Reviews

Down the Rabbit Hole by Rosalind Harvey, Juan Pablo Villalobos, Adam Thirlwell

brujxdtxs's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

Para adoctrinar a los niños en las reglas del patriarcado, los obligamos a sentir dolor y negar sus sentimientos - bell hooks

beemanguen's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

Es una buena historia contada desde el punto de vista de un Niño que no conoce otra cosa que el narcotrafico. Me pareció repetitiva y un poco sosa, sin mucho sentido. Lo acabas rapidísimo.

lizaroo71's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

tochtli is a boy of seven whose father is a head of a drug cartel. tochtli lives a sheltered life in some ways, guarded from outside worldliness, but given harsh life lessons in the confines of his home. this very short book follows a short time period in the life of tochtli as he comes to realizations about his own father.

i think this book is good, but i feel it lost something in translation. the language feels forced at times and i think this most likely a result of the translation.

i'm glad i read it. it was on my radar for a while.

juperez's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

'Down the Rabbit Hole' is a "devastating" and "sordid" little book about a boy's sheltered (or, well, maybe not-so-sheltered) life among the drug-dealing associates of his father and others. Obsessed with pygmy hippopotamuses, samurai films and hats, Tochtli is idealistic, living out a machismo fantasy, that is, until those invisible walls start crashing down. This novella is an absolutely perfect distillation of alienation and growing up.

itzreibrary's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

Tochtli, seorang bocah yang agaknya berusia sekitar 8-10 tahun, tinggal di sebuah istana bersama ayahnya yang tak mau dipanggil ayah, melainkan (agaknya) namanya saja, Yolcaut. Tochtli kerap dibilang anak yang dewasa sebelum waktunya, walau ia tak kenal banyak orang dewasa. Hanya ayahnya, guru pribadinya (yang seorang wibu dan memanggil Tochtli dengan nama Usagi, namanya dalam bahasa Jepang), koki dan para pelayan istananya yang selalu siap menyediakan apapun kebutuhannya, dan beberapa orang dewasa yang kadang datang untuk menemui Yolcaut. Kadang ia juga melihat orang dewasa yang kemudian ditembak sampai mati oleh para pelayan istananya, walau Tochtli tidak menghitung mereka karena mayat kan bukan orang. Kendati selalu mendapatkan apa yang diinginkannya, Tochtli tidak bisa keluar dari istananya, padahal ia ingin pergi membeli langsung kuda nil kerdil Liberia untuk dipelihara di halaman.

Aku menyesal karena sudah lebih dulu mendengar buku ini bercerita tentang apa, kalau tidak kurasa membaca ocehan Tochtli akan lebih seru karena aku akan sibuk menebak-nebak sebetulnya siapa dia dan ayahnya sampai memiliki istana yang punya kamar khusus berisi senjata dan kenapa Tochtli lempeng saja bercerita tentang mayat, darah, dan cara membunuh orang yang efisien. Semua itu tentu saja mengerikan, seandainya saja tidak diceritakan dari sudut pandang seorang bocah yang seumur hidupnya hanya melihat hal-hal seperti itu dan karenanya menganggap semua itu sebagai kewajaran, bagian tak terpisahkan dari hidupnya. Aneh juga bahwa kepolosan seorang bocah bisa membuat adegan orang ditembak kepalanya menjadi anekdot yang ringan bahkan nyaris jenaka.

isadoralesteve's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • 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

4.25

barton_brb's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark 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? Yes

3.5

amelia_cl's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark sad 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

2.5

enchntdrose's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

This 70-page novella is a "light" read in length and language, but its content is anything but lighthearted, despite the fact that its narrator is a child. It was a bit short and underdeveloped, but upon closer inspection, this is how a child would tell a story, so I can't really criticize the novel for that. I guess I just wanted it to be longer because it was so well done.
Full review of Rose Read!

solvihalldorsson's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

skemmtileg bók og skemmtilegir sögumaður