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A review by charm_city_sinner
The Houseguest: And Other Stories by Amparo Dávila
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Houseguest & Other Stories by Amparo Dávila is one of those books that doesn't get featured anywhere near the amount that it should. @coffeeandcuentos sang all the praises earlier this year, while @books_nooks_spooks and @rosedevoursbooks also recently read and loved it.
Where Dávila really excels with these stories is how deftly she dances around darkness and finds that sweet spot of ambiguity. Readers are free to draw their own answers in a lot of cases. Done carelessly, this is a disastrous flaw, but Dávila is masterful.
These stories remind me a lot of pre-Hill House Shirley Jackson in that the flawed characters are the driving force. The stories are succinct, and they pack a real punch. I have no doubt she could write longer shorts and still have a lot to say.
This is a quick, dark read, that's also quite short, which makes hitting those year end goals that much more attainable!
Highly recommended!
Where Dávila really excels with these stories is how deftly she dances around darkness and finds that sweet spot of ambiguity. Readers are free to draw their own answers in a lot of cases. Done carelessly, this is a disastrous flaw, but Dávila is masterful.
These stories remind me a lot of pre-Hill House Shirley Jackson in that the flawed characters are the driving force. The stories are succinct, and they pack a real punch. I have no doubt she could write longer shorts and still have a lot to say.
This is a quick, dark read, that's also quite short, which makes hitting those year end goals that much more attainable!
Highly recommended!