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A review by alfboyreads
Our Share of Night by Mariana Enríquez
4.5
this book was so... enveloping, so familiar, so intimate, i dont quite know how to describe the vibe of this but it is typical mariana enriquez' writing which is always so luxurious but not in a vladmir nabokov, uses a lots of unusual adjectives kind of way, it's simpky the way she builds setting and character and mood, it pulls you in and holds you there and it feels weirdly intimate even if it's a little strange to you, like when a hot stranger at a party puts their mouth right next to your ear to talk to you so you can hear them. all my usual praise for mariana enriquez applies, excellent character construction, excellent dialogue, engaging til the last line (which is particularly impressive in this one because it is a 500 page novel), and weaves her trademark horror into the story. the only reason this book is not a 5 star is that im not sure im entirely sold on the plot itself; it felt a little aimlessltly windey at points and i'd venture to say that it didnt feel necessary all of the time. i think she had all the ingredients of a good novel because she is such a great writer and knew she wanted to write about the supernatural, witchcraft, rituals, and folk magic but didnt quite end up with a solid Plot that felt foolproof and totally figured out. and i am no critic of long novels with no defined plot but it felt like she did Try to bring it beyond that and while still a completely engrossing, successful novel in other respects, i think it just slightly missed that mark and could have used some more carving out and refining. what this book explore exquisitely though was family and familial dynamics and reading about the father/son relationship was complex and fascinating. also wider family and every single dynamic was so intricate and never painted with a black or white brush, just like regular human relationships they were all multi faceted and not easily summed up.
also in my fervour to read as much as possible, i had forgotten how much i love to read long books, how they start to feel so familiar and like youre visiting old friends each day, how everything feels like it Matters because you are invested in these characters youve been reading about for several hundred pages. i mean im sure a large portion of that was how good of a writer enriquez is and how she creates such palpable atmosphere that you cannot help but want to get wrapped up in. also it really is a testament to her writing because generally i tend to struggle to not be quite disconnected from more fantastical stories and sort of roll my eyes almost when it comes to things like magic, but i really did not have a problem with this book in terms of that at all, the magical element felt natural and almost realistic for the situations they appeared in. i think basically what im saying is that i would read mariana enriquez' grocery lists if i could.
also in my fervour to read as much as possible, i had forgotten how much i love to read long books, how they start to feel so familiar and like youre visiting old friends each day, how everything feels like it Matters because you are invested in these characters youve been reading about for several hundred pages. i mean im sure a large portion of that was how good of a writer enriquez is and how she creates such palpable atmosphere that you cannot help but want to get wrapped up in. also it really is a testament to her writing because generally i tend to struggle to not be quite disconnected from more fantastical stories and sort of roll my eyes almost when it comes to things like magic, but i really did not have a problem with this book in terms of that at all, the magical element felt natural and almost realistic for the situations they appeared in. i think basically what im saying is that i would read mariana enriquez' grocery lists if i could.