Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia Published by Random House Worlds on July 18, 2023
Genres: Horror, Paranormal, Thriller
Pages: 336
Format: Audiobook
Source: the library
Goodreads
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • From the New York Times bestselling author of The Daughter of Doctor Moreau and Mexican Gothic comes a fabulous meld of Mexican horror movies and Nazi occultism: a dark thriller about the curse that haunts a legendary lost film—and awakens one woman’s hidden powers.
“No one punctures the skin of reality to reveal the lurking, sinister magic beneath better than Silvia Moreno-Garcia.”—Kiersten White, #1 bestselling author of HideA BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, BookPage, Book Riot
Montserrat has always been overlooked. She’s a talented sound editor, but she’s left out of the boys’ club running the film industry in ’90s Mexico City. And she’s all but invisible to her best friend, Tristán, a charming if faded soap opera star, though she’s been in love with him since childhood.
Then Tristán discovers his new neighbor is the cult horror director Abel Urueta, and the legendary auteur claims he can change their lives—even if his tale of a Nazi occultist imbuing magic into highly volatile silver nitrate stock sounds like sheer fantasy. The magic film was never finished, which is why, Urueta swears, his career vanished overnight. He is cursed.
Now the director wants Montserrat and Tristán to help him shoot the missing scene and lift the curse . . . but Montserrat soon notices a dark presence following her, and Tristán begins seeing the ghost of his ex-girlfriend.
As they work together to unravel the mystery of the film and the obscure occultist who once roamed their city, Montserrat and Tristán may find that sorcerers and magic are not only the stuff of movies.
I can always trust Silvia Moreno-Garcia to dream up a fun story in an atmospheric setting. Silver Nitrate delivers exactly that, although it stumbles when it comes to characters.
Set in Mexico City during the 90’s, Silver Nitrate is both a “supernatural thriller” and an incredibly well-researched love letter to Mexican cinema. A talented sound editor, Montserrat struggles for the recognition and success she deserves in a male-dominated, sexist industry. The one bright spot is her lifelong best friend – and hopeless one-sided love – Tristán. A former telenovela star and B-list celebrity, Tristán’s life veered off course after a tragic car accident left his girlfriend dead and his perfect face scarred. These two very different people were brought together in childhood and have stayed connected largely through their shared experiences – and their love for horror films.
When Montserrat and Tristán encounter legendary horror filmmaker Abel Urueta, their hobby takes on a new shine. He spins a wild tale about his unfinished film, a cursed project with an unsettling connection to a Nazi occultist. It all sounds a bit Hollywood, but it’s true that the director’s career nosedived after the project stalled. He’s adamant that the film itself is a kind of spell, and if Montserrat and Tristán help him finish the film, the curse will be broken. It’s probably all in his head…so what’s the harm in shooting a missing scene?
Of course, you and I know not to mess around with Nazis – or the occult. Our leads succeed in breaking the curse, but they’ve also brought back the dormant spirit of the Nazi sorcerer in question. And his terrifying power is in full force. The plot builds up gradually, setting the scene by introducing the characters and plot angles one by one. As a long-time reader and devoted fan of Moreno-Garcia’s work, I’ve noticed that this is a pretty typical pattern for her. If you need high-octane thrills right off the bat, she might not be for you.
Set in Mexico City during the 90’s, Silver Nitrate is both a “supernatural thriller” and an incredibly well-researched love letter to Mexican cinema. A talented sound editor, Montserrat struggles for the recognition and success she deserves in a male-dominated, sexist industry. The one bright spot is her lifelong best friend – and hopeless one-sided love – Tristán. A former telenovela star and B-list celebrity, Tristán’s life veered off course after a tragic car accident left his girlfriend dead and his perfect face scarred. These two very different people were brought together in childhood and have stayed connected largely through their shared experiences – and their love for horror films.
When Montserrat and Tristán encounter legendary horror filmmaker Abel Urueta, their hobby takes on a new shine. He spins a wild tale about his unfinished film, a cursed project with an unsettling connection to a Nazi occultist. It all sounds a bit Hollywood, but it’s true that the director’s career nosedived after the project stalled. He’s adamant that the film itself is a kind of spell, and if Montserrat and Tristán help him finish the film, the curse will be broken. It’s probably all in his head…so what’s the harm in shooting a missing scene?
I see the appeal of the “lost and cursed art work” premise: these stories combine history, the supernatural, and mystery. These elements caught my attention, but the atmospheric setting is what really hooked me. As always, Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s work shines a light on the richness of Mexican culture, history, and politics. Mexico City is its own character and we see a fair bit of it as Montserrat and Tristán race between different neighbourhoods trying to stop evil from rising. I was intrigued enough by the supernatural, but I could’ve read about the destruction of beloved cinemas and escalating gentrification in Mexico City for another 200 pages at least.
As much as I loved the setting and concept, I didn’t enjoy Silver Nitrate as much as Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s previous works. Montserrat and Tristán are both flawed, somewhat unlikable protagonists – I can vibe with that. But Tristán was just a little too much for me, particularly because he’s framed as a love interest for Montserrat. Tristán’s swagger and charisma are masking a deep core of fragility, one that comes from tough experiences but also selfishness and cowardice. Montserrat is also an underdog with her stalling career and crappy personal life, but she’s tough and courageous. Tristán can’t seem to last a day without begging her to come and clean up his messes. It’s to Moreno-Garcia’s credit that this dynamic bothered me so much – she really made me care about Montserrat. While Tristán does show some growth at the end of the story, it wasn’t totally convincing.
Overall, Silver Nitrate is an atmospheric, intriguing, well-researched horror novel. I recommend it for horror fans. Newcomers to Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s work may want to begin elsewhere.