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The She-Devil in the Mirror

Horacio Castellanos Moya,

Katherine Silver (Translator)

Why we're reading this: El Salvador
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Jan 20, 2017 Andrew rated it liked it · review of another edition

I haven't decided yet whether I enjoyed this book or not. stylistically it was curious as it was the inner monologue of Laura Riviera as she conducts conversations with an unnamed third party (I suppose the clue is in the title) about her best friend Olga Maria who in the first chapter has been fatally shot by an unknown assassin.
In each chapter Laura conducts her monologue and a picture emerges of Olga's infidelities with various men against the background of a political scene in El Salvador w ...more

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Aug 26, 2012 Rusalka rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: original-52-books-around-the-world, central-america, translation, around-the-world

Murder mystery with a twist. Usually my thing. Set in San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador, Laura's best friend Olga Maria is shot dead in her living room in front of her two daughters. All very upsetting and such, and Laura is trying to find out who has done it. And along the way she finds out more and more about her best friend who she didn't know as well as she thought.

The interesting thing about this book is that it intertwines the history and politics of El Salvador with the book. The a Murder mystery with a twist. Usually my thing. Set in San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador, Laura's best friend Olga Maria is shot dead in her living room in front of her two daughters. All very upsetting and such, and Laura is trying to find out who has done it. And along the way she finds out more and more about her best friend who she didn't know as well as she thought.

The interesting thing about this book is that it intertwines the history and politics of El Salvador with the book. The animosity towards the socialists was rather surprising, mind you not so much once you realise how well off the families are, especially Laura's. Nor when you realise that maybe the socialists were or could be as corrupt as the capitalists. I have to admit I know very little about the socialists in El Salvador, and it would be very naive to assume all socialists regimes in South and Central America were/are the same. So, interesting.

What made me have an INCREDIBLY hard time engaging with this book is that it is told from the perspective that you are one of Laura's closest friends and the entire book is her speaking at you. I know the book was 175ish pages but that was too long. There is no way I would spend more than 2 mins talking to this woman. I have been known to jump in front of moving traffic to get away from people like her (deadly serious here). I went out of my way of 4 years of all girls high school to avoid people like her, for them to be forced upon you in your reading life is frustrating as hell. She's such a horrible, gossipy woman who just talks inane crap and jumps from one subject to the other, nattering away about some things that just don't matter. Not to mention she doesn't let you get a damn word in edgewise!!!

... You know, I think that's what bothered me the most. I am a chatty, talkative person. I am reasonably forceful, especially with my close friends, in getting my point heard. To be rendered silent was ... just ... so goddamn uncomfortable! I just felt like I was spending the experience going "Bu.... Excuse...Just...uh... yeah bu... /sigh."

The last couple of pages though were great. And if you need to praise someone for writing prattling women, this guy has it down pat.

For more reviews visit http://rusalkii.blogspot.com.au/ ...more

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