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archivistbyday's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
maryjf23's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
quercus707's review against another edition
2.0
I really wanted to like this book. It sounded right up my alley - I love Frankenstein, and so novel that imagined what went on at the Villa Diodati that fateful week when it was written, and what led Polidori to write The Vampyre and subsequently commit suicide, was very appealing. Plus, I've been wanting to read more works in translation, so an Argentinian author's take on this story was even more intriguing.
Well. The result teetered on the edge of intriguing and unappealing for awhile, but eventually landed squarely in the distasteful (no pun intended) and weird category. While the idea that most of the second-rate literature in the world canon was "ghost" written has a certain dark humor, ultimately this book left me wanting to take a shower and use strong mouthwash.
Well. The result teetered on the edge of intriguing and unappealing for awhile, but eventually landed squarely in the distasteful (no pun intended) and weird category. While the idea that most of the second-rate literature in the world canon was "ghost" written has a certain dark humor, ultimately this book left me wanting to take a shower and use strong mouthwash.
agica's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A true dark, gothic tale that is sometimes gruesome sometimes highly erotic. Confuses the feelings and leaves you in a dark space. Really enjoyable read.
stacialithub's review against another edition
3.0
I finished "The Merciful Women" by Federico Andahazi. It was a very quick, easy read. It's a semi-erotic, gothic mash-up of Dracula, Frankenstein, The Gold Bug, and the story of the summer when both Shelley's Frankenstein & Polidori's The Vampyre were written. If you're familiar w/ most or all of those stories/events, you'd probably get a kick out of this book. The tone veers between creepy/gothic, semi-erotic, and campy send-up of the various books & events. It's also a bit of a statement on literature & authorial inspiration/creativity. I'd rate it a relatively fun (early) entry for my October 'spooky' reading....
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