The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
pushingdessy's review against another edition
dark
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
“Las viudas de los jueves” (2005) [Thursday Night Widows, 2010] by Claudia Piñeiro is a novel set in a private gated community in the suburbs of Buenos Aires. These became popular in the 90s, an option for upper-middle class people to escape the city and live in their own artificial paradise. As the book brilliantly portrays, the economic ups and downs of the country nearing the millennium meant that, for some people, it was as easy to rise as it was to fall. The story opens in the present, telling us about three deaths that are yet to be discovered. Then, it goes back in time, hopping through the decade to peel away the layers of this community before telling us what really happened that night, unveiling issues of class, sexism, and even religion. It could be called a crime story, but I think literary fiction is more accurate.
It’s a slow-paced and character-driven story, and I also think it’s situationally driven. It’s necessary to have some general understanding of what was happening in Argentina at the time, because this context is as much part of the plot as everything else. It’s a portrait of a particular social class in a particular period of this particular country - it made me think of the movie Parasite at some points, in the contrast between people who live in such disparate worlds. Needless to say, most of the characters are not likeable.
The author dives into the intimacies of a cast of characters and the relationships between them, showing us the dirt under the shiny surface, but also the tragedy of buying into a selfish dream of social ascent no matter the (personal and social) cost. This is done through a patchwork of scenes more than a lineal plot so, while I enjoyed it and got through it fast, I think it’s not necessarily an engaging novel if you’re expecting more action.
Would someone not from Argentina enjoy it? I’d like to think so, certainly hope so - as long as your expectations are adjusted to what the book offers!
It’s a slow-paced and character-driven story, and I also think it’s situationally driven. It’s necessary to have some general understanding of what was happening in Argentina at the time, because this context is as much part of the plot as everything else. It’s a portrait of a particular social class in a particular period of this particular country - it made me think of the movie Parasite at some points, in the contrast between people who live in such disparate worlds. Needless to say, most of the characters are not likeable.
The author dives into the intimacies of a cast of characters and the relationships between them, showing us the dirt under the shiny surface, but also the tragedy of buying into a selfish dream of social ascent no matter the (personal and social) cost. This is done through a patchwork of scenes more than a lineal plot so, while I enjoyed it and got through it fast, I think it’s not necessarily an engaging novel if you’re expecting more action.
Would someone not from Argentina enjoy it? I’d like to think so, certainly hope so - as long as your expectations are adjusted to what the book offers!
Content Warnings
Minor: Domestic abuse and Antisemitism
pil4r's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Death, Suicide, and Classism
nialiversuch's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infertility, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Misogyny, Murder, Violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Xenophobia, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Sexual content and Excrement
winniefoster's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse
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