Reviews with content warning for Murder - Sobre los huesos de los muertos

I saw the reveal coming from the first body. The story dragged in many places and there wasn't a twist to speak of but the characters were all more or less interesting. The prose was well done. I can't speak to the accuracy of the horoscopes being shown but I suppose it doesn't matter if I believe it, so long as Duszejko does.

You can also track the pattern you believe to be real when you are the one making sure a person dies on the specific day their horoscope tells you.

I do wish there was a bit more sleuthing involved but the experience was still relatively enjoyable. Give yourself time to actually enjoy the story but don't expect a fast-past gorefest.

Content Warnings

augie_'s review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Content Warnings

booksillremember's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

Older women MCs are outrageously hard to find, so I was happy to get a glimpse into Duszejko's mind. I enjoyed how her way of making sense of the world was so out there and yet so relatable at the same time. The 'found family' added some sweetness to the story, even though most of the characters weren't really fleshed out.

This is very much character and theme driven, so if you are a plot lover, this isn't for you. Nothing much happens for the most part. The pacing is poor, the story is repetitive and then gets wrapped up quickly and too neatly. At times it was a struggle to get through, but I still very much enjoyed it for the unique experience it offers.

It's a dense exploration of existential questions and I'm sure a lot of it went over my head because I haven't read William Blake who is referenced a lot. I'm also really not into astrology, but I can appreciate that Duszejko is a pattern seeker extraordinaire.

As a side note, I didn't appreciate the snide remark about 'testosterone autism' that was just there to stereotype an 'antisocial' character. I understand that the author's and the character's beliefs aren't necessarily synonymous, and Duszejko has lots of outlandish ideas about the world, but I wouldn't perpetuate a stereotype about a marginalised group if it's still considered true by most people. Especially since the MC is very heavily Autistic-coded herself - it's a missed opportunity to point out common, yet lesser known Autistic traits like an extreme sense of justice or empathy for animals.

Content Warnings

milk's review against another edition

Go to review page

mysterious fast-paced

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

3.75

Content Warnings

hannahyorkey's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

2.0

I found it quite hard to get into this book. I think it just wasn’t for me. The protagonist had an almost apathetic and cold personality and way of communicating that I just didn’t vibe with. I did however enjoy the twist at the end, which I had started to suspect.

Content Warnings

not_another_ana's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

We live in a stage of siege. If one takes a close look at each fragment of a moment, one might choke with terror.

One morning Janina, an unconventional woman more concerned with astrology and animals, is awakened by the untimely passing of her neighbor, a rude poacher she didn't much care for. While this event initially seems like a dumb accident, more and more people in town start dying in odd ways. There seems to be only one connection between them, it appears that wild animals have committed the murders. Or at least that's what Janina firmly believes even if no one else thinks the same. As the police keeps investigating Janina cannot help but be drawn to the gruesome crimes and to form her own opinions about the truth, the victims, life, and the world that surrounds her.

Pleasantly surprised by this. It's not really a crime novel or a thriller as it seems to be categorized, it's more of an exploration about different topics. It's dark but still funny and quirky at times. It deals with grief, it examines society and the corrupt systems that it's built on, it even tackles a bit of the hypocrisy of religion. There were tons of lines in this book that resonated with me and touched me deeply, I think Janina was such an interesting character with a rich and complex interior life. Her reflections on life keep this book from being too bleak or nonsensical.

I do think that it ran a bit too long, mostly because there isn't really a mystery. The crime aspect of it was the weakest part of the whole book, you could easily tell what was going on halfway through. I'm unfamiliar with William Blake's poetry and perhaps being familiar with his work would have made some of the references hit better. Still a good and different read.

Content Warnings

lzasne's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious reflective 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

2.5

Albeit an atmospheric read, fares as shittily as a flockful of bird droppings as a crime novel, and unfortunately, that was the intended purpose of my reading. But even more problematic than that is the constantly antagonizing, preachy tone adopted throughout the narrative and the main character's blatantly deranged psyche left uncharted. All in all, its irredeemably dichotomic and superficial understanding of ethics combined with poor attempts at quirkiness made the book a slog to get through.

Content Warnings

thursdd4y's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious reflective sad medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

Content Warnings

More...