Scan barcode
A review by raix
The Iliac Crest by Cristina Rivera Garza
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This was described to me as a queer, gender-based gothic horror about a man who, one stormy night, is accosted by two house guests who insist he is a woman. Perhaps if it had been, I wouldn't have been so disappointed. This is not that book.
It's much more surreal in nature, and while the aspect of misgendering is there, it's not the foremost point of tension nor the point from which the horrific elements of the story originate. If you'd like a book that gives you answers, or solutions to its mysteries, this is not that book.
The translator's note at the back mentions that it is based off the works of Amparo Dávila, so perhaps those familiar with her work would get more out of it.
It's much more surreal in nature, and while the aspect of misgendering is there, it's not the foremost point of tension nor the point from which the horrific elements of the story originate. If you'd like a book that gives you answers, or solutions to its mysteries, this is not that book.
The translator's note at the back mentions that it is based off the works of Amparo Dávila, so perhaps those familiar with her work would get more out of it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Forced institutionalization, Sexism, and Sexual content
Graphic misgendering but not in an explicitly transgender sense -- thus I didn't warn for transphobia.