Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

39 reviews

takarakeireads's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-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

3.0

The beginning dives right into the world and action. The gritty and gothic settings of Mexico City is described well and is an interesting backdrop for a vampire story. Via audiobook keeping the different characters separate and their involvement in the story was a bit difficult. However because it's multiple POV, as the story progresses the pacing gets off and really slows down. 
Overall there was not enough character depth or development, and by the ending I rather feel like nothing had changed? meaning the story was kind of pointless?
I've read a few books by this author and none of them quite hit the mark.

2.5/5🌶️

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Drug use, Gun violence, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Sexual content

lupitabaeyongo's review

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Vomit, and Abandonment

booksthatburn's review against another edition

dark 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

4.5

Atl is a vampire hiding out in Mexico City after her family was murdered. Domingo is a former street kid, now working as a scrap picker for a rag and bone man. When he has a chance encounter with Atl on the subway, she invites him to her home to drink from him. What Atl intended as a single meal turns out to be the beginning of a partnership as they work on fleeing Mexico City together. They're pursued by Nick, a Necros who is obsessed with Atl, and Ana Aguirre, a detective who thought her transfer to Mexico City would mean dealing with fewer vampires than she used to.

The rapport between Domingo and Atl is excellently-written, driven by Domingo's adoration of Atl, and Atl's need for Domingo's help but distaste for feeling weak. Atl is using up every one of her mother's contacts along the way, relying on wisps of goodwill and loyalty from humans and vampires who assumed their obligations died long before Atl's mother did. This results in a tangle of one-off and repeating characters as Atl and Domingo navigate this loose network of contacts, just trying to get out of the city alive. 

The worldbuilding is immersive, built through stories, buildings, and how the characters move through this alternate version of Mexico City where not only are vampires real but there are several kinds of them. Some (like Atl) are Tlahuihpochtli descended from Aztec blood drinker temple priestesses, but human colonization and the encroachment of other vampires, like Necros and Revenants, have made things more complicated for recent generations. Several decades ago humans found out vampires are real, and many places promptly tried to legislate them out of existence. Mexico City is one such "vampire free" zone, a situation which causes problems for Atl.

The plot is a web of pursuers and pursued, beginning in earnest when one of Atl's pursuers gets sloppy and the police find a dead human. It's a dance of obsession, violence, and death, as Atl tries to use Domingo without him spooking, while Domingo finds himself falling in love with her and not minding being used.

I loved every minute, and am extremely happy with the ending. Don't miss this one.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Cannibalism, Murder, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

starlesscircus's review

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

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

3.25

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, and Violence

30something_reads's review

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.25

4.25 ⭐

I had such a great time reading this, especially considering I don't typically read Noir. I also listened along on audio while reading, and I think that really helped set the tone.

Dark, gritty, and very violent. This is the story of, Atl, a young Tlahuihpochin vampire who is on the run from a Necros vampire clan. She reluctantly teams up with a street kid from Mexico City, Domingo, in order to evade vampires, cops, and all matter of criminals that are looking to take her down. 

The vampire lore in this was just freaking fantastic. I loved the descriptions of the species and different subspecies and how the author wove it all together in this world. 

I can imagine this being a fantastic movie or graphic novel.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Minor: Child death, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Grief, and Death of parent

marareading's review

adventurous dark tense medium-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

This was definitely outside my comfort zone as far as genre is concerned, and I genuinely liked it. This is a vampire crime noir. Imagine a gritty urban crime story based in Mexico City, with battling vampire drug cartels. Atl is a vampire and is on the run for her life. She is the daughter of one of the largest cartel families in South America, and another cartel vampire family is after her. Meanwhile, the cops/government are not fond of vampires and trying to extinguish them, considering them a threat. Atl takes up with a street kid, Domingo, who is overly curious, sometimes annoying and now they are in it together on the run. 

This is a brutal and bloody story. It is so well written. I really enjoyed it. Noir is not usually something I reach for, but I can never resist a vampire story. Definitely recommend if you like crime stories or vampires.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail

jhbandcats's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad medium-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

4.0

Each one of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s books is unique from the others so they’re always a surprise. This one centers around vampires in a futuristic Mexico City. 

Vampires are fairly well-known and definitely undesirable. Sanitation departments around the world keep track of what vampires are doing, and vampires are hunted by both police and each other as various species fight amongst themselves. Particularly deadly and violent vampires escaping from Europe, having been banned, are taking over the gangs and cartels, ignoring the traditions that have kept vampires safe from humans in the past. Internecine battles are destroying the Mexican vampires descended from pre-Columbian times. 

As a take on colonialism and its destruction of natives and their culture, it offers easily recognizable parallels without being didactic. I found the first half of the novel slow and I wasn’t invested in the characters, but both plot and characterization picked up. By the satisfying ending, I’d come to love the two main characters. Worth a read for Moreno-Garcia fans. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

mandkips's review

adventurous dark tense medium-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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Drug use, and Gun violence

Minor: Sexual content

aformeracceleratedreader's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.5

Multiple POVs and a great modern take on a classic spooky creature- vampires. So many different kinds of vampires from different places are mentioned throughout which was nice to see instead of the typical/well known european vampire images we see all the time. How some characters stories ended was a little unsatisfying though, but I need to stop thinking so many characters always need happy or fully fleshed out endings. This story also touches on colonialism when talking about the europeans and their continental vampires arriving in central and south america.

very glad the dog doesn't die tragically in this book! I was nervous and a bit sad when Cualli was mentioned to probably be dead

Also quick note, I felt a bit weird about how Atl and Domingo's relationship went considering it was mentioned she was about 20 (yeah I get she's a diff species but still) and he was 17. I know at first she was like "no way" and had set that boundary, but then they did the do and I was not okay with an adult/minor situation

.

It seemed to drag a little bit in some parts, but overall, a great and surprisingly quick read. I've enjoyed so much from this author and it's a goal that I read everything she has done. 
Def check out content warnings for this as it is a vampire tale so there is a lot of blood.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Drug use, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Colonisation, and War

Minor: Cursing, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Torture, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Classism

theomancy's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

I was just so not sold on the central romance of this book and the conclusion of it left me really dissatisfied. There were a lot of world building concepts at the beginning I found really interesting that I didn't feel like really went anywhere either, unfortunately.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Stalking, and Sexual harassment