Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I'm giving this 3.5 stars, because I enjoyed it for the most part, but there were a couple of issues that kept it from getting 4 or 5 stars. Montserrat and Tristan have been best friends since childhood despite their differences in personalities. As adults, Tristan’s acting jobs have dried up after an incident that got him all but blacklisted, and Montserrat works as a sound engineer for a misogynist boss who’s started phasing her out by giving jobs to the new guy instead of her. When the two learn that Tristan’s neighbor is one of their favorite cult classic horror directors and begin getting closer with him, he discloses that he can help them all turn their luck around. All they have to do is finish a film project started by a nazi occultist who believed he could strengthen his power by performing a ritual with silver nitrate film. When frightening things start happening to all of them, Tristan and Montserrat find themselves unwillingly pulled into a world of dangerous magic and some powerful people who will do anything to get what they want.

I loved Mexican Gothic, so when I learned about this one, I was excited to read it. I enjoyed it a lot, especially getting a glimpse into Mexican culture and traditions. I also appreciated the way Moreno-Garcia showed how quickly disillusioned people can get ensnared in nazi idealogy when they’re exposed to it. The story was good…when it finally started moving along. I know characters and backstory have to be set up in a book, but this one took a long time to finally get to the action. Once the pace did start picking up, I finally got to read those creepy scenes that Moreno-Garcia is very good at writing. There were some legitimately terrifying moments.

Now I’ll get to the other problem I had with the book; the characters’ relationship. They’ve been best friends since childhood, but half the book they were saying awful things that really hurt each other. There was a lot of saying they were best friends and remembering good times, but there wasn’t a lot of showing that they were friends until the end. Despite that, I did like both characters, and my issues with the book weren’t enough to keep me from enjoying it. ( )

An interesting mystery set in the world of Mexico City cinema and dark magic. The aura of despair and brooding hangs over Silver Nitrate - this is a book about deeply unhappy people who want what they don't have and will do almost anything to get it. People like that are always dangerous. You never want them in your life, you never make bargains with them, you never let them see your secret desires. Or suddenly, you're drawn in as well - and getting out will be very hard indeed. ( )

I really enjoyed Signal to Noise and Mexican Gothic but The Beautiful Ones was a dud for me and so is this. The characters are unlikeable and the plot is laughable, sort of like Normal People does Indiana Jones where the villain is Kane from Poltergeist II.

The pacing is so slow until the last few chapters that the agony seemed never ending, while the level of irrelevant detail seemed to be in a fight to the death with the clunky narrative. I never once believed that Montserrat was a sound editor - that she'd read a book about sound editing to throw around a few technical terms, like the author, sure. Mainly, however, she was just the geeky yet spunky girl friend to the pretty boy put out to pasture, and obviously - regrettably - they were going to end up together. And on a side note, I kept pronouncing the McGuffin neighbour's name as Urethra.

One bonus point for the mention of the Mexican voice actor who dubbed KITT on Knight Rider, otherwise FAIL. ( )

This book found its way on to so many 'best SF of 2023' lists that I bought it and read over Christmas as what I hoped would be a lively change from other more serious genres. I found it derivative (the curse of Nazi occultists anyone?) unoriginal and desperately plodding. The attempts at characterisation are laughable, the knowledge of film sub-Wikipediaesque. I kept looking at my Kindle, desperate to find myself further through the book than I was. Very disappointing. ( )

Desperately trying to catch up on books I've read in 2023, before it turns 2024. Don't think I'll make it. Full review (hopefully) to come later. ( )