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pearloz's review
5.0
Powerful novel about 70s and 80s Pinochet's Chile and about the disappearances, torture, and murder of political rivals, their friends and family, and journalists. Primarily, the book is a barely-fictional accounting of Andrés Antonio Valenzuela Morales's confession to a reporter at Cauce magazine (you can see the cover of the issue here: https://bit.ly/2YMD2VH) and his escape to France afterwards. It is also about the author and her relationship to the disappearances and deaths that occurred around her. Events are often compared to particular episodes of the Twilight Zone and you get the sense that she's suggesting Chile as an alternate universe where everything seems upside down. Great writing, story well told.
wishbear's review
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Remember who I am, they say.
Remember where I was, remember what was done to me.
Where I was killed, where I was buried.
as someone with little to no experience reading translated latin american work, the twilight zone has been more than a great introduction.
nona fernández with the help of natasha wimmer made every detail in this novel come to life with every story intentionally having its own personality and individuality.
the use of poetry to summarize key events was a strategic and impactful move for me to understand the depth of what was occurring. the use of pop culture, media references, significant events, people or places in discussing a specific victim’s story made their stories more immersive and hauntingly real. as a recent fan of the tv show the twilight zone, it made every reference and allegory more memorable.
chilean and latin american history is something i want to work in understanding more this 2024. as i find a lot of similarities to my own country’s political climate and most especially culture.
i admire that fernández was very intentional with her language and managed to put the victims and their families in the spotlight. their stories and their bravery is what carried this book and i hope that in the 5th dimension they are free from the horror this world has brought onto them, where they can all be reunited at last.
i will be reading more of fernández’s work as i can now call myself a certified fan of hers!
sleepingsaha's review
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I loved this! I have no background in Chilean history and reading this novel has made me eager to learn more. Fernández plays with narrative and memory, rewriting events from different perspectives and points in time, in such a compelling way. She also employed the use of naming, and lack thereof, as a powerful tool. Despite there being numerous figures in the novel, I always had a clear sense of what was going on. I felt like the stylistic changes in the last two chapters, where she shifted to using short sentences on their own lines, became repetitive, but that was the only part of the book where I was less engaged. Highly recommend!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture
Discusses torture conducted by the government in Chilelely12's review against another edition
4.0
Buen libro. Me gusto el análisis entre los matices de los buenos y los malos.
Aún no superó 10 de Julio. Me cuesta encontrar otro libro igual de bueno, pero la Nona escribe espectacular. Eso no se puede negar.
Aún no superó 10 de Julio. Me cuesta encontrar otro libro igual de bueno, pero la Nona escribe espectacular. Eso no se puede negar.
cav241's review
dark
informative
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
nnoirr's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
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? Yes
3.0
jo_stranger's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
La dimensión desconocida es un libro desgarrador sobre un tema tan fuerte como las desapariciones y torturas por parte de los militares chilenos durante la dictadura. Nona Fernández narra de una manera poética y con referencias a autores clásicos y a la cultura pop que me parecen excelentes. Este libro me rompió la chompa. Una parte de mi no puede creer que lo haya terminado porque es un libro que te pone a reflexionar y te hace mirar a tu alrededor, a los militares y a sus historias, me hace pensar en que no todo es blanco o negro, a veces estás atrapado en una dimensión desconocida de escala de grises manchadx de sangre. Me cautivó, quiero leer todo lo de Nona Fernandez.