jbonello's review
Started too late in September 2023. The Bee Sting took precedence and didn’t have enough time to finish before the beginning of October 2023 and the Espooky TBR.
kquinten's review
3.0
I was given an advanced copy of the audiobook by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book was very dense and a little difficult to understand as someone that has very limited knowledge of Cuba in the 1990's. It required me to do some outside research to be able to understand the HIV history in Cuba.
I loved the historical swap and reimagination of the Los Frikis as counterrevolutionaries. But this book and its narrator were dry, it failed to capture my attention - I could not get into the story. I think this book is for an audience that I am not a part of - but nonetheless the author's writing is impeccable.
This book was very dense and a little difficult to understand as someone that has very limited knowledge of Cuba in the 1990's. It required me to do some outside research to be able to understand the HIV history in Cuba.
I loved the historical swap and reimagination of the Los Frikis as counterrevolutionaries. But this book and its narrator were dry, it failed to capture my attention - I could not get into the story. I think this book is for an audience that I am not a part of - but nonetheless the author's writing is impeccable.
chaoticbookgremlin's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-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
4.0
puffinluv3r's review
challenging
dark
emotional
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
cupidcove's review
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I came in hoping for this to be true historical fiction, as this is a period of history I am really interested in that I haven't found a ton of information about in English, so I was hoping that on some level I could use this as a resource. This book is definitely not that. While there are elements of truth in this book, it is much more about evoking the desperation that would have been present at this time and, while it wasn't what I was initially expecting, I found myself deeply affected by the story and am still thinking about it days later. This book seems to exist more as mythology than historical reality, and, as long as you are conscious of this, that is what makes it such a fascinating read.
somehowbrujoreads's review
I plan to come back to this. I just am not in the headspace for it.
areaxbiologist's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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
4.0
mollyan's review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0