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tamtaro's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Excrement, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
csofi_najarro's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Murder
mari1532's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Brief Summary: Juan is trying to figure out a plan to raise his son, Gaspar while keeping him safe from his in-laws in the wake of his wife, Rosario's, mysterious death. As Juan tries to keep Gaspar from the family's secret society, he farther into its clutches. However, as Gaspar ages, he begins to realize that his family history is far more dangerous than he could have imagined.
Thoughts: Enríquez is an exceptional writer. The way that this book is so long and has so many different subplots, but there is not a single loose end at the conclusion of the book is truly a triumph. Each of the characters in this book feels like a real person and the personalities and motivations of each produce a strong reaction from the reader. Overall I did not like many of the characters in this book, but I think that how Enríquez wrote each of them, may have been the point. In the world created in this book, people are complicated, and not necessarily meant to be liked.
My favourite character in the book was Rosario. She was at once entirely relatable being at once loving and dastardly. Her story arch throughout the book was truly what kept me reading even though she was a character in the background of the story, Rosario is very much central to the the plot. I also appreciated how Enríquez allowed Rosario to be her own person and did not let her love for Juan subsume Rosario's whole personality.
I do not have a lot of experience reading books in the horror genre, but I can safely say that I will continue to read it as long as Enríquez continues to write. I highly recommend this book.
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
chiawo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Death of parent, and Murder
sourpatchsims's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Colonisation, and Classism
kplass's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Body horror
almondmatcha's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, and Blood
rnr2117's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Mental illness, Grief, Cannibalism, and Death of parent
mstall_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Juan Peterson is fleeing Buenos Aires with his 6 year old son Gaspar on a road trip in 1981. At this time, Argentina is embroiled in a dictatorship and it is dangerous to be traveling, or really just looking a little out of place. The story starts off with understanding the brutality of Videla's dictatorship: hundreds of people have been killed or "disappeared" and the air is thick with despair and fear. Since the death of Gaspar's mother, he and his father are hoping to seek shelter with Gaspar's immensely rich and powerful grandparents up north.
However, Gaspar's mother and therefore his grandparents are all part of a secret, demonic cult called The Order. The Order worships an entity called The Darkness and the Darkness can only speak through a medium -- Juan. Being the medium takes a serious toll on the health of the person, and Juan already struggles with multiple heart issues. He is preparing to die any day.
As the story unfolds we see not only the scope of the Order's power but also the scope of it's brutality, even for it's own members. Juan is desperately tying to keep Gaspar from being the next medium and enduring the horrors of the Order and the Darkness. Juan will do anything to keep Gaspar safe, even if it means sacrificing himself.
Our Share of Night by Mariana Enríquez is literary horror at it's very finest. At 600 pages, this is a powerhouse of a book that will ask you to wait patiently, stay dedicated, and obey, for the absolute payoff of being invited deeper and deeper into the world of Juan and Gaspar. The book is broken up into five parts, none of which have true chapters. Some parts are long and laborious and you feel like you just want to quit and yet something keeps you working for the next line, the next page, the next reveal. And what a pay off each reveal is -- every detail in this book is important and the further you go, the deeper you get the more you are able to make out the shape of what is forming. It is phenomenal writing and exquisite storytelling.
Be reminded that this is horror story about a cult, so expect cult horror. Body horror, child abuse and death, violence against women, just to name a few. There are also some depictions of gay men passing away from AIDs and while not related to the cult horror aspect itself, the AIDs crisis in the 80s and early 90s was very much a horror of it's own.
Our Share of Night is a 5/5 star read for me. I will be re-reading this book as often as I can.
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, and Gore
Moderate: Child abuse and Violence
glynis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.0
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, and Medical content