Velvet Was the Night

"This book might not have the same fantastical and visual charms of some of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's other books but I loved it. The characters were delightful and relatable in their own ways and that is what really made this book enjoyable for me"

"This is my first Silvia Moreno-Garcia read, but this book was not for me. I started this book without much insight on the storyline, this gorgeous cover and title really got me excited. After the first 10 chapters i realized it was not my kinda book. I don't particularly love the vulgar dialogue,slurs, the brutality and constant dropping of political names/groups. I was soo very bored! The characters left much to desire, no depth or backstory just went on and on about Leonora missing and how pretty she was. Very repetitive! Maite felt really underdeveloped as the main POV. She's made to be dull & immersed in her own world but unfortunately it did not invite me in as a reader; trying to connect with her. Everyone is chasing Leonora and the resolve is saved for the very last chapter.(30) I was just laughing, i couldn't believe I read this whole way through for much of nothing. This had great potential and had the story been a little more of less, maybe the ending would have held more element of surprise for us readers?!? Disappointed with this one. Perhaps better luck with another of her books..."

"Had to get this off my dnf list, which sucks because i do enjoy this author but this one just doesn’t grab me. "

"Great Book. Best historic fiction I’ve read since All the Light we Cannot See. Suspenseful and enjoyable."

"Velvet was the Night is a noir novel that follows Elvis and Maite as they both investigate the same disappearance. Maite, who is bored with her life as a secretary for a law firm and escapes her reality by reading romance comics, lives across from Leonora, who asks Maite to cat sit for her. When she doesn't return, Maite tries to find out what happened to her. <br/><br/>Elvis is a member of The Hawks, a group run by the government who squashed student protests in the 70s. When it is learned that Leonora has photos the government doesn't want shared, Elvis' boss El Mago sends him and his unit to find the woman and get those pictures. He starts to tail Maite and develops an obsession with her.<br/><br/>The story unfolds in the POVs of both Elvis and Maite as they investigate what happened to Leonora. Each character has their own chapter, so it's never confusing. The characters are well developed by Noir standards. Maite was very unlikable and I find myself dreading those chapters that featured her. The writing is good, but I think the dialogue could have been a bit better. <br/><br/>The history of the political climate, the Dirty War, and the student protests weren't fully explained until the author's note at the end. Which left me a bit lost, but not so much that it detracted from my enjoyment of the book. There is a quite a lot of swearing, so if that bothers you, please be aware of that. Overall, I found it to be a solid, atmospheric read that I would recommend for those who like noir or a good historical crime novel. <br/><br/>Thank you to Del Rey, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review."

"2,75 stars. <br/>Remind me never to have Maite sit for my pets and house. Disappointed with this read. I felt like I was slogging through. Not the worst but not something I'll revisit either."

"This was an enjoyable read; I don’t usually read noir fiction, but I liked what this book did in an eventful 1970s setting and its take on gangbusters and politics. "

"Loved the way it tied together in the end. The history lesson at the end was also awesome, glad to know that the current president of Mexico released information to expose government secrets. I also loved the playlist she included at the end! This entire noir novel was amazing."