mariandiepb's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
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
3.0
sillypunk's review against another edition
5.0
A short read, but packs a heart-string-tugging punch: https://blogendorff.com/2020/12/12/book-review-prime-meridian/
georgina_bawden's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this story about a girl who wants to go to mars. Set in a near future Mexico City there is perhaps a bit too much explanation of the ways in which the future is awful but oh so similar to ours. This is a minor complaint though and I was soon engaged with Amelia's attempts to navigate her shitty young-adulthood and the B-movie referencing interludes that pepper the novella. I enjoyed the strained relationships on display which I felt were wonderfully written. It reminded me a lot of After Atlas by Emma Newman which I read earlier this year and would thoroughly recommend to anyone who enjoyed this.
paulineerika's review against another edition
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
3.5
The rare Silvia Moreno-Garcia story that just doesn't quite do it for me. The writing is excellent, as always, and she weaves so much into a short novella. It's a story about losing your dreams and who you thought you would be and clinging so desperately to that one hope of escape. It's compelling in a lot of ways, but ultimately a little too bleak and too short for me to enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed her other works.
ktburrr's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
year23's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Knew it would be good because this author can’t go wrong but was pleasantly surprised by this story. Amelia is relatable and in the midst of a world that feels very similar to current conditions. She’s at a pivotal moment in her life. This story weaves movies and Mars into the struggle to find yourself when the world is hell bent on erasing/limiting/exploiting you. Highly recommend.
judith_aline's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Ugghh she's so gooddd
kapellosaur's review against another edition
4.0
Lovely melancholy read. I enjoyed the world building but the atmosphere and relationships of the main character more.
megmcgov's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
scrow1022's review against another edition
4.0
This felt distancing at first, a lot of scene-building that might have been more spread out in a novel. Also hard to fall into a character who is, as she describes herself, unlikeable. We see more of her as she interacts with others and as more builds about her life and that pulls us in.
There are layers and layers here - Mars as a real presence, as a dream, in the movies, always something both real and not, with Elías' life as another example of the blurring of what is real and what is not. This reminds me of Yuri Herrera's "Kingdom Cons", the desire for something real of one's own, and not seeing how to get it with the life one has and trying to figure out approximations instead. I wish Amelia luck.
There are layers and layers here - Mars as a real presence, as a dream, in the movies, always something both real and not, with Elías' life as another example of the blurring of what is real and what is not. This reminds me of Yuri Herrera's "Kingdom Cons", the desire for something real of one's own, and not seeing how to get it with the life one has and trying to figure out approximations instead. I wish Amelia luck.