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chloemoorereads's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I wanted to love this book but I felt it had too much going on between Nazi’s, cults, and magic and I felt the plot sometimes got lost. I liked the characters and was happy with their ending. I also liked the jump scares but overall this book just wasn’t for me
dbuchheister's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
The beginning was a bit too slow for me. I felt like by the time it picked up, I had given up on being invested in the characters. Parts were fun and more interesting, but it wasn't very scary or very mysterious. I also thought that the weird tacked on happily ever after at the end felt forced. It was alright but I won't be recommending this unless someone REALLY loves old horror films or something.
amandanicole4's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
- 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? No
3.75
smilesgiggle's review against another edition
5.0
One of my favorite books of 2023!
I loved this book. My favorite from this author thus far. I've read almost all of them - Sylvia's writing is epic. Gothic. Horror. And spellbinding.
Montserrat and Tristán grew up together. Watching classic horror. After Tristán meets Urueta, the fun begins.
Determined to finish a spell - one that brought bad luck, they dub Urueta's famously unfinished film.
So good!
I loved this book. My favorite from this author thus far. I've read almost all of them - Sylvia's writing is epic. Gothic. Horror. And spellbinding.
Montserrat and Tristán grew up together. Watching classic horror. After Tristán meets Urueta, the fun begins.
Determined to finish a spell - one that brought bad luck, they dub Urueta's famously unfinished film.
So good!
fsantoriello's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
3.75
mjaborn's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
jenpaul13's review against another edition
4.0
Movies are undoubtedly a form of magic, but the events within Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia take that magic to craft a strange new reality.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
As a talented female sound editor in 1993, Montserrat has been increasingly passed over for more inexperienced males in the industry for work in Mexico City. Montserrat’s life-long best friend, Tristán, is a charming former soap opera star with increasing voiceover work with whom she’s always been in love but he’s made clear would never happen as she’d like. In the wake of his most recent break up, Tristán moves in to a new apartment, where his new neighbor happens to be horror director Abel Ureta. Abel shares with Montserrat and Tristán some cinema history about a film that was never completed, revealing in the process how he became involved with a Nazi occultist dabbling in magic with films made on silver nitrate stock. Convinced that his career abruptly ended due to a curse from the unfinished film, Abel persuades the two friends to help him complete the missing scene’s dubbing to end the curse. When all their luck seems to improve from their dismal states, they are joyous, but it’s a short-lived joy when Monsterrat is followed by a dark presence, Tristán begins seeing the ghost of his ex-girlfriend, whose death is blamed on him, and Abel is killed. Getting to the core of the mystery surrounding the film and the occultist responsible with the surprising aid of a local sorcerer, Montserrat and Tristán try to find a way to end the film, and the magic they unwittingly unleashed from it, before any more terrible things can occur.
Combining a creepy and haunting horror movie atmosphere, not to mention references to some classic films to further set the scene, with the allure of the occult and magic linked with Nazis, and complex relationships, the concept was engrossing, quickly drawing readers in for an adventure of a lifetime for two close friends in their late thirties; depicting main characters who are older when they have their first foray into magic was refreshing as the slightly jaded and highly stressed adults burdened with mundane responsibilities perspectives are lightened with the childlike wonder and opening of opportunity often associated with magic. A bit slowly moving at times and briefly a bit too quickly moving, the story’s pacing mimicked the juddering feeling of an under- or overcranked film, adding to the filmic nature and emphasis of the narrative, whether intentional or not. As characters, Montserrat was strong and steadfast, becoming easily consumed with a need to know the all the details, while Tristán was fragile and fickle, haunted by his past, and their dynamic together was endearing and frustrating with the care they obviously have for one another but don’t fully, or honestly, communicate.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
As a talented female sound editor in 1993, Montserrat has been increasingly passed over for more inexperienced males in the industry for work in Mexico City. Montserrat’s life-long best friend, Tristán, is a charming former soap opera star with increasing voiceover work with whom she’s always been in love but he’s made clear would never happen as she’d like. In the wake of his most recent break up, Tristán moves in to a new apartment, where his new neighbor happens to be horror director Abel Ureta. Abel shares with Montserrat and Tristán some cinema history about a film that was never completed, revealing in the process how he became involved with a Nazi occultist dabbling in magic with films made on silver nitrate stock. Convinced that his career abruptly ended due to a curse from the unfinished film, Abel persuades the two friends to help him complete the missing scene’s dubbing to end the curse. When all their luck seems to improve from their dismal states, they are joyous, but it’s a short-lived joy when Monsterrat is followed by a dark presence, Tristán begins seeing the ghost of his ex-girlfriend, whose death is blamed on him, and Abel is killed. Getting to the core of the mystery surrounding the film and the occultist responsible with the surprising aid of a local sorcerer, Montserrat and Tristán try to find a way to end the film, and the magic they unwittingly unleashed from it, before any more terrible things can occur.
Combining a creepy and haunting horror movie atmosphere, not to mention references to some classic films to further set the scene, with the allure of the occult and magic linked with Nazis, and complex relationships, the concept was engrossing, quickly drawing readers in for an adventure of a lifetime for two close friends in their late thirties; depicting main characters who are older when they have their first foray into magic was refreshing as the slightly jaded and highly stressed adults burdened with mundane responsibilities perspectives are lightened with the childlike wonder and opening of opportunity often associated with magic. A bit slowly moving at times and briefly a bit too quickly moving, the story’s pacing mimicked the juddering feeling of an under- or overcranked film, adding to the filmic nature and emphasis of the narrative, whether intentional or not. As characters, Montserrat was strong and steadfast, becoming easily consumed with a need to know the all the details, while Tristán was fragile and fickle, haunted by his past, and their dynamic together was endearing and frustrating with the care they obviously have for one another but don’t fully, or honestly, communicate.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
jordanrosez90's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-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? It's complicated
2.5
eilishjennifer's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.5
karla_readslibros's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0