A review by kari_f
Our Share of Night by Mariana Enríquez

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.75

I’ve recently been reading Argentinian magical realism, and Mariana Enriquez is a must-read author in this subgenre! Dark and disturbing with serious cult and occult vibes, this book isn’t for the faint of heart. There is body horror, familial abuse, torture, gaslighting, and a whole lot of misuse of power. The primary characters are layered and well-developed, and it was interesting to see different perspectives of each of them through each other’s eyes at different points in their lives.

I really liked that the book dives into some very heavy topics, including social commentary on how those in power treat the bodies and livelihoods of others as disposable. Indigenous people, citizens living in poverty, and other marginalized populations are commodities in the eyes of the powerful, and this plays out in several ways through the book. We also get so much insight into Argentinian political events, social dynamics, and nationwide tragedies that occur during the timelines represented. 

The book is quite long, and more than once I had the feeling that this should have been a duology instead of one book. The build up was extensive, and then the ending felt really rushed. There were also some parts that definitely made me feel uncomfortable or squeamish. That being said, I overall enjoyed it and would absolutely love to see a short story anthology taking place in this world so we could see more stories and perspectives concerning the Darkness and the mediums who reach out to it.
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