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A review by siennarose
El Dorado by Dorothy Porter
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
Most of the time, my reading interests are particularly niche. Maybe it's growing up with so many younger siblings, or maybe it's being an emerging social worker, but nothing captures my interest quite like missing or murdered children. Harming kids goes against our most basic evolutionary instincts. I'll never understand it, and as such I’ll never cease to be fascinated and horrified.
Dorothy Porter gave me my first introduction to novels in verse through The Monkey’s Mask, and when I found out she had another, I immediately bought it.
El Dorado plays with themes of innocence, youth, and the futility of aging. It also explores themes of sexuality, desire, and the line between art and obscenity. There is also a conversation about the assumption of impropriety between adults and children. The issue is framed in such a way that suggests people are too quick to accuse or assume wrong doing. There are even some throw away lines like ”now days he'd be charged with a sex crime”. I wonder if this is a reflection of Porters true thoughts.
In reality though, whether you're a mandated reported or not, I’d rather be careful, but wrong, than let a predator slip through the cracks.
Fantastic book.
Dorothy Porter gave me my first introduction to novels in verse through The Monkey’s Mask, and when I found out she had another, I immediately bought it.
El Dorado plays with themes of innocence, youth, and the futility of aging. It also explores themes of sexuality, desire, and the line between art and obscenity. There is also a conversation about the assumption of impropriety between adults and children. The issue is framed in such a way that suggests people are too quick to accuse or assume wrong doing. There are even some throw away lines like ”now days he'd be charged with a sex crime”. I wonder if this is a reflection of Porters true thoughts.
In reality though, whether you're a mandated reported or not, I’d rather be careful, but wrong, than let a predator slip through the cracks.
Fantastic book.