A review by bberee
It Would Be Night in Caracas by Karina Sainz Borgo

4.0

if i had to describe it this book reminds me of rotten fruits and animal carcass but sm of the province and a touch of dystopian and worry of living in a country bound for destruction bc of its corrupt government and full of its ppl who are just trying to survive. this book is reminiscent of being a filipino. also i’ve been loving a good hispanic book lately !! perfect for the summer, utterly devastating and raw.

regarding the translation, it was really disappointing having read further reviews online saying how parts of the text were mistranslated. it was done in a way that did not completely convey what borgos was trying to write  and it breaks my heart😞 the title itself is different in spanish !! “la hija de la española” or “the spanish woman’s daughter”, “which reflects the constant thoughts of the protagonist about the European immigrants who established themselves in Latin America when it was full of opportunity, and how their children now desperately seek to return to Europe.” (https://www.npr.org/2019/10/28/771313679/it-would-be-night-in-caracas-mourns-a-mother-and-a-country)

it further emphasizes the relationship adelaida has with her mother, the distance adelaida has put between herself and the new identity she has decided to take over. in the midst of chaos and smoke in the ruin of her country, it’s them against the world.

“For losing, we even lost our name. The Falcóns, queens of a world that was in its death throes.”