Reviews

Abyss by Pilar Quintana

klabardee's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

marina_moraes's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

kari_f's review against another edition

4.0

I often love a book that feels a bit stifling and suffocating. While the books I read with that feeling usually have magical realism of some sort, this domestic drama had much of the same constrained frustration.

This book contains: 

🌱 A slow chipping away of the young protagonist’s innocence and guilelessness as she is exposed to and comes to understand many ideas she is too young to experience.

🌴 A look at mental instability from the eyes of a child.

🌱 Persistent feelings of discontent as many characters feel stifled and stuck in family situations they didn’t necessarily want for themselves.

🌴 A feeling of dread as a character makes more and more references to women who felt the need to disappear from their lives in some manner.

🌱 Commentary on the stigma of mental health issues in Colombia, especially as depression and suicide relate to the teachings of the Catholic church. 

Through all of the above, the figurative abyss referenced in the title grows in scope until the story shifts and it becomes a physical reality of the characters’ world. Throughout it all, our young protagonist acts as a protector, as the bridge between her parents, and as the one who has insight into the people around her. My heart broke for her over and over as she experienced feelings of loneliness, rejection, resentment, and fear. She had such a burden of responsibility for such a young person, and I truly wish I could read another installment of her story to find out how the events of this book impacted her during such a formative time in her life. 

While I likely won’t read this book again, I really thought it was so well done and I liked it a lot! The social commentary was done in a way that was clear without smashing in the reader’s face, and the story was compelling and emotional. 

yaddyv's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.5

sittingwishingreading's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense fast-paced

• 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

4.0

safiyamreads's review

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

4.0

dochdew's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

nora_d_tinta_y_papel's review against another edition

4.0

A veces nos sentimos identificados con los libros, con alugno de sus personajes, las experiencias, pensamientos, situaciones etc.
En estos últimos años que las maternidades han llenado las páginas de los libros en las estanterías. Que las enfermedades mentales han levantado la voz y se han hecho menos secretas. Donde el ir al psicólogo o psiquiatra empieza a ser algo de cotidianidad y no de locura y vergüenza. Nos podemos ver reflejados en tantos temas y éstos pueden ayudar a que muchos lectores vean ese abismo que hay que superar.

samikoonjones's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.75

pluviae's review against another edition

5.0

Pilar Quintana retrata uno de los miedos infantiles más desesperantes: perder a tus papás. Peor: que tus papás decidan voluntariamente abandonarte.
Me gustó mucho la forma en que la protagonista nos iba relatando su vida como si no estuviera entendiendo nada para que, de alguna forma, nos diéramos cuenta de que entendía absolutamente todo y de la manera más triste posible.