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A review by bookishjournal1
Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Certain Dark Things is a master class in atmospheric world building. This book is about Domingo, a young man just trying to survive the streets of Mexico City by collecting garbage and Atl, a vampire on the run from a rival gang. Both of them are trying to find their place in a world determined to bring them down but find solace in each other and their newfound relationship.
What I really enjoyed about this book was how immersed I felt in the setting. I feel like the author's prose really elevated my experience by making me feel like I was in a walled off version of Mexico City, walking the streets trying to avoid being caught between this war between vampires and humans and everyone in between. I also loved how deeply connected Aztec tradition and lore was built into this world because it provides an amazing background for a lot of character motivations.
I appreciated seeing the relationship between Atl and Domingo develop. They both have this vulnerability yet fierce strength to protect one another even though they haven't known each other that long. I think that's such a strength of the author to make the reader feel for these 2 in such a short amount of time and I just really recommend this book to anyone looking for a tense yet tender noir vampire story.
I was given an e-ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
What I really enjoyed about this book was how immersed I felt in the setting. I feel like the author's prose really elevated my experience by making me feel like I was in a walled off version of Mexico City, walking the streets trying to avoid being caught between this war between vampires and humans and everyone in between. I also loved how deeply connected Aztec tradition and lore was built into this world because it provides an amazing background for a lot of character motivations.
I appreciated seeing the relationship between Atl and Domingo develop. They both have this vulnerability yet fierce strength to protect one another even though they haven't known each other that long. I think that's such a strength of the author to make the reader feel for these 2 in such a short amount of time and I just really recommend this book to anyone looking for a tense yet tender noir vampire story.
I was given an e-ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.