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A review by podanotherjessi
Our Share of Night by Mariana Enríquez
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This is one of those rare instances where I try to find a middle ground between my enjoyment of the book (around a 3 out of 5) and the objective quality of the book (which I would say is about a 4.5). This book was not a favorite of mine for a few very subjective reasons I don't think are a weakness of the book itself.
The one thing I think is an actual flaw of the book and one I imagine many other people will have struggles with is the pacing. This book moved at a glacier pace, and it took forever (at least halfway through the book) until I had any idea what the point was. Who are Juan and Gaspar and why should the reader care are questions that take far too long to answer in a book asking me to commit to reading this many pages. And then the ending somehow feels very abrupt.
I have many more subjective complaints. The characters I found the most interesting were largely sidelined by the story.What happened to Rosario's sister (who's name I literally cannot find anywhere and I don't have a physical book to check)?? And Paolo and Vicky were missed greatly at the end. And I despised Juan, and the book really spends a lot of time justifying his actions that are impossible, in my opinion, to justify.
I am very much not familiar with the political and historical context, which I mention because it did impact my reading. I genuinely think the setting and the way Enríquez wrote about everything was incredible, but I found myself at times confused and lacking context. That's entirely my flaw as a reader, and not the book's fault, and it's a gap in my knowledge that I will work to remedy. But it feels worth mentioning.
I also really could have done with more horror (specifically of the supernatural variety). My favorite moments by a large margin were the creepy and scary ones, but they were few and far between. This is partially an expectation issue because I was looking for horror in what is primarily literary fiction, so it's definitely something to be aware of going into the book.
But objectively, I think almost everything in this book was amazing.
The characters are so well-realized. Gaspar is so nuanced and given a lot of grace by the narrative. The villains have varied and realistic motivations. Juan's brother is wonderful. The one-off perspectives add so much depth.
The writing is beautiful. Whether this is from Enríquez herself, the translator McDowell, or some combination therein, I was blown away by the prose.
And the setting itself was incredibly well-realized. Enríquez uses the history of Argentina to fuel the horror she is exploring. I especially loved the cultural ties that were so strongly incorporated. I didn't know all of the poets being referenced, but I loved seeing the impact they had on the story.
To make a long story short, I highly recommend this novel. Go in expecting a very slow, literary horror and you will likely enjoy it.
The one thing I think is an actual flaw of the book and one I imagine many other people will have struggles with is the pacing. This book moved at a glacier pace, and it took forever (at least halfway through the book) until I had any idea what the point was. Who are Juan and Gaspar and why should the reader care are questions that take far too long to answer in a book asking me to commit to reading this many pages. And then the ending somehow feels very abrupt.
I have many more subjective complaints. The characters I found the most interesting were largely sidelined by the story.
I am very much not familiar with the political and historical context, which I mention because it did impact my reading. I genuinely think the setting and the way Enríquez wrote about everything was incredible, but I found myself at times confused and lacking context. That's entirely my flaw as a reader, and not the book's fault, and it's a gap in my knowledge that I will work to remedy. But it feels worth mentioning.
I also really could have done with more horror (specifically of the supernatural variety). My favorite moments by a large margin were the creepy and scary ones, but they were few and far between. This is partially an expectation issue because I was looking for horror in what is primarily literary fiction, so it's definitely something to be aware of going into the book.
But objectively, I think almost everything in this book was amazing.
The characters are so well-realized. Gaspar is so nuanced and given a lot of grace by the narrative. The villains have varied and realistic motivations. Juan's brother is wonderful. The one-off perspectives add so much depth.
The writing is beautiful. Whether this is from Enríquez herself, the translator McDowell, or some combination therein, I was blown away by the prose.
And the setting itself was incredibly well-realized. Enríquez uses the history of Argentina to fuel the horror she is exploring. I especially loved the cultural ties that were so strongly incorporated. I didn't know all of the poets being referenced, but I loved seeing the impact they had on the story.
To make a long story short, I highly recommend this novel. Go in expecting a very slow, literary horror and you will likely enjoy it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse