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A review by robin_b
Candelaria by Melissa Lozada-Oliva
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I found this on a list of lesser-known horror books. I wouldn't really call it a horror. It is more of a family saga with magical realism.
The author is a poet and this is her first novel. It shows. She is a great writer sentence to sentence but overall the prose has this detached feel that makes it hard to follow.
The plot was compelling, but it wasn't front and center of the book. I think I would have enjoyed the story if it was told with a more traditional narrative structure. I'm all for experimental writing, but this just didn't do it for me.
The author is a poet and this is her first novel. It shows. She is a great writer sentence to sentence but overall the prose has this detached feel that makes it hard to follow.
The plot was compelling, but it wasn't front and center of the book. I think I would have enjoyed the story if it was told with a more traditional narrative structure. I'm all for experimental writing, but this just didn't do it for me.