A review by theaceofpages
The Sound of Things Falling by Juan Gabriel Vásquez
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I read this for a reading challenge and, while it did sound interesting, I ended up enjoying this more than I expected to. The tone of this book is very much ne of despair and things falling apart - very appropriate given its contents. It deals a lot with corruption and drug smuggling and grief. I haven't read the original, but the atmosphere is captured incredibly well in the English translation. I imagine it must be at least as good in the original.
The text is beautiful and easy to follow (even if the contents are challenging at times). I very much enjoyed most of it but pats gave me somewhat men writing women vibes (like a character being somewhat fixated on what her breasts look like - I have never met anyone who thinks this way). The characters are incredibly flawed and complex and I loved seeing how they change as the descent into chaos and despair progresses.
Some notes on some of the spoiler warnings (each is individually spoilered)
Drug use/abuse:
Animal abuse: )
Animal death:
The text is beautiful and easy to follow (even if the contents are challenging at times). I very much enjoyed most of it but pats gave me somewhat men writing women vibes (like a character being somewhat fixated on what her breasts look like - I have never met anyone who thinks this way). The characters are incredibly flawed and complex and I loved seeing how they change as the descent into chaos and despair progresses.
Some notes on some of the spoiler warnings (each is individually spoilered)
Spoiler
Drug use/abuse:
Spoiler
Includes medicinal use of morphine, as well as the illegal use (and trafficking) of marihuana, as well as mentions of cocaine (use and manufacture)Animal abuse:
Spoiler
Wild animals being kept in horrible conditions as well as a specific incident which would have caused an animal a lot of fear and panic (at least it's a short scene butSpoiler
the animal diesAnimal death:
Spoiler
As the blurb tells you, a hippo is shot at the start. There is also another big death later on.Moderate: Drug abuse, Grief, Animal death, Mental illness, Animal cruelty, War, and Death
Minor: Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, Gun violence, Medical content, Drug use, Violence, and Death of parent