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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
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
SMG strikes again. I love cursed film stories, and this excels at the investigation and the movie making lore. The whiffs of noir are a nice touch, as is the bi rep
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
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
Incredibly interesting concept, but at times read more like a history book. Will definitely be reading more SMG.
SMG can tell a story like no other! The character background/development and world building is admirable.
Not what I had expected — more witches and wizardry than horror. It’s the type of story that could’ve gone so many ways. Unfortunately, I think Moreno-Garcia struggled with which way to take it. The writing feels rushed and the characters are sort of flat; more like sketches than fully fleshed out people.
As a movie buff, however, I loved all the film references.
As a movie buff, however, I loved all the film references.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
slow-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
I really wanted to like this more, especially because of the Mexican history it explores and its setting in CDMX. It was just really slow, which is an issue with Mexican Gothic too. I also have ADHD, so take my review with that understanding. Maybe, I should just stick to shorter books. Regardless. The plot really drags in the middle. The start sucks you in with its mystery. The end is an adventure. The characters are very well written and I was definitely invested in them. That and the ending really saved this book for me. As a result, I liked it more than a disliked it.
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
So far this is my least favorite of Moreno-Garcia’s books. I had a hard time suspending disbelief, something that’s usually necessary to fully appreciate a story. I wasn’t absorbed in the tale of magic and spells though I did like learning the history of Mexican filmmaking.
I liked the characters of Montserrat, Tristán, and Abel, but felt the plot about Evers, Alma, and Clarimonde fell flat. I thought Tristán’s enduring grief and guilt were carefully expressed, showing how grief often never goes away. It became a crutch he used to shirk responsibility and fuel his insecurities that manifested as narcissism. I also liked the emphasis on Montserrat’s frustration with her job, the oppressive misogyny and casual diminishing of all that she was. While everyone likes a happy ending, this one didn’t feel real given Tristán was almost forty and still wasn’t particularly mature.
I will still avidly read anything by this author. This one book just didn’t work for me.
I liked the characters of Montserrat, Tristán, and Abel, but felt the plot about Evers, Alma, and Clarimonde fell flat. I thought Tristán’s enduring grief and guilt were carefully expressed, showing how grief often never goes away. It became a crutch he used to shirk responsibility and fuel his insecurities that manifested as narcissism. I also liked the emphasis on Montserrat’s frustration with her job, the oppressive misogyny and casual diminishing of all that she was. While everyone likes a happy ending, this one didn’t feel real given Tristán was almost forty and still wasn’t particularly mature.
I will still avidly read anything by this author. This one book just didn’t work for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
dark
informative
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
