solid vampire urban fantasy but definitely has its issues.
firstly i adored the worldbuilding and the different types of vampires, and the setting of this gritty noir Mexico City was awesome.
i do think this book had too many POVs (5), especially as Rodrigo and Ana’s POVs rarely showed up and i kinda just didn’t give a fuck about them. Nick’s POV chapters were pretty fun, they didn’t need to be there but i enjoyed them. i like Domingo and Atl’s dynamic a lot :D
this book did try and tackle a lot of vampire politics, and i think it could’ve been balanced better. some ideas i had while reading were: if the book were entirely from Domingo’s POV and focused mostly on the setting and the vampire politics (would’ve made sense as he’s such a little fanboy lmao), or been dual POV between Domingo and Atl and focused moreso on their bond together.
also if anyone is worried about if Atl’s dog dies, the answer is…

kind of? he is shot on-page and the characters assume later that he died (off-page), but Domingo finds him alive later and it isn’t confirmed whether the dog survives or just dies after the story ends

sunflowerscribe's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

rachel281's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

tlscott91's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced

5.0

littlecozyreaderr's review

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

bookedandboujee's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

cynsworkshop's review

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adventurous dark emotional funny tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Certain Dark Things takes readers into the battle between warring vampire families in the heart of Mexico City. Think Sin City, but with a vampiric spin.

As a massive fan of Silvia Moreno-Garcia, I had to read Certain Dark Things, her vampire-induced horror. Absolutely thrilling, this novel was filled with unique vamps, a little romance, and lots of action.

Storytelling

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked up this novel. Moreno-Garcia is a brilliant writer who always surprises readers by jumping into different genres. I never knew what to expect from her stories, constantly entering them with awe because I knew this story would not be predictable.

And that remains true with Certain Dark Things. This is a multiple-POV novel, with Atl and Domingo being the central points of view that drive the story forward. Each is haunted by the ghosts of their mistakes, but together, battling rival vampire gangs, they find peace with one another.

Atl begins the story on the run, disillusioned and angry at the mistakes that cost her her family’s lives. She was hot-headed, and now she has to live with that for the rest of her life. Then, she meets sweet Domingo.

Oh my god, Domingo is the sweetest human being in the world. He is honest but also tries to see the silver lining, fascinated with vampires. He sometimes seemed like a child in how he fangirled over Atl. Still, his brightness and levity make the story and the relationship that grows between them gut-wrenching.

I loved the story’s pacing; it flitted between the characters to give the world more structure. Moreno-Garcia really delved into the neo-noir setting of the story. We see the mechanics of the gangs, how vampire species differ, and how the police can work in the partially corrupt system.

The world-building was fantastic because it felt gritty, raw, and violent. Certain Dark Things is about feuding vampire gangs; you can bet it is violent.

Final Thoughts

Absolutely fantastic, Certain Dark Things is absolutely thrilling. It is action-packed, and Moreno-Garcia does not lose that emotional element, creating such a wonderful dynamic between Atl and Domingo. Reader, be warned, it is a bittersweet ending that tugs on the heartstrings.

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