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thecaptainsquarters 's review for:
Untamed Shore
by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Ahoy there me mateys! I received an eArc of this thriller through NetGalley in exchange for me honest musings.
This be fourth book I have read by the author and me fourth five star read. I have said before that what I find amazing about all of the author's books is that they feel so different from each other. The first was a vampire story with stunning vampire culture and history. The second was a Mayan fairy-tale set during the Jazz age in Mexico. The third was a romance with a hint of fantasy set in the Belle Époque era. And this is a coming-of-age thriller set in Baja California in 1979. I adored this book!
The story follows Viridiana who lives in a small town called Desengaño where every day follows just like the one before it. Instead of doing what is expected, like get married and have babies, Viridiana dreams of making it to a bigger city. Her mastery of foreign languages, intelligence, and longing make her an outcast in her tiny community. During the brief tourist season she makes a little money as a translator and tour guide. The rest of the time she spends watching fisherman hunt sharks on the beach, watching classic Hollywood movies, reading, and dreaming. Her life changes when three rich tourists come to town and she is asked to be not only a translator but also a personal assistant. Life gets interesting when her employer dies.
This is a character driven story with plot twists and turns but is not really fast-paced. That said the book was so absolutely satisfying. Viridiana is a fantastic character whose naivete hurts to read about but her journey towards adulthood and reality is compelling. Watching her struggle between her heart and her head is truly lovely even if ye want to shake her for her stupidity at times. Viridiana's psychological journey was really the thriller aspect because of wondering if, and how, she could get out of the mess she found herself in.
I can't really get into more than that because of spoilers but I thought the ending was perfect and yet partially unexpected. I thought all the shark symbolism was awesome. I am in awe of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's talent and am so excited that she has another book coming out this year - Mexican Gothic on 6/30/2020. Arrr!
This be fourth book I have read by the author and me fourth five star read. I have said before that what I find amazing about all of the author's books is that they feel so different from each other. The first was a vampire story with stunning vampire culture and history. The second was a Mayan fairy-tale set during the Jazz age in Mexico. The third was a romance with a hint of fantasy set in the Belle Époque era. And this is a coming-of-age thriller set in Baja California in 1979. I adored this book!
The story follows Viridiana who lives in a small town called Desengaño where every day follows just like the one before it. Instead of doing what is expected, like get married and have babies, Viridiana dreams of making it to a bigger city. Her mastery of foreign languages, intelligence, and longing make her an outcast in her tiny community. During the brief tourist season she makes a little money as a translator and tour guide. The rest of the time she spends watching fisherman hunt sharks on the beach, watching classic Hollywood movies, reading, and dreaming. Her life changes when three rich tourists come to town and she is asked to be not only a translator but also a personal assistant. Life gets interesting when her employer dies.
This is a character driven story with plot twists and turns but is not really fast-paced. That said the book was so absolutely satisfying. Viridiana is a fantastic character whose naivete hurts to read about but her journey towards adulthood and reality is compelling. Watching her struggle between her heart and her head is truly lovely even if ye want to shake her for her stupidity at times. Viridiana's psychological journey was really the thriller aspect because of wondering if, and how, she could get out of the mess she found herself in.
I can't really get into more than that because of spoilers but I thought the ending was perfect and yet partially unexpected. I thought all the shark symbolism was awesome. I am in awe of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's talent and am so excited that she has another book coming out this year - Mexican Gothic on 6/30/2020. Arrr!