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A review by jgverrero
Paradais by Fernanda Melchor
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Paradais is a wealthy, gated housing development in Mexico. Inside Paradais are two teenage boys, unlikely companions brought together by desperation and loneliness, binge-drinking by the river night after night.
"𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒅𝒊𝒅 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚: 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒆𝒏𝒅."
It's going to take several pages to adjust to Melchor's writing. The majority of her characters are decrepit and inhumane, and her paragraphs are free-flowing rants that can go on for longer than seems feasible. Although, I understand the reviews that state they're too nauseous to explore the nuance, I hope to reassure you it is absolutely worth it.
Fernanda Melchor's style demands the reader to stay steadfast among her linguistic violence and perpetuation of obscene brutality through her male character's free-flowing rage. It is her brilliance to relentlessly capture the true horror of the depths of lost humanity. Polo and Franco, who are raptured by alcoholism, drug and 🌽 addiction, toxic masculinity, misogyny, and poverty in contemporary Mexico. Melchor once again provides a look into the violence against women, which is borderless and without reason, and most importantly, very much real.
Hypnotic and intense. I recommend anyone willing to challenge themselves.
"𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒅𝒊𝒅 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚: 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒆𝒏𝒅."
It's going to take several pages to adjust to Melchor's writing. The majority of her characters are decrepit and inhumane, and her paragraphs are free-flowing rants that can go on for longer than seems feasible. Although, I understand the reviews that state they're too nauseous to explore the nuance, I hope to reassure you it is absolutely worth it.
Fernanda Melchor's style demands the reader to stay steadfast among her linguistic violence and perpetuation of obscene brutality through her male character's free-flowing rage. It is her brilliance to relentlessly capture the true horror of the depths of lost humanity. Polo and Franco, who are raptured by alcoholism, drug and 🌽 addiction, toxic masculinity, misogyny, and poverty in contemporary Mexico. Melchor once again provides a look into the violence against women, which is borderless and without reason, and most importantly, very much real.
Hypnotic and intense. I recommend anyone willing to challenge themselves.