Silver Nitrate
Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Rave
Positive
Mixed
Pan
Silver Nitrate
Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Rave
Positive
Mixed
Pan
Rave
Positive
Mixed
Pan
True to her method, she succeeds here by knowing when to follow the rules of genre storytelling and when to turn them upside down.
If this sprawling tangle of mythic and literary references seems a little esoteric, fear not. Silvia-Moreno's soaring cosmic horror stays rooted in grit and feeling.
This book does not linger in subtlety. The budding, slow-burn romance between Tristán and Montserrat is telegraphed from the beginning. Inner thoughts are projected to the point where revelations feel toothless, and key plot details are delivered in stiff dialogue. Moreno-Garcia couches this world in endless references to actors, directors, horror films, occultists and Mexican companies. At its best, it is a robust and haunting picture of 1990s Mexico City, its film scene hollowed out by neoliberal reforms and bad taste. Other times, the details weigh down the narrative.
Moreno-Garcia is perhaps best-known for her brilliant 2020 novel Mexican Gothic.
Moreno-Garcia spends a bit too much time explaining how Ewers’s movie magic functions, but the myriad film references and odes to analog tech make this the equivalent of a lovingly nostalgic double-bill, Chiller Theater for 21st century horror nerds. Best of all is Moreno-Garcia’s depiction of the poignant, lifelong friendship between Montserrat and Tristán, with its simmering romantic undercurrent, shared childhood language and adult resentments. Like its namesake, Silver Nitrate catches fire and doesn’t stop burning until the end..
The novel is a tightly constructed mystery-thriller, with occult overtones and some fantasy elements, but it is also a sprawling overview of a half-century of Mexican history, including the arrival of Nazis following the Second World War, home-grown fascism and racism, and the native film industry, carving out a place for itself in the shadow of Hollywood, and in the transition to home video in the early 1990s.
Much like the horror films to which it pays homage, Silver Nitrate has deliberate pacing and deep character development, but these elements don’t hinder its capacity for utter terror, as it summons the fear of what’s hiding at the edge of your vision, just out of sight in the dark. Moreno-Garcia plays in this space well, recognizing that when the inexplicable happens, the subsequent doubting of your own sanity can be just as frightening as the initial event.
another instant classic from one of our best genre authors.
Moreno-Garcia is a master of pacing, gradually ramping up the supernatural stakes while peppering the tale with fascinating bits of occult esoterica.
The intricate plot is supported by a fully realized setting and seamlessly integrated information about the detailed work of sound editing. Recommend to fans of Ring (2003), by Koji Suzuki; Night Film (2013), by Marisha Pessl; or Last Days (2013), by Adam Nevill..
Moreno-Garcia’s quick pacing and thoroughly developed characters are aided by the author’s seamless blending of invented filmographies with references to actually existing niche titles...and era-appropriate moviemaking techniques...Details regarding the dark arts and occultism are equally immersive.
Combining real history with unsettling magic, Moreno-Garcia effortlessly ties explorations of misogyny, addiction, antisemitism, and racism into a plot that never falters from its breakneck pace. The narrative shifts effortlessly between fantasy, horror, and romance, helmed by a well-shaded cast. The complex female characters are particular standouts. This is a knockout..