Scan barcode
A review by maryy_r0se
Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
“Love, frail as gossamer, stitched together from a thousand songs and a thousand comic books, made of the dialogue spoken in films and the posters designed by ad agencies: love was what she lived for.”
It’s the 1970s in Mexico City. Elvis, a boy who hates violence and loves rock ‘n’ roll, finds himself involved with the Hawks, a group aiming to suppress young political activists. Meanwhile Maite, a secretary, daydreams of an exciting and romantic life that couldn’t be further from her own. When Maite’s neighbor goes missing, Elvis and Maite’s lives begin to unexpectedly intertwine.
This and Mexican Gothic have really solidified Silvia Moreno-Garcia as one of my new favorite authors. She is such an expert at creating the perfect atmosphere, and I love how this book twists together at the end. A main criticism I have seen for this book is that the main characters aren’t likable. This is really funny to me because I find Maite so intensely relatable. She is certainly flawed, but in a way that resonates strongly with me. I love how she seems so unlike the type of characters we typically associate with “noir.” I also appreciate how different she was from Noemí in Mexican Gothic. Noemí was cool and glamorous; Maite was plain and awkward. Noemí is the kind of girl I wish I was; Maite is the kind of girl I actually am. It is a testament to Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s writing that she can create two such different characters with such nuance.
I would certainly recommend this one. If you’re struggling at all with the historical context, I would check out the author’s book kit. It gives a lot of historical context that I found super helpful! (I also recommend listening to the playlist for this one because the songs add so much to the atmosphere.)
It’s the 1970s in Mexico City. Elvis, a boy who hates violence and loves rock ‘n’ roll, finds himself involved with the Hawks, a group aiming to suppress young political activists. Meanwhile Maite, a secretary, daydreams of an exciting and romantic life that couldn’t be further from her own. When Maite’s neighbor goes missing, Elvis and Maite’s lives begin to unexpectedly intertwine.
This and Mexican Gothic have really solidified Silvia Moreno-Garcia as one of my new favorite authors. She is such an expert at creating the perfect atmosphere, and I love how this book twists together at the end. A main criticism I have seen for this book is that the main characters aren’t likable. This is really funny to me because I find Maite so intensely relatable. She is certainly flawed, but in a way that resonates strongly with me. I love how she seems so unlike the type of characters we typically associate with “noir.” I also appreciate how different she was from Noemí in Mexican Gothic. Noemí was cool and glamorous; Maite was plain and awkward. Noemí is the kind of girl I wish I was; Maite is the kind of girl I actually am. It is a testament to Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s writing that she can create two such different characters with such nuance.
I would certainly recommend this one. If you’re struggling at all with the historical context, I would check out the author’s book kit. It gives a lot of historical context that I found super helpful! (I also recommend listening to the playlist for this one because the songs add so much to the atmosphere.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Police brutality, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship