This book had incredible world-building, phenomenal cultural aspects, and was truly interesting from the perspective of the various types of vampires, the setting is incredible, and... I just was not particularly into the characters. I tried, truly, but Atl wasn't particularly enjoyable, neither was Domingo, and the plot simply dragged. (The romantic chemistry is also really not great.) Fascinating and very cool worldbuilding, but... wasn't really up my alley.

I first discovered Silvia Moreno-Garcia when I picked up her fantastic book Mexican Gothic, and I knew then that this was an author to follow. Certain Dark Things is another excellent book. I used to enjoy vampire stories when I was a lot younger but I pretty much grew out of them. However, this book brought back the joy of vampires for me. It's not quite what I expected but it's highly enjoyable.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia has another banger book, dark and gritty. I don't usually enjoy vampire books but something about this was interesting to read (full rtc)

Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia takes a modern day twist on a very old subject matter. Certain Dark Things is a tale about vampires in modern day Mexico City. In Silvia's story though, there are more than one "species" of vampires and they have many more enemies than just each other. Darwin's survival of the fittest theory is taken to a whole new level. The vampires themselves are constantly fighting with each other over territorial rights, but Silvia's tale gives the human race the power to exterminate vampires and try to keep them out of certain cities as well. Even the modern day police force has training on how to deal with the vampire threat. In Certain Dark Things a vampire needs more than just a set of fangs to survive because he or she is in danger of being attacked from all different angles.

The novel's main character is, Atl. She is a younger vampire, as far as vampire age goes. She is currently on the run from a Necros vampire family named the Godoys. The Godoys completely irradicated her family and now want to take Atl down as well. Atl is proving harder to take down than they ever imagined. She leds them on a wild chase through Mexico City where she meets a street kid named Domingo that teaches her to take a step back and understand how her actions have immediate reactions to those around her.

I am a vampire novel fan, so I was immediately drawn to this title. The story was very original on the idea of breaking down the vampires into different species. Atl, the main character, even mentions how they are all from the same genus but branch off into different species with different characteristics. I thought that was a clever way to explain how many different species there were in the story. The way the story is written reminded me a lot of the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series. Vampires and humans trying to co-exist in society but having run-ins here and there with rogue vampires and humans. All and all I found the story creative and if modern day vampire novels are your thing this is one you should definitely give a read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor Forge for and advanced copy for an honest review.

This is a hell of a fabulous horror novel - in which the darkest sides of Mexico City are illuminated by making them aspects in a kind of supernatural dystopian war, and different species of vampires echo centuries of colonialism.

Thematically and atmospherically, it's genius.

Emotionally...it's less compelling. We follow so many characters through so many POV shifts that even while I love having multiple perspectives, it is often tough to get invested in each one. Domingo and Atl are as close as we get to an emotional core, but even then I wasn't invested in their relationship until it was funcitonally over. The jump from simple attraction to love seemed to happen somewhere the reader never sees it, so the tragic ending that lands Domingo right back where he started is only really satisfying from a story structure perspective. Emotionally, there's just not enough there there.

Which I think is okay - the feelings aren't really the POINT of this novel. The point is the atmosphere, the themes around colonialism and cycles of violence, and the clash of different vampire mythos melding with a clash of cultures in one of the biggest cities in the world. It's very cool. It's a hell of a ride. Just because I, personally, wanted more from the characters and the romance arc doesn't mean that this book isn't exactly what it is meant to be.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this title. I appreciated the world that Moreno-Garcia built in this novel. I've read/consumed much vampire lore, and I liked how she created different breeds/clans of vampires with different abilities. The pacing of the story felt off, slow at times and then rapid. I definitely came to care about the main characters and wanted to read through to the end, but the story didn't really stick with me.

Certain Dark Things was originally published in 2016, and is being rebooted through Tor Nightfire this coming September! I want to thank them for the digital ARC via NetGalley for review purposes! All opinions are my own.

I think one of my favorite things about this book is how hard it is to pin down. The vampire lore is briefly explored and there are types of vampires featured from all over the world, from different mythologies, but there is also a brief sci-fi element, some fantasy, that whole noir-horror-punk overlay, and also an underlying theme of Mexican socioeconomic movement!

It moved so quickly too that I never had the chance to be bored. Atl is on the run and Domingo meets her on the subway, and the Book flies from there. We learn about vampire drug cartels, rival gangs, and how vampires aren’t even allowed in Mexico City anymore so their presence is a big deal with local law enforcement.

We aren’t meant to get attached to the characters, but they are a nice mix of interesting, sarcastic, and horrifying. Rodrigo was probably my favorite point of view. I think the less you know about the characters going in, the better, but Moreno-Garcia had wanted to explore the (sometimes questionable) choices that some Mexicans make to better their situations, and she succeeded there in Rodrigo and Domingo.

One thing I unfortunately don’t think she succeeded in was making Mexico City itself a character – there is too much else going on for the setting to truly permeate in most places. I will say though that the settings are well described, vibrant, and generally very well done. There is a glossary in the back with more information about the types of vampires and lore, which is helpful to give background without creating an info dump in the story.

Definitely recommend for those who would like a fast paced, fresh take on vampires from a very plot and action driven book!

Full review to blog posted at https://onereadingnurse.com/2021/05/16/certain-dark-things-arc-by-silvia-moreno-garcia/

Will also post to Instagram a little bit closer to republishing date!

Entering into a world similar to ours but with vampires who have been publically out in the world since the 60-the 70s, we are thrown into the lives of Domingo & Atl, one human and one vampire who becomes a partnership to escape a city that wishes to remain vampire-free, as well as a rival vampire clan, bent on torturing Atl.

This book gave glimpses into this world that have literally left me hungry; different species and sub-species of vampires with different traditions (some being upheld and others adapting to the world and forgoing them), some with different bites and methods of attack, different powers, and different predator looks. Some of them literally have talons and can fly like a bird!
This book was a refreshing taste of lore and mythology of vampires balanced with real-world problems and how those creatures would adapt!
I didn't really enjoy the characters, except Domingo, who I adored and wanted to protect, so that was the only flaw besides the slight slowness of the plot.

An original and gritty vampire noir, it's a fun take on this genre. Vampires are a group that is misunderstood and ostracized in this society (their presence is illegal in Mexico City), but their existence is not a secret—rather they're treated as a fact of life and a population to be managed. Various sects are interwoven with drug trafficking and these rivalries are the main source of conflict in this story. I appreciate the fast pacing; most of the action (apart from some memories/flashbacks) takes place over just a few days.

Certain Dark Things was not what I expected but I did end up enjoying it. After reading Mexican Gothic I knew I needed to read more from her. Sure, this one is VERY different and falls more in the paranormal romance category but it was very well written!

This one didn't have the lyrical prose that I have (perhaps wrongfully) come to expect from Moreno-García after reading Mexican Gothic. It also suffered from keeping the storytelling spread across too many characters: Domingo, Atl, Ana, Nick, and Rodrigo all get turns. Nick in particular infuriated me, and I think we could have gotten a total understanding of his character from Rodrigo's perspective without having to suffer his thoughts and petulance directly. And Ana turned out to be much less interesting than I expected when we first met her.

Domingo and Atl are the real center of the story, showing Domino's naivety and trust and goodness and Atl's trauma and doubt and inner turmoil. It feels like we barely scratched the surface of a much more interesting world (and the Encyclopedia Vampirica at the back of the ARC tells me that there's so much more room to explore).

We do also fall into some tropes that, while they're tropes for a reason, didn't really interest me.

TL;DR I hope this becomes a series or at least a world to revisit, because while this installment isn't great, the world has so much potential.

Certain Dark Things gives a fresh and scary new life to the vampire genre. It's a dark, gritty blend of neo-noir and fantasy. Pulling vampire lore from all across the globe, Silvia Moreno-Garcia is able to craft a tail that is new, yet feels deeply embedded in humanity's psyche.

In Certain Dark Things Mexico City is considered a safe zone away from the violence of feuding vampire clans. Atl is a young vampire on the run from a clan of vampires who killed her family. She has been laying low in Mexico City as she plans her escape to Brazil. Hungry, she meets Domingo, a trash collector who she pays to let her feed off him one night. Domingo very quickly develops a crush on Atl and continuously insists on becoming her friend and helping her escape. Unlike Domingo, Atl is pragmatic and sees the danger in having a human companion. For Atl, there is the fear that Domingo will slow her down and blow her cover. There is also the fact that Atl is hungry and, quite frankly, it is a deeper hunger than Domingo can even begin to comprehend.

I will preface by saying that I very much enjoy a Silvia Moreno-Garcia story. The time and energy that she puts into world-building is ever-present in Certain Dark Things. Unlike many other vampire books that I’ve read, she has interwoven vampire legends from around the world and placed Mexican vampires in the forefront. And like Domingo I found myself looking for the good in Atl even though there was horror along-side the beauty.

Certain Dark Things is a gritty crime novel and at times, a scary, fast-paced gore fest. It was fun to read and I easily recommend it to fans of horror and fantasy.

An excellent vampire yarn. Exciting and makes you care about the characters. I skipped Mexican Gothic when it came but I’ll definitely be reading that now.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is quickly becoming an author that as soon as I see her name on a book, I want to read it. She has such a fantastic way of blending genres and creating such vivid, interesting worlds that you can't help but want more.

CERTAIN DARK THINGS is a fascinating neo-noir, emphasis (for me) on the noir. I wish there were a bit more of Mexico City in there, because the city itself is almost a character lurking in the shadows. The different sub-species of vampires are so specific that it's easy to imagine a complete universe beyond the story you read.

I had to adjust my expectations of this book at first– I think I was expecting something a bit more sleek, a bit more emphasis on the vampire lore I'm familiar with. The more I think about this book, though, the more I enjoy(ed) it–it does serve up that gritty noir feeling, a darker world where things have gone wrong, and they'll continue to go wrong. It's bleak, and it's satisfying that way.

I would recommend this to readers who enjoy a noir atmosphere, but want a narrative that's more inventive, and less centered on U.S./European white experiences of noir. Heads-up for any squeamish readers, though, you may struggle with some of the depictions of violence and feeding. Don't be mistaken, this is definitely a vampire story!

I love that Silvia Moreno-Garcia took such a different take on vampires! It's creepy and spooky and modern and feels very different than anything else out there.

I really like this book. There are many kinds of vampires, and the main character, Atl, makes me want to learn more about Aztec vampires. The author’s use of point of view is mostly seamless. I thought being in everyone’s thoughts throughout the story added dimension.

The setting of Mexico City is unfamiliar to me in the real world, but I think the description of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexico City is wonderful. The vampire mythologies are thought out. There is a subtlety to the characters that balances out some of the emotion and action. The storyline is good, even if a tiny bit predictable at times – which isn’t a bad thing. There really isn’t anything to not like about this book, so go buy a copy and enjoy!

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley and am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

I will be posting this review on my website EveHallows.com.

#CertainDarkThings #NetGalley

I read and enjoyed Mexican Gothic, so naturally I was excited to read Certain Dark Things.

I experienced an inability to engage with the protagonist in this book. Azl is not an interesting character. The world building with all the different types of vampires is very cool - in fact I don't understand why the glossary of vampires is at the back - it should have been in the front! It would have helped quite a bit at the beginning of the story. But back to Azl - she's a different and cool version of a vampire I've never seen, and she has a tragic backstory. But her personality is flat as hell. Domingo could do better.

With her personality being so flat, I had a very hard time being interested in what would happen to her and therefore struggled to finish the book. The only reason I did was that I needed to find out what happened to poor sweet Domingo.

In addition, the plot didn't tie hard enough to the fantasy. You could have taken the vampires completely out of that book and still had a relatively decent crime drama. I wished them being vampires had more involvement in the plot - instead they are just regular if long-lived drug lords.

The ideas were there for this to be the next great vampire book, but it just didn't go far enough.

Everything about this novel was amazing. I am honestly beyond words. Vampires, rival gangs, rich folklore. IT IS SO GOOD. Silvia Moreno-Garcia has done it again.

I randomly picked up an ARC of Gods of Jade and Shadow because I thought the cover looked interesting and discovered a gem. Now I wait impatiently for each book Silvia Moreno-Garcia puts out and am never disappointed. I loved Atl and Domingo! Is there any genre she can't write?! Her books are so different but excellent each time.