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A review by savvylit
Our Share of Night by Mariana Enríquez
dark
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
4.5
Our Share of Night is a masterpiece of slow-burn intrigue and horror. This novel has everything: demons, millionaires obsessed with immortality, human sacrifices, toxic family members, polyamory, lifelong friendships, portals, poetry, and colonial mansions in the jungle. Each of these features is then set against the backdrop of the bloodiest and most disturbing era in Argentina's recent history, the so-called Dirty War.
At 600 pages, Our Share of Night is definitely the longest horror novel I have ever read. At first, this fact seemed like a detriment. The novel is also slow-paced and I couldn't help but wonder how long it would take for it all to come together. Eventually, though, I settled into the rhythm and skill of Enriquez's writing and McDowell's translation.
The central focus of Our Share of Night is the father-son relationship between Juan and Gaspar. Juan is a disabled medium whose entire life is controlled by a cult known as the Order. Gaspar, his son, is an inheritor not only of the Order's prestigious bloodline but also of Juan's ability to connect with the spirit world. Hoping to protect Gaspar, Juan stops him from developing skills as a medium. Juan is seductive, repulsive, and frustrating. Gaspar is sweet and loyal and a victim of his father's dark moods and the Order's disturbing world.
In addition to Gaspar & Juan, the supporting cast of characters are well-developed and interesting, too. Gaspar's childhood friends Pablo, Vicky, and Adela are each delightful. Their strong lifelong friendship is realistic and empathetic. Two more excellent secondary characters are Tali and Stephen. I wish we had been gifted more of Tali in this novel. A priestess of the Saint of Death, she has the most fascinating life.
Overall, I'd highly recommend Our Share of Night to anyone willing to invest their time in a world of dark magic and complicated characters.
A big thank you to @netgalley and @hogarthbooks for the advanced digital copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
At 600 pages, Our Share of Night is definitely the longest horror novel I have ever read. At first, this fact seemed like a detriment. The novel is also slow-paced and I couldn't help but wonder how long it would take for it all to come together. Eventually, though, I settled into the rhythm and skill of Enriquez's writing and McDowell's translation.
The central focus of Our Share of Night is the father-son relationship between Juan and Gaspar. Juan is a disabled medium whose entire life is controlled by a cult known as the Order. Gaspar, his son, is an inheritor not only of the Order's prestigious bloodline but also of Juan's ability to connect with the spirit world. Hoping to protect Gaspar, Juan stops him from developing skills as a medium. Juan is seductive, repulsive, and frustrating. Gaspar is sweet and loyal and a victim of his father's dark moods and the Order's disturbing world.
In addition to Gaspar & Juan, the supporting cast of characters are well-developed and interesting, too. Gaspar's childhood friends Pablo, Vicky, and Adela are each delightful. Their strong lifelong friendship is realistic and empathetic. Two more excellent secondary characters are Tali and Stephen. I wish we had been gifted more of Tali in this novel. A priestess of the Saint of Death, she has the most fascinating life.
Overall, I'd highly recommend Our Share of Night to anyone willing to invest their time in a world of dark magic and complicated characters.
A big thank you to @netgalley and @hogarthbooks for the advanced digital copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail