A review by samanthaella
Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

dark 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

5.0

Certain Dark Things is filled with suspense, excellent world-building, detailed descriptions, and imaginative twists on vampire mythology. My sympathies kept shifting between vampire Atl and her human companion Domingo, and the villainous vampire Nick provides an excellent counterpoint to their interaction.  I was also pulled into the narrative by police detective Ana's storyline, trying to make a difference as a single mother, striving for respect in a sexist workplace. (And there's Atl's dog! Every time the dog was mentioned, I immediately wanted MORE DOG!)  I especially enjoyed the structure of the book, shifting points of view between main characters, which kept my attention and propelled the story forward. When a novel does this well, it's always fun for me to read, and Moreno-Garcia balances her narrators very well here. I also really enjoyed reading a take on vampire tropes that pulls the action out of Europe.

I'm not much of a horror reader, and at times I felt like I was reading with my hands over my eyes :) but the intricacies of the plot kept pushing me forward. The vampire politics plus the conflicts between the human gangs and police in an alt-universe, dystopian Mexico City made the book a fast read for me. I loved Mexican Gothic, so I'm reading everything else I can get my hands on by Moreno-Garcia. This book had a very different tone than that novel, but it's equally well-written. 

Big thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan-Tor/Forge for getting this book off my To Read shelf and in my hands! 
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