Reviews with content warning for Suicidal thoughts - Cantoras

"A Cantora is a woman who sings"

"Its [cantora] connotations were beautiful, but also obscene, depending on how you approached it"

This, this is one of the most beautiful sapphic stories I have read. It is the story of 5 queer women finding each other and learning to survive under the Uruguayan dictatorship of the 1970's.

It is a story of survival, friendship, love, betrayal, and political action. It is a beautiful story that takes you through the history of Uruguays & Latin Americas slow movement towards democracy and queer rights.

The relationships between the five women were heart warming. They were each strong women, who found a space where they could be happy, vulnerable, and themselves. Through the story we see these women break the barriers that have been imposed on them by society, fighting to be their true selves and for their own country.

This story made me realize how little I know about lgbt movement in LatAm. How so many fought for democracy, equality, and love. In This book I found my love for my mother tongue, Spanish, again. A language that throughout the book is often used to emphasize the beauty that exists around the world.

During this book I laughed, I cried, and celebrated the wonderment that is being a sapphic woman. A must read for everyone.

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lesbrarycard's review

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emotional inspiring medium-paced

5.0

okay now that i've had some time to contemplate this one, i can write my real review. i've had this book on my mind for a few years now, but like with many of my other favorite books i just kept pushing it to the bottom of my tbr. i'm so glad that i finally picked it up.

this is the first book i've read that was set in Uruguay, and i found the exploration of a totalitarian government regime so well done--it's truly enlightening and educational without becoming overloaded with explanation. it was so easy to understand the struggles our characters went through, and even when their decisions felt heartbreaking i wanted to support them and watch them pull through to a life full of more light, joy, and love. and there is love here--platonic and romantic. this is one of the best depictions of found family i've ever read and it felt like De Robertis could see into my mind and my life, understanding the dynamics between queer women in such a beautiful way that it made me want to cry. and eventually i did cry, overwhelmed with my emotion for these complex and brilliant characters.

the audiobook was a fantastic experience, and i'm happy that i had the chance to hear everything pronounced properly so i didn't have to unintentionally butcher it in my head. however, this is definitely a story that i'll be picking up as a physical copy and rereading just for an opportunity to spend more time with these characters and to pick up on nuances i might have missed.

Cantoras is a new favorite. it's a special book that puts female desire in the spotlight and shows that there can be beauty even in the darkest moments. it makes me want to hold my friends and tell them how wonderful they are, and to thank them for always seeing me for who i am. if i could give it more than five stars, i would!

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lynneliu's review

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emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced

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

4.5

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lmaonice's review

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dark emotional hopeful informative sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
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

5.0

I was initially very unsure what to rate this book. for the majority of the book I found it enjoyable but I felt a certain amount of distance from most of the characters. That is, until the last 2 chapters, in which I suddenly felt so attached that I sobbed throughout the last 30 pages or so. I think this book is a triumph, I think it balances the harsh reality of the setting with hopefulness and happy moments excellently, making it feel neither like wish-fulfillment nor torture porn. While there absolutely are horrific things happening in this book, it doesn't feel overdone for the sake of making the reader cry, it feel purposeful.

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