Since I was a young lonely girl, maybe around 7 or 8
I've found refugee in books, before the piano
Before the music, before my cousins, and my friends
There were the books.
Maybe because my mom and I are named both Berenice
We had a copy of Edgar Allan Poe's Horror Tales
Of course I read Berenice, and The Black Cat,
The Oblong Box, The Fall of the House of Usher!
I mean, I was not older than 8, but all made horrible sense
and I was hooked... later I switched to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's
Sherlock Adventures, and Agatha Christie, but I was marked for life
Horror, mystery, thrillers, have been the backbone of my love for literature
And now, alone again, about 45 years later,
I heal my Covid-23 wounds, no friends, no school,
just some work, but don't talk to anyone and wear a mask
some fever, headache, cough, no sense of smell!
All bearable, but oh the mental health, the rumination
Can't go on my beloved walks, can't focus, can't draw...
Yet I discovered now, I can finally READ!
So I am able to grab these frightened eyes that have been staring at me
Since I got the book months ago, can finally be hold in my hands,
and what a fantastic cover this one is, yes finally reading this fantastic book by one of mine
fast-becoming favorite authors ever, Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Mexican by birth, Canadian by inclination as she calls herself
but with the deepest knowledge of my ex-beloved city than most authors
who actually live in the city.
This is not my first experience reading Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Mexican Gothic was my first book of hers, and what a superb novel!
Of course, I was into H.P. Lovecraft and other gothic authors too
She did a magnificent job creating the perfect "Mexican" and "Gothic" novel
I have also read Gods of Jade and Shadow, more of a Mayan fantasy book
and Velvet Was The Night, a perfect noir! No horror, no ghosts, just
a beautifully crafted noir film, that raises to the level of a Raymond Chandler novel
Being an student from La UNAM, Velvet Was The Night fast became my
favorite book of hers, but now, here comes Silvia with this uber neat literary bundle
that is Silver Nitrate, it's Mexico City again
And the 90's! Horror movies, metal music, film, sound editing,
runes, spells, magic, witchcraft, ghosts, beepers, an ex-telenovela actor
from yes, Televisa, some evil uppity white people, and yet another fantastic
anti-heroine, full brown Mexican sound editor, horror film aficionado
willing to fight Nazi occultists, and chauvinist bosses and workers
with the same fierce and unapologetic bravery.
What a fantastic book! Thank you Silvia Moreno-Garcia
For making these days of Covid-23 go faster.
You are the coolest, most intelligent contemporary author,
I have read recently.
The most heartful thank you and admiration
From my entire brown Mexican heart to yours!
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| The superb cover of Silver Nitrate |
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| Silver Nitrate Silver |
