A review by robertrivasplata
Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

adventurous emotional funny informative mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Supernatural occult thriller about showbiz & film in particular, set in 90s Mexico City. An exciting page-turner that is a great example of fiction that can teach you some real stuff; in this case, all about the titular cellulose nitrate film stock. There is also a fair amount about Mexico City, Mexico Christmas season, 20th century German occultists, & film audio. Exciting & sometimes spooky, but not really scary. I still think Mexican Gothic is Moreno-Garcia's best novel I've read. The writing in Silver Nitrate is clunky at times. The interspersing of explication of characters' background & their dialogue could have been more seamless. Character interactions, especially between the two main characters, sometimes doesn't feel natural. Not sure what to make of the recurring flashbacks of jumping into huge piles of grain, & the feel of swimming through the grain (Scrooge McDuck style?). It made me wonder if there were also great piles of dried legumes these kids could have dived into. Could have done without some of the “not like other girls”-ness of the main character. These are minor issues, though. Even though I predicted many plot points, I was still invested to the end, & the cheesy ending didn't detract. I'd still recommend this book to any professor of Latinx film studies with whom I happen to talk at the holiday potluck, & it will make for some good book club discussion.