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nataliejwong's review against another edition
1.0
This is certainly a book that you could read. Would I recommend it? Absolutely not. I have no idea what this book was trying to say or if there was a point? I'm just confused? There was no resolve... What was the thing with the dwarves? What happened there? I can't believe that some reviewers called this book powerful and mesmerizing? This book was directionless, disappointing, and tired.
clarebear2218's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
alkope's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-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
3.5
adusablon's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
poisoned_icecream's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, and Alcohol
mollyjones's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this book and found it to be very readable. However, normally I don't mind when books don't have a central plot but with this I found it completely lacked a point. I think it was trying to be a coming of age book but just left me feeling kind of meh.
The prose was beautifully written, really poetic and had lots of lines that I read twice because I loved them so much - but I don't think it was believably the voice of a 17-year old runaway.
The prose was beautifully written, really poetic and had lots of lines that I read twice because I loved them so much - but I don't think it was believably the voice of a 17-year old runaway.
abithoughtful's review
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
'I thought back to the Baudelaire poem and what it seemed to say, how to imagine travel is probably better than actually travelling since no journey can ever satisfy human desire; as soon as one sets out, fantasies get tangled in the rigging and dark birds of doubt begin circling overhead.'
π‘π‘π‘
'But that was the problem with mysterious people, I explained, once you spend time with them they're not so mysterious after all, and as I said that the merman smiled, as if promising, no matter what, to remain a mystery.'
Luisa falls in love with a mysterious boy and together they travel to Zapolite on the Pacific coast, to search for a troupe of Ukrainian dwarfs escaped from the circus, and soak in the strange dream of the Beach of the Dead. There, Luisa moves through cycles of enchantment and disenchantment, drinking each night with a man who does not seem to speak Spanish, falling out of love with her TomΓ‘s, chasing mirages that dissolve like sea spray.
ππ¦π
This book is a vision, a dream sequence, espousing a kind of magic realism that, only when you look at it a second time, do you realise is actually entirely devoid of magic. It's a coming of age book but in a strange, half-deflationary way, making growing up a shedding of fantasies, yet refusing to make that a tragedy. It moves sideways and backwards and forwards in a way that usually frustrates me (I want my books to have plots, mostly), but which mesmerized me this time. Like floating in the ocean and feeling the magic of a fish tickling your ankle, only to discover it's just a piece of litter. Like swinging in a hammock at dawn as police sirens swim through the air.
It's pretty short (under 200 pages) and a lovely antidote to some of the really shit horror I've read lately. Glad I took a punt on this one in a charity shop after taking a shine to the cover. I hadn't heard of it before. Check it out if you get the chance - it's great.
π‘π‘π‘
'But that was the problem with mysterious people, I explained, once you spend time with them they're not so mysterious after all, and as I said that the merman smiled, as if promising, no matter what, to remain a mystery.'
Luisa falls in love with a mysterious boy and together they travel to Zapolite on the Pacific coast, to search for a troupe of Ukrainian dwarfs escaped from the circus, and soak in the strange dream of the Beach of the Dead. There, Luisa moves through cycles of enchantment and disenchantment, drinking each night with a man who does not seem to speak Spanish, falling out of love with her TomΓ‘s, chasing mirages that dissolve like sea spray.
ππ¦π
This book is a vision, a dream sequence, espousing a kind of magic realism that, only when you look at it a second time, do you realise is actually entirely devoid of magic. It's a coming of age book but in a strange, half-deflationary way, making growing up a shedding of fantasies, yet refusing to make that a tragedy. It moves sideways and backwards and forwards in a way that usually frustrates me (I want my books to have plots, mostly), but which mesmerized me this time. Like floating in the ocean and feeling the magic of a fish tickling your ankle, only to discover it's just a piece of litter. Like swinging in a hammock at dawn as police sirens swim through the air.
It's pretty short (under 200 pages) and a lovely antidote to some of the really shit horror I've read lately. Glad I took a punt on this one in a charity shop after taking a shine to the cover. I hadn't heard of it before. Check it out if you get the chance - it's great.
michalow's review against another edition
3.0
A weird little dreamscape of a novel. Chloe Aridjis writes wonderfully evocative scenes, hung on the faintest wisp of a plot.
nahanarts's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75