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3.5/5
Non-Fiction
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Rating: 3.5/5
Pages: 222
Started: 22 March 2024
Finished: 23 March 2024
Summary:
In an alternate reality where reanimating Frankenstein-ed together corpses is possible, but also a point of deep political and social contention, an unnamed reanimated paralegal begins to regain his humanity through a relationship with direct yet charming high-caliber lawyer Faustina GodÃnez. Chicano Frankenstein is an engaging story that weaves engaging narratives, exaggerated political scripts, and latinx culture into a charming and witty political satire.
Thoughts:
This book really was a charming and witty political satire. The writing was immersive, and the format combining a story with exaggerated interviews and transcripts of presidential conversations was brilliantly engaging. I enjoyed the characters--Faustina especially was very cool, and her use of "my friend" in dialogue was really effective for her personality--and the president and her cadre were also very interesting. I also really enjoyed the way the narrative portion of the book was steeped in latinx culture in relation to language and food and memory. The writing was immersive, smooth, and clever; generally very pleasant and interesting to read.
The satire was at points a little overly exaggerated for my taste; the president's vitriol was very strong and very much a hyperbolic echo of the 2016 presidency's anti-immigrant rhetoric. But the pointedness of the irony was interesting and effective overall, and I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for short, innovative, and impactful satire.