I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a nasty little piece of work. It is horror and fantasy that, at its best, is punctuated by the political and socioeconomic reality of Argentina in the 1960s-1990s. This strong sense of place--even of the Other places--usually means the novel moves along at a clip, but it drags when it loses that connection. (For example, I found my mind wandering when reading the portion of the book set in London.)

The story also garners strength from its central character, Gaspar, who is subjected to heartbreaking physical, mental, and emotional abuse, mostly by his father, Juan, even though it theoretically comes from a place of love and protection. (The amount of times I rolled my eyes and sighed "ok Juan" every time he pulls the "I DID THIS TO SAVE YOU FROM THE ORDER" routine...) It was hard to read, but it also made it more satisfying to watch Gaspar gain his own sense of power amidst the darkness. While I expected Mariana Enriquez to lean more into the lore of the tumultuous, grisly underworld she created, these more human moments broke up the story more--there are atrocities and brutality, but at least they vary in type.

Steel yourself before starting this one. It's going to be one hell of a ride.