i’m not exactly sure how to feel about this book. i was really hooked at the beginning, and it felt like this book kind of fizzled out, but in a way hard to describe.

adelaida was quite an interesting protagonist, and i enjoyed her inner monologue, but it almost felt like she had no personality. yes i was told her past experiences and relationships, but i felt i didn’t know anything about *her*. other than her relationship with the photographer do i feel like i got to know more about adelaida, but yet again, it was through a relationship.

at points this book felt like it had no plot. like i was just there for the ride. everything kept constantly changing which meant the tone was drastically changing, and i almost couldn’t keep up. i will say though this book did keep me on my toes, as i could never guess where the book would take me next.

i was fascinated by the grittier aspects of venezuela in this story. i’m not knowledgeable enough about history to know how much of this was fact or fiction, but i will say the portrayal of adelaida’s world was gripping. a lot of things felt like they weren’t explained properly in terms of context, almost feeling like the audience already knew that information, so at times i felt quite seperate from the story. 

this book was very odd with its non-linear structure, as one minute i would be fearing for adelaida’s life and the next i would be in a past memory. this constant fear to relaxation was quite jarring, and although i was a fan of the flashbacks and current day stories separately, together they didn’t click for me. also, at times adelaida’s memories felt compelling, such as her stories with her aunts, but other times to me i couldn’t discern the significance of the memory, and thus i was bored.

by the end, it felt like i was reading an entirely different book to the beginning, with adelaida turning into a narrator who repeats a handful of phrases and feelings. something something meta commentary about her adapting over the course of the book. say it with me - if ur meta commentary bores me, it didn’t work. 

anyways, as much as i dunked on this book, i did have a good time ! but i do think the book’s short nature was defo a factor here - if i had to keep reading past the last page i feel my enjoyment of this book would severely plummet.

anyways, thank you karina sainz borgo for taking me to venezuela from my kobo.