: the latest issue of Secret Romance. When her next-door neighbor, Leonora, disappears under suspicious circumstances, Maite finds herself searching for the missing woman – and journeying deeper into Leonora’s secret life of student radicals and dissidents. Meanwhile, someone else is also looking for Leonora. Elvis is an eccentric criminal who longs to escape his own life. As Maite and Elvis come closer to discovering the truth behind Leonora’s disappearance, they can no longer escape the danger that threatens to consume their lives.
My reactions:
This is the third book by Moreno-Garcia that I’ve read and by far my favorite. In this work she does NOT include paranormal, horror, or magical realism elements. Rather she writes a wonderful noir crime novel based on historical events in Mexico, with interesting characters, multiple twists and turns in the plot and an unlikely partnership that I’d love to see again.
Maite starts as a somewhat naïve, dreamy young woman, more interested in romance stories that what is actually happening around her. But once she’s caught up in the mystery of her missing neighbor, Maite shows her intelligence, grit and determination.
Elvis is a marvel. A street punk and henchman, who love literature and music. He’s not sure he is where he wants to be in life and the events that unfold help him find a better life path.
The action is fast and furious, and totally believable. Well done, Ms Moreno-Garcia!
Gisela Chipe does a marvelous job of performing the audiobook. I particularly loved how she interpreted Maite.
fourwhitetrees's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
laelyn's review against another edition
3.0
I absolutely adored Moreno-Garcia's "Mexican Gothic" so I might or might not have screamed a little when my request for the arc of her newest book got approved. I had high expectations because I love her writing style, and I wasn't disappointed.
"Velves Was the Night" is a beautifully written historical pulp noir novel set in Mexico, and it very much reads like pulp noir, too. I admit that I'm not the biggest fan of that subgenre and rarely do read it, but it's always fun and I'm always entertained. The same goes for this novel. What really drew me in, though, was the political and historical background of it. I've heard about the Dirty War and the student protests, but really, I barely know a thing. It was fascinating and brutal to read about it. The Author's Note made me go on a Wikipedia binge, wnd Moreno-Garcia is right when she calls it a real-life horror story.
In the end, though, I was still just a little bit... bored. The plot is complex but at the same time very simple, there is a lot going on while at the same time nothing substantial is really ever happening. It's a short, quick read with slow pacing so I never really felt the sense of urgency needed to create excitement. Maybe the reason for it is that I just didn't connect at all with the characters, either. Both Elvis and Maite are interesting protagonists and their perspectives on what's going on in Mexico, what they learned through meeting different people, were enlightening and intriguing. But I just. Did not care about them. Neither of them managed to get me emotionally involved, leading to me being kind of meh about their fates in the story.
It's definitely a good novel and I'm pretty sure that fans of the pulp noir genre can appreciate it much much more than I do.
Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group for the arc!
"Velves Was the Night" is a beautifully written historical pulp noir novel set in Mexico, and it very much reads like pulp noir, too. I admit that I'm not the biggest fan of that subgenre and rarely do read it, but it's always fun and I'm always entertained. The same goes for this novel. What really drew me in, though, was the political and historical background of it. I've heard about the Dirty War and the student protests, but really, I barely know a thing. It was fascinating and brutal to read about it. The Author's Note made me go on a Wikipedia binge, wnd Moreno-Garcia is right when she calls it a real-life horror story.
In the end, though, I was still just a little bit... bored. The plot is complex but at the same time very simple, there is a lot going on while at the same time nothing substantial is really ever happening. It's a short, quick read with slow pacing so I never really felt the sense of urgency needed to create excitement. Maybe the reason for it is that I just didn't connect at all with the characters, either. Both Elvis and Maite are interesting protagonists and their perspectives on what's going on in Mexico, what they learned through meeting different people, were enlightening and intriguing. But I just. Did not care about them. Neither of them managed to get me emotionally involved, leading to me being kind of meh about their fates in the story.
It's definitely a good novel and I'm pretty sure that fans of the pulp noir genre can appreciate it much much more than I do.
Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group for the arc!