Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Thomas Dunne Books (2016), 336 pages
Description
Fantasy. Fiction. Horror. Mystery. HTML: From Silvia Moreno-Garcia, the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic, comes Certain Dark Things, a pulse-pounding neo-noir that reimagines vampire lore. Welcome to Mexico City, an oasis in a sea of vampires. Domingo, a lonely garbage-collecting street kid, is just trying to survive its heavily policed streets when a jaded vampire on the run swoops into his life. Atl, the descendant of Aztec blood drinkers, is smart, beautiful, and dangerous. Domingo is mesmerized. Atl needs to quickly escape the city, far from the rival narco-vampire clan relentlessly pursuing her. Her plan doesn't include Domingo, but little by little, Atl finds herself warming up to the scrappy young man and his undeniable charm. As the trail of corpses stretches behind her, local cops and crime bosses both start closing in. Vampires, humans, cops, and criminals collide in the dark streets of Mexico City. Do Atl and Domingo even stand a chance of making it out alive? Or will the city devour them all? A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Nightfire.… (more)
Media reviews
User reviews
LibraryThing member krau0098
Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I borrowed a copy of this as an audiobook from the library.
Thoughts: This is an odd book. It is set in Mexico City in “current” day but it is alternate Mexico City where vampires exist. The tone to the story is very noir, dark and gritty. It also
The story follows a garbage-collector/street kid named Domingo as he happens upon a vampire in hiding named Atl. Atl ends up hiring Domingo to help her evade capture while she dodges a rival vampire family (vampires aren’t legal in Mexico City, so both Atl and the rival family must stay in hiding). It also follows a cop that is trying to track Atl down and ends up joining forces with a human gang to do so. There is a lot of gang activity and we watch as Atl tries to figure out what to do after her family has been killed and hunted down.
I enjoyed the different types of vampires in here and the Aztec lore that ties into Atl’s race. I also really enjoyed Domingo, he has a sort of go-with-the flow vibe and innocence that plays off well with Atl’s aggressiveness. The story is a pretty basic evade capture type of scenario but with some mafia-like politics thrown in. I also liked the way the story ended, I though it fit the tone of the story very nicely.
The writing was fine but the whole book feels a bit lost to me. The story wanders and our characters don’t have a lot to drive them besides Atl trying to evade capture. It was okay but definitely not Moreno-Garcia’s best. It is also very different from her other books. Previous to reading this I had also read “Velvet was the Night” (hated it) and Mexican Gothic (really liked it). I also have “Gods of Jade and Shadow” to read.
My Summary (3/5): Overall this was an okay vampire read that is a bit different. The setting reminds of a noir cyberpunk type of theme. I enjoyed the different vampire types but found the story to be wandering and lacking. If I hadn’t been listening to this on audiobook I probably would have DNF’d it, however, it’s pretty short and I didn’t have anything else to listen to so I went ahead and finished. I just kind of felt “eh” about it, I wasn’t eager to listen to it but didn’t mind either. Not Moreno-Garcia’s best, but an okay gritty dark mafia vampire read if you are looking for something like that.
Thoughts: This is an odd book. It is set in Mexico City in “current” day but it is alternate Mexico City where vampires exist. The tone to the story is very noir, dark and gritty. It also
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has a bit of a cyberpunk feel to it; there is some technology in here that doesn’t fit with current day Mexico City, so I can only assume that this is a result of the world developing differently as a result of vampire existance. I listened to this on audiobook and it was well done.The story follows a garbage-collector/street kid named Domingo as he happens upon a vampire in hiding named Atl. Atl ends up hiring Domingo to help her evade capture while she dodges a rival vampire family (vampires aren’t legal in Mexico City, so both Atl and the rival family must stay in hiding). It also follows a cop that is trying to track Atl down and ends up joining forces with a human gang to do so. There is a lot of gang activity and we watch as Atl tries to figure out what to do after her family has been killed and hunted down.
I enjoyed the different types of vampires in here and the Aztec lore that ties into Atl’s race. I also really enjoyed Domingo, he has a sort of go-with-the flow vibe and innocence that plays off well with Atl’s aggressiveness. The story is a pretty basic evade capture type of scenario but with some mafia-like politics thrown in. I also liked the way the story ended, I though it fit the tone of the story very nicely.
The writing was fine but the whole book feels a bit lost to me. The story wanders and our characters don’t have a lot to drive them besides Atl trying to evade capture. It was okay but definitely not Moreno-Garcia’s best. It is also very different from her other books. Previous to reading this I had also read “Velvet was the Night” (hated it) and Mexican Gothic (really liked it). I also have “Gods of Jade and Shadow” to read.
My Summary (3/5): Overall this was an okay vampire read that is a bit different. The setting reminds of a noir cyberpunk type of theme. I enjoyed the different vampire types but found the story to be wandering and lacking. If I hadn’t been listening to this on audiobook I probably would have DNF’d it, however, it’s pretty short and I didn’t have anything else to listen to so I went ahead and finished. I just kind of felt “eh” about it, I wasn’t eager to listen to it but didn’t mind either. Not Moreno-Garcia’s best, but an okay gritty dark mafia vampire read if you are looking for something like that.
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LibraryThing member Carolesrandomlife
I liked this book but I didn’t love it as much as I had hoped that I would. I went into this book with incredibly high expectations which may have been unrealistic. The book has been one that I have wanted to read for a long time so I jumped at the opportunity to listen to this audiobook. There
One thing that I really liked about this book is how different the vampires were compared to most vampire stories. The fact that there were different vampire subspecies and they were all different was really interesting and I think that it added a lot to the story. Atl is an Aztec vampire which is bird-like. Atl is on the run from another clan that wants to kill her. She pairs up with a human, Domingo, who is completely taken with her right away. Can they stay safe if they work together?
My favorite character in the book was Domingo. He was all in from the start and really wanted to be the support that he felt Atl needed. Atl was much more complicated. She has been through some terrible things and the odds were really against her. I did love Atl’s dog and loved how protective he was of her. I thought that most of the characters were interesting but unfortunately, I never grew to care about any of them. There was just something about this book that failed to hook me.
Aida Reluzco did a good job with the narration but I do feel like this book would have been better if several narrators were used. There were times that I wasn’t quite sure which perspective the book had switched to which could be rather confusing. I thought that she had a very pleasant voice and was easy to listen to for hours at a time.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a different kind of vampire story. This book didn’t completely click for me but I do think that a lot of other readers will really appreciate the story. I definitely plan to read more of this author’s work in the future.
I received a digital review copy of this audiobook from Macmillan Audio via NetGalley.
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were a lot of things that I really liked about the book and I am glad that I finally got the chance to experience it for myself.One thing that I really liked about this book is how different the vampires were compared to most vampire stories. The fact that there were different vampire subspecies and they were all different was really interesting and I think that it added a lot to the story. Atl is an Aztec vampire which is bird-like. Atl is on the run from another clan that wants to kill her. She pairs up with a human, Domingo, who is completely taken with her right away. Can they stay safe if they work together?
My favorite character in the book was Domingo. He was all in from the start and really wanted to be the support that he felt Atl needed. Atl was much more complicated. She has been through some terrible things and the odds were really against her. I did love Atl’s dog and loved how protective he was of her. I thought that most of the characters were interesting but unfortunately, I never grew to care about any of them. There was just something about this book that failed to hook me.
Aida Reluzco did a good job with the narration but I do feel like this book would have been better if several narrators were used. There were times that I wasn’t quite sure which perspective the book had switched to which could be rather confusing. I thought that she had a very pleasant voice and was easy to listen to for hours at a time.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a different kind of vampire story. This book didn’t completely click for me but I do think that a lot of other readers will really appreciate the story. I definitely plan to read more of this author’s work in the future.
I received a digital review copy of this audiobook from Macmillan Audio via NetGalley.
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LibraryThing member andreablythe
I love vampires and I love Mexico City, so I had to buy Certain Dark Things. The world Moreno-Garcia has created features vampires of many species that live out in the open with humanity. Though vampires have been ousted from many countries around the world, they've gained a stronghold in Mexico,
The novel is told from point of view of multiple interesting characters — Domingo, a garbage-collecting street kid; Atl, a descendant of Aztec blood drinkers on the run from a rival vampire gang; Rodrigo, a human servant of vampires hunting Atl; Ana, a cop who becomes wrapped up in events when bodies start turning up.
Certain Dark Things is a brilliant crime thriller full of vampires and gangsters and femme fatales. This novel together with Signal to Noise makes Silvia Moreno-Garcia one of my writers favorite writers. Looking forward to reading more of her work.
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forming powerful and dangerous cartels — with the exception of Mexico City, which exists as a vampire-free zone due to the strength of the human gangs. The novel is told from point of view of multiple interesting characters — Domingo, a garbage-collecting street kid; Atl, a descendant of Aztec blood drinkers on the run from a rival vampire gang; Rodrigo, a human servant of vampires hunting Atl; Ana, a cop who becomes wrapped up in events when bodies start turning up.
Certain Dark Things is a brilliant crime thriller full of vampires and gangsters and femme fatales. This novel together with Signal to Noise makes Silvia Moreno-Garcia one of my writers favorite writers. Looking forward to reading more of her work.
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LibraryThing member sussura
These are not your grandparents' vampires.
By turns fantastic action, funny, and serious, Certain Dark Things weaves poetry, history, and club culture with blood and street grit.
If The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo met (and devoured) Interview with a Vampire to the twined rhythms of Octavio Paz,
(From my blurb of Certain Dark Things)
By turns fantastic action, funny, and serious, Certain Dark Things weaves poetry, history, and club culture with blood and street grit.
If The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo met (and devoured) Interview with a Vampire to the twined rhythms of Octavio Paz,
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Bram Stoker, and Ozomatli, you might come close to the layers and textures of Certain Dark Things. Set in a beautifully and heartbreakingly rendered Mexico caught up in Narco-Vampire wars, Silvia Moreno-Garcia's novel lets us fall in love with many perspectives before she breaks our hearts and puts us back together again. (From my blurb of Certain Dark Things)
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LibraryThing member rivkat
The multiple subspecies of vampires, known to humanity for the past half century, have largely been driven out of Mexico City though they are thriving in the country at large. Arl comes to Mexico City fleeing the massacre of her family of drug-dealing Aztec vampires, with a European,
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human-enslaving Necros and his Renfields on her trail. She hooks up with Domingo, a street kid who thinks she’s amazing; she thinks he’s food, though he gets further under her skin than she’d like. An older human detective and one of the Renfields round out the POV characters. It’s a fascinating scenario, foregrounding questions about what is common in humanity (and inhumanity). Show Less
LibraryThing member cindywho
The style was a bit clunky, but the spin on vampire mythology was an exciting and interesting world for this short coming of age/love story to live in.
LibraryThing member pwaites
Certain Dark Things is a gritty, fresh take on vampires set in an alternate version of Mexico City.
Domingo is a homeless seventeen year old who makes a living collecting garbage off the streets of Mexico City. But then he meets Atl, a young vampire on the run. Her clan of Aztec descended vampires
The plot of Certain Dark Things is relatively simple, akin to a Hollywood action movie. Atl and Domingo run and are pursued, particularly by Nick, a vampire from the Necro subspecies. But while the plot line is simple, it makes for a fast paced novel with the feel of a thriller. There’s plenty of action to keep you flipping those pages.
One of the highlights of Certain Dark Things was the world building. Silvia Moreno-Garcia turned out to be fantastic when it comes to world building. This book actually made vampires feel new and original! I loved the originality of having different subspecies of vampires based on different cultural legends. It made for a wonderful variety that is slowly uncovered through the course of the novel.
Atl is in her early twenties, but she sometimes read as younger. Presumably, early twenties is very young for a long lived vampire species, so it does make sense that she occasionally came off as immature and childish. She’s also got a vindictive streak, but that appears common to all the vampires of Certain Dark Things. While she did feel young, I was still unnerved by her relationship with a seventeen year old. Age gaps in relationships tend to feel skeevy to me, especially when the younger party is only a teenager. Certain Dark Things was no exception.
While Atl and Domingo are clearly the leads, Certain Dark Things brings in several other POV characters. Among them is Nick, the loathsome young vampire of a European subspecies who’s determined to capture Atl and has no compunctions about killing when it benefits him. However, my favorite of the cast was clearly Ana, a flawed but sympathetic detective struggling to make a living as a single mom within the sexist Mexico City police bureau. Things don’t go so well for her in Certain Dark Things, and I really felt for her.
Certain Dark Things is dark, bloody, violent and certainly not for the faint of heart. Yet this explosive combination of vampires, drug cartels, and cops in the heart of Mexico City made for one of the best vampire novels I’ve ever read. If you’re a fan of vampire books, this is one you definitely need to read. And if you’re not into vampires, Certain Dark Things may change your mind.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
Domingo is a homeless seventeen year old who makes a living collecting garbage off the streets of Mexico City. But then he meets Atl, a young vampire on the run. Her clan of Aztec descended vampires
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was obliterated by another vampire clan who was muscling in on their drug trade. Mexico City, a “vampire free” sanctuary, looked like somewhere she could lose her pursuit, but now she’s risking both rival vampires and the gangs and police of Mexico City.The plot of Certain Dark Things is relatively simple, akin to a Hollywood action movie. Atl and Domingo run and are pursued, particularly by Nick, a vampire from the Necro subspecies. But while the plot line is simple, it makes for a fast paced novel with the feel of a thriller. There’s plenty of action to keep you flipping those pages.
One of the highlights of Certain Dark Things was the world building. Silvia Moreno-Garcia turned out to be fantastic when it comes to world building. This book actually made vampires feel new and original! I loved the originality of having different subspecies of vampires based on different cultural legends. It made for a wonderful variety that is slowly uncovered through the course of the novel.
Atl is in her early twenties, but she sometimes read as younger. Presumably, early twenties is very young for a long lived vampire species, so it does make sense that she occasionally came off as immature and childish. She’s also got a vindictive streak, but that appears common to all the vampires of Certain Dark Things. While she did feel young, I was still unnerved by her relationship with a seventeen year old. Age gaps in relationships tend to feel skeevy to me, especially when the younger party is only a teenager. Certain Dark Things was no exception.
While Atl and Domingo are clearly the leads, Certain Dark Things brings in several other POV characters. Among them is Nick, the loathsome young vampire of a European subspecies who’s determined to capture Atl and has no compunctions about killing when it benefits him. However, my favorite of the cast was clearly Ana, a flawed but sympathetic detective struggling to make a living as a single mom within the sexist Mexico City police bureau. Things don’t go so well for her in Certain Dark Things, and I really felt for her.
Certain Dark Things is dark, bloody, violent and certainly not for the faint of heart. Yet this explosive combination of vampires, drug cartels, and cops in the heart of Mexico City made for one of the best vampire novels I’ve ever read. If you’re a fan of vampire books, this is one you definitely need to read. And if you’re not into vampires, Certain Dark Things may change your mind.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
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LibraryThing member imyril
There are no vampires in Mexico City: the sanitation squads and the human gangs keep the city clear. That makes it either the safest or the stupidest place for a vampire on the run – but Atl is out of options.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s narco-vampire noir never misses a beat. She has taken the
Full review.
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s narco-vampire noir never misses a beat. She has taken the
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varied folk tales from around the world and woven them into a vampire story where they’re all true, all valid, and all at one another’s throats as the world gets smaller. It has the world-weary air of cyberpunk, looking for a shred of beauty/humanity in a cracked dark mirror. Dripping with blood, divided in its loyalties, this is the most satisfying vampire novel I've read in years, glittering and sharp-edged.Full review.
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member allison_s
Longer RTC.
Remember what Anne Rice did for the vampire novel 40 years ago with "Interview with the Vampire"? Silvia Moreno-Garcia has done that now with THIS BOOK. This was a fresh and elegantly blood-soaked reboot of the vampire tale, and I did not want to put it down. From Dusk till Dawn meets
Going right onto my Top 5 Books of 2016 list! Absolutely stunning
////Seriously AMAZING.//// Totally changes the game as far as the vampire novel is concerned. Preorder it IMMEDIATELY.
Thanks so much to Thomas Dunne and NetGalley for the review copy!
Remember what Anne Rice did for the vampire novel 40 years ago with "Interview with the Vampire"? Silvia Moreno-Garcia has done that now with THIS BOOK. This was a fresh and elegantly blood-soaked reboot of the vampire tale, and I did not want to put it down. From Dusk till Dawn meets
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Blade meets Vampire: The Masquerade, but polished to perfection. Going right onto my Top 5 Books of 2016 list! Absolutely stunning
////Seriously AMAZING.//// Totally changes the game as far as the vampire novel is concerned. Preorder it IMMEDIATELY.
Thanks so much to Thomas Dunne and NetGalley for the review copy!
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LibraryThing member Tip44
I wanted to love it, but it simply didn't hold my interest
LibraryThing member tapestry100
A whip smart, fast paced, urban fantasy that takes vampire lore to an entirely new level, CERTAIN DARK THINGS by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia is the debut offering from @torbooks new horror imprint, Nightfire, and it is a perfect book to launch with. Reading almost as much as an alternate history as it
The way Moreno-Garcia creates such complex lore around each of the different types of vampires is fantastic. You won’t find sparkling vampires here, nor vampires that can change into mist. Instead, these are vampires grounded in the real world, with various subspecies and a history and lore to go with each. While being dark and gritty and bloody, it’s still refreshing to see a writer be able to do something original like this with vampires. Moreno-Garcia’s writing is slick and stylish; I’m sorry I haven’t read any of her other books yet. I’ll need to remedy that sooner than later.
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does urban fantasy/horror, vampires are discovered in the 1960s to actually exist. As the world struggles with this new knowledge, vampires and humans attempt to coexist, but of course this doesn’t work out. CDT takes place in a near-future Mexico City, one of the few vampire-free zones in the world. Told from multiple points of view, CDT follows young, naïve Atl, a vampire of Aztec decent, who is on the run after her family is murdered by a rival vampire cartel. She befriends street kid Domingo, who can help her navigate the unfamiliar streets of Mexico City as she tries to negotiate them passage out of North America before either the Mexico City police, the human mafia, or the rival vampire family finds her and kills her. The way Moreno-Garcia creates such complex lore around each of the different types of vampires is fantastic. You won’t find sparkling vampires here, nor vampires that can change into mist. Instead, these are vampires grounded in the real world, with various subspecies and a history and lore to go with each. While being dark and gritty and bloody, it’s still refreshing to see a writer be able to do something original like this with vampires. Moreno-Garcia’s writing is slick and stylish; I’m sorry I haven’t read any of her other books yet. I’ll need to remedy that sooner than later.
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LibraryThing member Strider66
Pros: several vampire species, unique setting, great characters
Cons: antagonist upsets his own plans
Atl is a Tlahuihpochtli, a vampire descended from those that served in the Aztec temple in Mexico city in ages past. Now she’s the last of her clan, hiding in the city from a rival vampire drug
If you’re looking for something different with regards to vampires - vicious, brutal, vampires - then this book is for you. In this world, humans discovered vampires were real in the 1960s, but not just Bram Stoker’s style of vampires. The glossary at the end of the book goes over the different types, though only three types show up in the book.
I really liked Atl, and while I thought Domingo was naive, I couldn’t help mimicking his belief that Atl was a ‘good’ vampire, despite the mounting evidence against this idea. I did face a crisis of “am I supposed to be rooting for her?” half way through the novel, something I come against when there are no obvious heroes. Atl is a type of vampire I’ve never heard of, and found fascinating. She’s strong willed and learns fast.
Another character I really liked was Ana, a detective who’s faced vampires before and uses her skills to track Atl down. I loved her grit and determination to make a better life for herself and her daughter. She’s the character I ended up rooting for the most.
Nick, as the antagonist, was great. He’s flawed in many ways, not least is that his stupidity and desire to punish Atl upset his own side’s plans. But he’s a great traditional vampire - terrifying in his disregard for human life, even as he’s constrained in his actions by his father’s human henchman.
Mexico city was a unique setting that was a pleasure to read about. It’s nice to see books branching out into new locations.
The ending gets pretty brutal, and while one character’s ending left me somewhat unhappy, it was an appropriate and satisfying ending for the book as a whole.
Cons: antagonist upsets his own plans
Atl is a Tlahuihpochtli, a vampire descended from those that served in the Aztec temple in Mexico city in ages past. Now she’s the last of her clan, hiding in the city from a rival vampire drug
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lord’s son. Domingo is a trash picker who stumbles across Atl one evening. Entranced by her beauty, he accompanies her home.If you’re looking for something different with regards to vampires - vicious, brutal, vampires - then this book is for you. In this world, humans discovered vampires were real in the 1960s, but not just Bram Stoker’s style of vampires. The glossary at the end of the book goes over the different types, though only three types show up in the book.
I really liked Atl, and while I thought Domingo was naive, I couldn’t help mimicking his belief that Atl was a ‘good’ vampire, despite the mounting evidence against this idea. I did face a crisis of “am I supposed to be rooting for her?” half way through the novel, something I come against when there are no obvious heroes. Atl is a type of vampire I’ve never heard of, and found fascinating. She’s strong willed and learns fast.
Another character I really liked was Ana, a detective who’s faced vampires before and uses her skills to track Atl down. I loved her grit and determination to make a better life for herself and her daughter. She’s the character I ended up rooting for the most.
Nick, as the antagonist, was great. He’s flawed in many ways, not least is that his stupidity and desire to punish Atl upset his own side’s plans. But he’s a great traditional vampire - terrifying in his disregard for human life, even as he’s constrained in his actions by his father’s human henchman.
Mexico city was a unique setting that was a pleasure to read about. It’s nice to see books branching out into new locations.
The ending gets pretty brutal, and while one character’s ending left me somewhat unhappy, it was an appropriate and satisfying ending for the book as a whole.
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LibraryThing member Kellswitch
**Full disclosure: I received this book in exchange for an honest review**
This is a challenging book for me to review as this is not my typical type of book. For one I am rather burnt out on vampires and two, the main story ended up being one that if it hadn't been for the vampire/fantasy element
In regards to the vampire element, I found myself really enjoying the new take on them presented in this book and I found myself intrigued by the history and culture that grew up around them. I wouldn’t have minded learning more but enough was presented in the story and in the much appreciated, and interesting glossary provided at the end of the book that I was given all the information I needed. I also loved the peeks we were given into the ancient Aztec culture, a book set in that timeline would be fascinating.
In regards to the main elements of the story, this proved a bit more problematic to me. Without going into spoilers, this type of story is one that I usually don't find at all interesting and have a hard time caring about and it did slow me down from time to time while reading this book. However, with that said, it was so well-written that I found myself way more invested than I usually would have been and I really wish I could have enjoyed it more than I did.
My personal issues aside this is a really well written and tight book and I would strongly recommend it to anyone interested in vampires or even urban fantasy that offers something different from the standard fair.
This is a challenging book for me to review as this is not my typical type of book. For one I am rather burnt out on vampires and two, the main story ended up being one that if it hadn't been for the vampire/fantasy element
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I wouldn't have touched it with a ten-foot pole. In regards to the vampire element, I found myself really enjoying the new take on them presented in this book and I found myself intrigued by the history and culture that grew up around them. I wouldn’t have minded learning more but enough was presented in the story and in the much appreciated, and interesting glossary provided at the end of the book that I was given all the information I needed. I also loved the peeks we were given into the ancient Aztec culture, a book set in that timeline would be fascinating.
In regards to the main elements of the story, this proved a bit more problematic to me. Without going into spoilers, this type of story is one that I usually don't find at all interesting and have a hard time caring about and it did slow me down from time to time while reading this book. However, with that said, it was so well-written that I found myself way more invested than I usually would have been and I really wish I could have enjoyed it more than I did.
My personal issues aside this is a really well written and tight book and I would strongly recommend it to anyone interested in vampires or even urban fantasy that offers something different from the standard fair.
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LibraryThing member readingover50
A fresh take on the vampire mythos. I really liked how the world knows about vampires, and in some ways coexists with them, but in other ways, humans are still seen as food. There are many different species of vampires. This book focuses on Atl, who comes from an ancient line of Aztec vampires, and
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Nick, one of the Necros form of vampires. Nick wants to kill Atl. Add in a young human assistant, and a police detective determined to stop the vampires, and you get a great story. I loved the world building here, and the writing was intriguing. I recommend this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member books-n-pickles
Started listening to this one in the car with Areg but ended up finishing it by reading on my own. It's more my genre than his, but our bigger issue was that the audiobook--while well-narrated and infinitely helpful with pronunciations (seriously, if we're translating languages into the Latin
Anywho, the plot.
The near-future "neon-noir" (as Moreno-Garcia calls it) Mexico City has banned vampires from its environs, though the rest of the country has been something of a safe haven for vampires who faced persecution once they "came out" to the world in the 1970s. Atl is a descendant of Latin American vampires who have been around since before the Aztecs; the European Necros, a younger lineage more prone to violence, have been encroaching into her family's territory, including their narcotics empire. After staggering acts of violence, Atl is on the run, hiding in the safest place she can think of, the last place a reasonable vampire would be: Mexico City.
There, she meets Domingo, a charming trash-picker who is absolutely fascinated by vampires in general and Atl in particular. He eagerly assists her by giving blood and making connections with both her mother's old allies and his own underworld contacts, all in an effort to get her safely out of Mexico City and over the border on her way to vampire-friendly Brazil.
The world- and character-building that I so admired in Moreno-Garcia's Mexican Gothic are in more than full force her, since she's not as constrained by history and remote location as she was in that book. Mexico City is vibrant and alive, with its established neighborhoods, historic districts, seedy lower-income housing, hipster gentrification zones, and massive landfills; its dive bars, diners, metro, and retro automats. The biggest near-future-y element is the "Sanitation" department, a slightly sinister public health body that monitors Mexico City for signs of a deadly disease and, of course, the illegal presence of vampires.
Character-wise, along with Atl and Domingo, we have a woman cop who transferred from northern vampire territory to Mexico City to keep her teenage daughter safe, only wind up tangled in the Atl-Necros mess; a live-wire young Necros hopped up on violence and drugs, determined to capture and torture Atl for daring to reject his romantic advances and laterretaliating against his clan's broadside shot of beheading her mother by killing three of their own--the Necros may have responded by slaughtering Atl's entire family, but it's the personal slight that drives this guy on. There's a young gang member eager to kill a vampire, to send a message to other vampires that they and their drug trade are not welcome in the spoken-for territory of Mexico City. There are Diego's connections, both friends and foes: gun traffickers, dog fighters, street kids, rivals in love. And there's a weary "Renfield" (a Dracula reference) who's served as a dogsbody to the Necros clan leader for a very long time and just wants to retire, not chase down Atl while trying to control the hot-headed heir. Oh, and there's Atl's awesome doberman with a florescent tattoo.
That's a lot of pieces to put on the board, which accounts for the slow start. It's the kind of sprawling world building and character establishment that I absolutely love, but which is probably divisive among readers. The complex global vampire lore--which is helpfully broken down at the end of the book, though I didn't realize that since I was reading the ebook--is nuanced and fascinating.
I'm kind of torn about this book. For everything I loved in it (and there was a lot, so I'm going with four stars instead of three), I didn't feel a real connection. I did feel quite a lot of discomfort withthe inevitable Atl-Domingo romance. As Atl contemplates, Domingo is like a puppy in his outwardly innocent enthusiasm (though of course, as a kid who lives on the streets he's much more experienced in life than he lets on). When they get together, even though the narrative has stressed that they're kind of the same age, even if vampire Atl is a bit older chronologically, it still feels a bit icky. Part of why Atl feels so much older and so mature is the bloody violence that she's seen and crippling guilt that she feels--all deep, dark feelings that are so at odds with Domingo's sunny, almost childlike disposition. It just kind of felt...a little too close to statutory, and that colored my whole experience of the rest of the book. Probably unfairly. Oh well, that's just my brain.
Sprawling and complex, this book won't be for everyone--but for vampire and urban fantasy enthusiasts, it's a heady and delicious brew.
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alphabet, why do we have to import English's nonsensical pronunciations into them?), it was just a bit too quiet to hear in a car that isn't very soundproofed. It also has what feels like a bit of a slow start before breaking into a turbo-charged obstacle course, and I think the slower beginning wasn't the best for long drives.Anywho, the plot.
The near-future "neon-noir" (as Moreno-Garcia calls it) Mexico City has banned vampires from its environs, though the rest of the country has been something of a safe haven for vampires who faced persecution once they "came out" to the world in the 1970s. Atl is a descendant of Latin American vampires who have been around since before the Aztecs; the European Necros, a younger lineage more prone to violence, have been encroaching into her family's territory, including their narcotics empire. After staggering acts of violence, Atl is on the run, hiding in the safest place she can think of, the last place a reasonable vampire would be: Mexico City.
There, she meets Domingo, a charming trash-picker who is absolutely fascinated by vampires in general and Atl in particular. He eagerly assists her by giving blood and making connections with both her mother's old allies and his own underworld contacts, all in an effort to get her safely out of Mexico City and over the border on her way to vampire-friendly Brazil.
The world- and character-building that I so admired in Moreno-Garcia's Mexican Gothic are in more than full force her, since she's not as constrained by history and remote location as she was in that book. Mexico City is vibrant and alive, with its established neighborhoods, historic districts, seedy lower-income housing, hipster gentrification zones, and massive landfills; its dive bars, diners, metro, and retro automats. The biggest near-future-y element is the "Sanitation" department, a slightly sinister public health body that monitors Mexico City for signs of a deadly disease and, of course, the illegal presence of vampires.
Character-wise, along with Atl and Domingo, we have a woman cop who transferred from northern vampire territory to Mexico City to keep her teenage daughter safe, only wind up tangled in the Atl-Necros mess; a live-wire young Necros hopped up on violence and drugs, determined to capture and torture Atl for daring to reject his romantic advances and later
That's a lot of pieces to put on the board, which accounts for the slow start. It's the kind of sprawling world building and character establishment that I absolutely love, but which is probably divisive among readers. The complex global vampire lore--which is helpfully broken down at the end of the book, though I didn't realize that since I was reading the ebook--is nuanced and fascinating.
I'm kind of torn about this book. For everything I loved in it (and there was a lot, so I'm going with four stars instead of three), I didn't feel a real connection. I did feel quite a lot of discomfort with
Sprawling and complex, this book won't be for everyone--but for vampire and urban fantasy enthusiasts, it's a heady and delicious brew.
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LibraryThing member brittaniethekid
A well-thought-out vampire novel with likeable characters and an exciting plot.
It's set in Mexico City with the main characters being a homeless teen/trash collector, a worn-out beat cop with a knack for killing vampires, and a sole-survivor of one of several species of vampire, many
It's set in Mexico City with the main characters being a homeless teen/trash collector, a worn-out beat cop with a knack for killing vampires, and a sole-survivor of one of several species of vampire, many
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never-before-seen in the vast amount of vampire novels published in the last decade or created by the author herself. This doesn't start out as a typical YA paranormal-romance (though it certainly contains elements). The only problem I had was the unsatisfactory and kind of hurried ending. I really enjoyed the glossary at the end, don't skip that. It made me wish for a sequel but set in another place with different types of subspecies. Show Less
LibraryThing member macha
a neo-noir veneer, complete with femme fatale, a ride through the mean streets of Mexico City, a love story worthy of Casablanca, and ten distinct varieties of vampires. what's not to like?
LibraryThing member moosenoose
“But life is no adventure and there are no heroes, only survivors”
Yet another ‘meh’ vampire story. I thought the idea of vampire clans, all with differing strengths, weaknesses and beliefs would be interesting, but, only two types of clans were significantly involved. The most interesting
Yet another ‘meh’ vampire story. I thought the idea of vampire clans, all with differing strengths, weaknesses and beliefs would be interesting, but, only two types of clans were significantly involved. The most interesting
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character (other than the dog) was Bernardino, but unfortunately his involvement wasn’t necessary to the story and the author didn’t delve into his past/clan enough for my liking. For a short story this was sloth worthy slow with a hurried and unfulfilling ending. I suspect the rave reviews floating around are potentially due to the love for Mexican Gothic and the author. Show Less
LibraryThing member Glennis.LeBlanc
Domingo is living on his own in tunnels under Mexico City when he is approached by a woman on the metro who brings him to his empty apt. It turns out that Atl is a vampire native to Mexico and on the run from some other vampires that are from a narco gang and descended from European vampires.
The story is good and doesn’t end quite the way I was thinking it would. At some point I would certainly like to see more written in this setting with more about Atl or even the other vampire species.
Digital review copy provided by the publisher through Edelweiss
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Domingo becomes a “Reinfield” of sorts to Atl and helps her around Mexico City, which has mostly been about to be no vampire zone since the vampires became known to the world in the 1960’s. Atl isn’t a “good” vampire, her family was a narco gang being pushed out by the rivals that are now chasing her down to kill her. Atl contacts former friends of her mother to try and get new papers so she can escape down to South America. As the net grows tighter around Atl and Domingo, thanks to the killing of humans by Nick the rival vampire and the police in the form of Ana a cop with a history of killing vampires things do not look good to escape the city. The story is good and doesn’t end quite the way I was thinking it would. At some point I would certainly like to see more written in this setting with more about Atl or even the other vampire species.
Digital review copy provided by the publisher through Edelweiss
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LibraryThing member greeniezona
I couldn't resist picking this book up at the con bookstore at ConFusion. I don't read a lot of vampire books, or really noir of any sort, but I have faith in Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and was interested in the Mexico City setting and Aztec influences.
I loved this even more than I expected. I tend to
I really need to read more by Silvia Moreno-Garcia already. The balance of action/reflection, the texture of the world, the pacing are all so good.
I loved this even more than I expected. I tend to
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get very justice-fixated on any creatures/characters who have to harm others to survive, but I was invested in Atl right away. I loved the richness of the world-building -- the different sorts of vampires and their factions and grudges. With a whole encyclopedia of their origins in the back!I really need to read more by Silvia Moreno-Garcia already. The balance of action/reflection, the texture of the world, the pacing are all so good.
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LibraryThing member Andy5185
Absolutely fantastic. This is not a typical vampire novel. A very cool story with a whole bunch of different subspecies of vampires warring with each other and coexisting with humans in an alternative world Mexico City (which is a fabulous character in its own right). The main character Atl is
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awesome and so is her genetically altered Doberman dog. Super fun blend of fantasy, crime noir and horror. Show Less
LibraryThing member KallieGrace
This is really just existing on vibes, and that's ok. The unique vampire lore and setting were the high points, the characters were not quite up to par with what I'm used to from SMG. Best vampire book I've read tho, even if that number is small.
LibraryThing member LibrarianRyan
Certain dark things is a different type of vampire novel. This book takes place in Mexico City and breaks down vampires into different factions. The first one is the Aztec vampires. These are some of the oldest and our main heroine Atyl is just such a vampire. However in this story it’s the
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vampires that run the drug cartels. Her family has been doing this for centuries and now there are consequences. After the death of her family Atyl is on the run. While vampires are not allowed in Mexico City that is where she is hoping to find passage out of the country. Instead what she finds is Domingo, a street boy who is willing to do almost anything for her. He will be her snack, he will walk her dangerous dog, he will help her live and find a newlife. But this is no easy task. You see the other forms of vampires Necros are after a Atyl. Necros vampires aren’t only mean and nasty they are violent and they will get their revenge. But maybe just maybe with the help of Rever, Atyl and Domingo just might find safety and avoid attacks by the Necros Nick and others that are out to get them. Overall this was a very interesting take on a vampire novel. The world building is well done. It brings to life Mexico City and it makes it feel like someplace with a past present and future. It also makes you feel for the characters with the way the author describes and gives back stories to her vampires. Whether it’s the biologically altered protective dogs or the feathers that sprout with no notice this is a book that’s going to keep the reader entertained and engaged in the story. Is it the best vampire novel ever, No, however it is one that’ll feed the need for somebody who’s looking for something new or a new take on vampire lore. Show Less
LibraryThing member TheDivineOomba
This is one of those books I would have loved about 10 years ago - gritty, a different take on vampires, an interesting setting. However, I outgrew the genre and found myself a bit annoyed at the setting. For example, I don't like it when vampires are categorized by science, but then never explains
The writing was well done, the setting is excellent, its just that this book doesn't have a whole lot of substance.
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the supernatural aspects of them (eg transformation). As for Domingo, I found him a bit Naive- too puppy dog like. The story itself was more thriller/police procedural, than anything else. The writing was well done, the setting is excellent, its just that this book doesn't have a whole lot of substance.
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Awards
Original language
English
Original publication date
2016-10-25
Physical description
336 p.
ISBN
1250099080 / 9781250099082