Today on Ariel’s Arcs, I’m going to be talking about yet another of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s work. As one of my favorite authors, I’m always really excited to see Netgalley approve me for one of her titles. Each book I’ve read of hers spans a different genre– from romance to horror, and today we are diving into a gritty, urban crime thriller with my personal favorite: vampires!
In a world where vampires exist as another species close to humans but not quite, an alternate history and present day exists where vampire clans and communities all over the world have mythological ties to their indigenous roots. In Mexico, our main vampire character, Atl, is an Aztec vampire descendant, and her vampiric powers reflect the community she comes from. This non-European shift of vampiric lore was something that I highly enjoyed. The tensions between humans and vampires are explored, as well as the conflicts between indigenous vampires and colonizing vampires from Europe. Plus, there’s a really excellent dog companion, and that just always makes a story better.
Overall, this was a highly enjoyable urban thriller with the added vampire focus that makes this neo-noir story stand out all on its own. While it was unfortunate it went out of print years ago, I’m really excited for this republishing and hope that more of the world can experience the fascinating vampiric world that Silvia Moreno-Garcia has created.
Final Rating:
** Be sure to check out Certain Dark Things. It is out September 7, 2021! **
Photo by Andrea De Santis on Unsplash
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