Reviews with content warning for Violence - Eartheater

Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Eartheater by Dolores Reyes

29 reviews

questionablereads's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

3.75

This is such a unique story that blends horror with magical realism and social commentary on women living in the barrios of Argentina. Eartheater explores the many different forms women hold ranging from being a daughter, a sister, a f-friend, a witch, a victim and a detective. It's surreal and brilliant.

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kari_f's review against another edition

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challenging dark informative mysterious reflective sad tense

4.0

“The world must be much larger than I’d imagined for so many people to have disappeared in it.”

A relatively short novel divided into three parts, Eartheater is a modern magical realism novel taking place in Argentina. The protagonist, whose name we never learn, has compulsions to consume earth; when she eats earth that has been touched by victims, she can see visions of them and the crimes committed against them. Though her body craves the earth, the visions are deeply troubling and violent… so while she often helps people discover the truth about what happened to their loved ones, it’s a deeply unsettling and repulsive feeling for her and for the reader.

There were so many important themes throughout this dark and atmospheric coming of age novel. I found it really interesting that the protagonist is essentially shunned by her community and peers for using her gift, even as others seek her out specifically for it. She lives in a slum, and the use of her power does not bring her immense wealth or respect.

It is no coincidence that most of the missing people she searches for are women, to the point where she decided she doesn’t want kids because girls go missing too often. I love that the author makes it clear that the violence against women has a huge impact on the world, seeping into the very soil we walk upon. The social commentary is dark and direct and unflinching, especially knowing that femicide rates in Argentina have continued to increase in the years since the book was written.

This is not a fun book by any means, but it’s an important one, a bizarrely interesting one, and a poignantly relevant one!

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kerishma's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

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nikzzz3's review

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challenging dark mysterious

4.75

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alexisgarcia's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

this was such an interesting book, i really enjoyed it.

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booksillremember's review against another edition

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dark medium-paced

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

3.0

Read this for a book club, otherwise I wouldn't have picked it up. Eartheater addresses some important topics - femicide, inequality, and police injustice in Buenos Aires. I feel there's also a metaphor in there about how we treat the Earth. The characters, the writing and the plot were okay, but nothing special. Might have worked better as a short story.

Eartheater reminded me of Teresa Margolles’ art and I think it works as a metaphor in a similar way.

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