A review by nincrony1
Signal to Noise by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Little bit of a mixed bag but positive thoughts overall. I really liked Meche as a main character; definitely flawed and capable of being nasty but I felt she was well rounded and believable. The high school drama stuff is a step above competent and when it channels a bit of a Heathers vibe, the story worked well for me. I actually thought the element that didn’t gel too well was how the magic was worked in; I liked tying it to music (so central to teenage life) but the way it’s visualised and how it ties into wicca stuff all felt a bit jumbled. Then working in a dual future plot line and family drama and family loss along with a clear want to explore a love of 60-80s music and Mexican culture/inheritance and it all felt a little too much; very much like a debut novel where the author has a lot to prove. That sounds like withering criticism as there’s a lot I liked (I’ll definitely read more of their work) but I think a re-focusing could really help the prose shine. Lots of promise though and it’s still a breezy fun read.