Silver Nitrate

Montserrat is a talented sound editor, but she’s tired of being practically invisible in the boys’ club of the film industry in ’90s Mexico City. She is ignored, her talent overlooked, young boys with much less capacity and talent are preferred over her. Then she also has to take care of her cancer stricken sister and deal with her childhood best friend, Tristán, a charming yet lackluster opera star.

Though she has loved Tristan since forever, he has barely paid any attention to her. Except for completely relying on her whenever a calamity strikes him, Tristan has never thought of Montserrat in another way.

When Tristan breaks up with Yolanda, the apparent love of his life, he decides to move away some place cheaper and affordable.

Then Tristán discovers his new neighbor is the cult horror director Abel Urueta, and the legendary auteur claims he can change their lives—Although his tale of a Nazi occultist endowing black magic into highly volatile silver nitrate stock appears like a filmy delusion.

 The magic film never got completed, which is why, Urueta thinks, his career vanished overnight. He is cursed. 

Now the director wants Montserrat and Tristán to help him shoot the missing scene and end the curse once and for all . . . but Montserrat finds a dark presence following her, her nightmares coming to life and Tristán begins seeing the ghost of his ex-girlfriend, his tragic past haunting him.

As they work together to unravel the mystery of the film and the cryptic occultist who once wandered in their city, Montserrat and Tristán may find that sorcerers and magic are not only some dreamy fantasybut something also lurking in their lives.

This book seemed promising as I've read Sylvia's previous books too and I've loved them, especially Mexican Gothic but this book was not my cup of tea. First of all it was hard to read, with so many Mexican Films being discussed and diving so deep in the Mexican film industry in the 90s, it was hard to keep up. it was harder to become interested when the only name you recognize in a list of horror movies is Dracula. ( I'm not a fan of horror movies. I've watched probably Annabelle and  The Conjuring.... barely)

Although I do admit, her writing style is always superb. Also I liked the plot. It was different than the regular horrors and thrillers. I probably would have enjoyed the book more if I had a little bit more knowledge of  the horror movie industry. 

Another reason why Iwanted to read this book (other than the fact that it was written by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia) was the cover. Not pretty by definition but look at those eyes and red circles and the whole 90s film industry vibe. You don't find covers like that everyday. 5 stars for the cover; 3 and a half for the book!