jujubeenzreads 's review for:

Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova

4.5

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn’t this.

Also, a lot of the horrors I’ve read this year have been intensely heartbreaking. This is a story of the loss of a child. The literal creation of a monster out of that grief. And how every single character has loss deeply, loved deeply, hurt deeply, and tried to live. But I felt so deeply for M and Joseph. While I could understand Magos’ grief, and I appreciate the story highlights how people handle grief differently…she is the least redeeming character as the other acts unfold. M/Monstrilio is my favorite character through and through.

And like many of the recent horrors I’ve read, this story, while having LGBTQIA representation, is also a telling of queer suppression. And you see how the characters come into who they are, regardless of age.

I do feel like some of the pacing was slow, but I felt very compelled to know how M’s story unfolded. So it was well worth it.