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rachelunabridged's review against another edition
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? Yes
4.0
[ Huge thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC! ]
After having a blast with Silvia Moreno-Garcia's Mexican Gothic, I knew I had to check out more of her work. I'm so glad that I finally had the chance to do just that with her latest book, Silver Nitrate. With a background consisting of the Mexican horror film scene and Nazi occultism, it really snatched my interest right from the beginning.
Though the build-up was quite slow, I felt like the author did an awesome job letting the plot simmer for the first half of the book, but then really letting shit go wild in the last half. I had such a blast following the characters throughout this read as they peeled back the layers of intrigue and mystery, and I loved getting to linger in the tension and atmosphere that Moreno-Garcia built.
While there were some spooky scenes, I think that calling this a horror story might be misleading in some reader's eyes so I would actually recommend this as more of a thriller or suspense with some horror elements. If that's enough to grab your interest, definitely give it a read!
After having a blast with Silvia Moreno-Garcia's Mexican Gothic, I knew I had to check out more of her work. I'm so glad that I finally had the chance to do just that with her latest book, Silver Nitrate. With a background consisting of the Mexican horror film scene and Nazi occultism, it really snatched my interest right from the beginning.
Though the build-up was quite slow, I felt like the author did an awesome job letting the plot simmer for the first half of the book, but then really letting shit go wild in the last half. I had such a blast following the characters throughout this read as they peeled back the layers of intrigue and mystery, and I loved getting to linger in the tension and atmosphere that Moreno-Garcia built.
While there were some spooky scenes, I think that calling this a horror story might be misleading in some reader's eyes so I would actually recommend this as more of a thriller or suspense with some horror elements. If that's enough to grab your interest, definitely give it a read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, Blood, Car accident, and Murder
Moderate: Ableism and Toxic friendship
Minor: Addiction and Alcoholism
chelsearm's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
What if airing a reel of film was the next step in a long dead ritual?
WOW, this was a great read to start just as the weather turns. From page 1 I was in love with Montserrat, and fell into her world. Between her and Tristán, I loved that you never felt like they just “bought it” with no hesitations - a true friendship, one of them is always calling bullshit!
If you’re a fan of horror movies, old cinema, or are aware of Nazi Occultism, this is a great thriller to sink your teeth into.
WOW, this was a great read to start just as the weather turns. From page 1 I was in love with Montserrat, and fell into her world. Between her and Tristán, I loved that you never felt like they just “bought it” with no hesitations - a true friendship, one of them is always calling bullshit!
If you’re a fan of horror movies, old cinema, or are aware of Nazi Occultism, this is a great thriller to sink your teeth into.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Misogyny and Car accident
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Drug abuse, and Grief
writingcaia's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-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? It's complicated
4.5
As always, Silvia takes me on slow, but increasingly addictive ride. I couldn’t stop.
Nazis, sorcerers, a lot of old-school horror movies, a cursed film reel, and a friendship that drives the story forward as it intertwines with powers old and new.
It’s really all, the characters, their dialogues, the relationships, the historical and immersive context, the pointed descriptions. It connects, it sizzles, it feels real, and because of that, it wraps you in its darkness and fears.
The whole tale evolves beautifully and has a perfect ending.
Also, loved the bisexual main rep, in the midst of such prejudiced setting - misogyny, racism, eugenics.
Another great one, and I just want to say next, please! 💜🤌🏼
Nazis, sorcerers, a lot of old-school horror movies, a cursed film reel, and a friendship that drives the story forward as it intertwines with powers old and new.
It’s really all, the characters, their dialogues, the relationships, the historical and immersive context, the pointed descriptions. It connects, it sizzles, it feels real, and because of that, it wraps you in its darkness and fears.
The whole tale evolves beautifully and has a perfect ending.
Also, loved the bisexual main rep, in the midst of such prejudiced setting - misogyny, racism, eugenics.
Another great one, and I just want to say next, please! 💜🤌🏼
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Ableism, Death, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Animal death
spines's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
fun! the protagonists are both very flawed and snarky (and bisexual) and it's so refreshing that i get to be annoyed with them both at times. the mystery/occult portion was good but not great, definitely didn't scare/grip me the way mexican gothic did but it was still cool and spooky at times.
the romance wasn't super fleshed out but i still think they're sweet together, and i love the july talk shoutout in the acknowledgements
the romance wasn't super fleshed out but i still think they're sweet together, and i love the july talk shoutout in the acknowledgements
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Murder
Moderate: Cancer, Misogyny, Sexism, and Car accident
Minor: Addiction, Biphobia, Homophobia, Suicide, and Abortion
ninajean's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
3.5
The beginning of this book was a bit slow for me since it involved providing a lot of back story that would set up the rest of the plot. I was interested reading about the film aspects. I wasn’t a fan of the romantic aspect at the end of the book between the two main characters. It was a bit unexpected and the ending felt a bit anticlimactic. They both were messy characters (we love messy bisexuals) that had a very dependent friendship, and I didn’t see the romantic chemistry between the two. The book is so well written and properly researched (there were instances where it felt a bit more info-dumpy than adding to the plot).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, Xenophobia, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Ableism and Car accident
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Drug abuse
iamamyyyyy's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Racism, Suicide, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Car accident
Minor: Addiction and Cancer
ecn's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
This book is SMG at her core and I really liked the concept of the book! The only drawbacks were that it REALLY seemed like the story dragged on for too long at different moments and (like classic SMG) sped up super quickly at the end. I also felt like I didn’t get enough out of the main characters other than sho they are at their surface level. I think this book would greatly benefit from a sequel and building out this world more.
The writing was spectacular and the fantasy elements kept me entertained. I just wish it was edited a bit better and a whole lot spookier (then maybe I could feel fine with not dive too deep into the characters?).
However I will say the biggest win is having two messy/annoying bisexuals obsessed with horror (kinda) as the MCs. Huge representation win lol
The writing was spectacular and the fantasy elements kept me entertained. I just wish it was edited a bit better and a whole lot spookier (then maybe I could feel fine with not dive too deep into the characters?).
However I will say the biggest win is having two messy/annoying bisexuals obsessed with horror (kinda) as the MCs. Huge representation win lol
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Animal death, Body horror, Cancer, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, and Colonisation
bookiecharm's review against another edition
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Animal death, Cancer, Death, Misogyny, Racism, Suicide, Blood, Car accident, and Sexual harassment
kylieqrada's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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
4.0
I'm stuck between a 3.5 and a 4 ⭐️ for this one. SMG's writing style is so unique, and I love that every single one of her books is so different. The discussions about Nazi occultism in this were fascinating and so socially critical, but it did get a little weird. That ending tho!!!!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Car accident, and Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Death, and Blood
Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, and Animal death
sofipitch's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-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? It's complicated
4.5
I'm comparing this relative to SMG's previous book and her two releases before this one, VWTN and TDODM were really just mid after Mexican Gothic, so this one waa refreshing in that it I actually did like it. Monserrat and Tristan were interesting and well developed characters (also fell into character archetypes I like so I am biased lol). Same with their relationship, old friends who have a tendency to take the other for granted. The plot itself was good just painfully slow at times. SMG said this was her suspense novel but there was a degree of maybe over-explaining in places that made it drag. Some of the beats or themes I got pages before so when it was laid out I felt again like it was slow.
I really did love this as a love letter to stories, and more specifically movies. The choice to make Monserrat a sound editor was also 👌 my mother is a video editor so her descriptions of the work environment were spot on, and editing is such an undervalued part of television/cinema but really can be what makes or breaks a film. It was really cool to have that highlighted and acknowledged in a book about movies.
I really did love this as a love letter to stories, and more specifically movies. The choice to make Monserrat a sound editor was also 👌 my mother is a video editor so her descriptions of the work environment were spot on, and editing is such an undervalued part of television/cinema but really can be what makes or breaks a film. It was really cool to have that highlighted and acknowledged in a book about movies.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Grief
Minor: Addiction and Alcoholism