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A review by todayitsthis
Abyss by Pilar Quintana
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
4.5
Claudia, who’s named after her beautiful mother, lives with her parents in Cali, Colombia. The grown-ups, including her aunt, are close to one another and lovingly take care of her. However, when someone new enters the picture, the dynamic changes. After that, Claudia’s life is heavily shaded by generational trauma and mental illness.
1️⃣ I read this in one sitting.
2️⃣ I loved reading from the perspective of the 8-year old Claudia. It took me back to books from my childhood. But there’s nothing childish about this book or the traumas it explores.
3️⃣ I hadn’t read any translated works in a while when I picked this one up, and I’m so glad that I did. I studied Latin American lit in college (untranslated then, but my language skills are a bit rusty now) and loved it—I need to get back to it.
4️⃣ I think it’s incredibly difficult to address such difficult topics from the perspective of a child while maintaining an appropriate tone and voice, but Quintana easily achieves it. The way that events unfold in front of Claudia and her reactions are so complex and add heart-wrenching depth to the story.
5️⃣ I have only good things to say about this one. It’s fairly short and can be a quick read, but it’s such a full and layered story.
1️⃣ I read this in one sitting.
2️⃣ I loved reading from the perspective of the 8-year old Claudia. It took me back to books from my childhood. But there’s nothing childish about this book or the traumas it explores.
3️⃣ I hadn’t read any translated works in a while when I picked this one up, and I’m so glad that I did. I studied Latin American lit in college (untranslated then, but my language skills are a bit rusty now) and loved it—I need to get back to it.
4️⃣ I think it’s incredibly difficult to address such difficult topics from the perspective of a child while maintaining an appropriate tone and voice, but Quintana easily achieves it. The way that events unfold in front of Claudia and her reactions are so complex and add heart-wrenching depth to the story.
5️⃣ I have only good things to say about this one. It’s fairly short and can be a quick read, but it’s such a full and layered story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Eating disorder, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide