I adored every wild ridiculous gloriously absurd word of this novel. It made me laugh a lot. Wonderfully imaginative, absolutely unique, every page seemed to introduce a clash of premises that exploded the story into impossible fragments that spun out in unimaginably unlikely directions and made me happy to be alive at the same time as this book came into being, I mean, how unlikely is that, when considered against the vastness of geologic time?

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This book is very much in the vein of ‘punk rock science fiction’ and it was fairly impressive on this basis alone. There’s so much commentary in here that it almost feels like a bit too much, from gender to dysmorphia, climate change, sexuality and desire, to self-discovery.

Oh, and, of course, a healthy smattering of time-travel and inter-dimensional issues.

Dengue proves to be a compelling main character, laced with gore and a concerning propensity towards violence (whether with intent or not). The other characters are nowhere as developed or expanded, but there’s still an undercurrent of subversion in their portrayals too.

I did feel like the book wrapped up a bit too quickly and there was a bit missing, but it is always so hard with translated books to make the judgement as to if that is because of the writing or because the English language has (yet again) failed.

3.75

I really love the way this book plays with time and space which wasn’t something I was expecting when I first picked it up. if I were to describe this book in one sentence, it’s like the mountain in the sea meets tender is the flesh. there’s sentient bug/human hybrids, a post climate disaster world, dual timelines and povs, and a lot of commentary on what the world is and how it will turn out if we keep using it the way we do. I really enjoyed the vr element of the story and how the two timelines and povs eventually converge at the end to circle back to everything that happened in the beginning and just generally enjoyed the plot and devices used throughout the whole book. I love books that are extreme hypothetical futures for this planet that then use that idea to comment on our world today. the one thing I wasn’t prepared for/didn’t enjoy as much were the explicit sexual scenes in the book (scenes that were not romantic but rather vulgar and intense and uncomfortable). I know it adds to the book it’s just something I don’t tend to enjoy even if it’s necessary. overall I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to see more from this author!

A dystopian revenge story that’ll have you clutching your pearls.

Future publication date February 3, 2025
Translated from Spanish by Rahul Bery

You’ll want to read this if
-you loved The Fly directed by David Cronenberg.
-dark humor and body horror intrigue you.
-dystopian/cli-fi is your jam.
-the cover art calls to you. Stunning, right?!

Set in Argentina in 2197, a young dengue boy (half human, half mosquito) grows up in a world where the last of the icecaps have melted and viruses are highly profitable.

Ok, this book is wild!

If this story was just about dengue boy it would qualify as weird, but dengue boy’s only just scratching the surface of the weird that Nieva has in store for you: radioactive burns from the sun, a popular virtual reality game called Indians vs Christians, some kind of mysterious, ancient, and wise element found beneath their feet, and weird futuristic sex, just to name a few other details.

Nieva is brilliant for mashing together body horror, climate collapse, and identity into a story that is ultimately about transformation. But wow did this story gross me out. I was able to forgive some truly nauseating scenes because of how smart and even funny the story is. Overall, this was well written (albeit with a lot of crass language!) and gives the reader a lot to chew on. A+ for keeping me on my toes.

Thank you to Astra Publishing House & NetGalley for the e-arc

Dengue Boy by Michel Nieva, translated by Rahul Bery is a sci fi speculative that is so wild that it hits both levels of freak wild and head tilt wild. I finished reading it last night and my initial thought has remained constant since I fell into the first chapter in that that this book was unlike anything I’ve read before ever.

Some spoilers maybe, but I’m trying to keep it vague.

I went into this book only having seen the cover and having read the synopsis. I was shocked and jarred from page one but the storytelling was compelling. Non linear stories are the best stories, as they really stretch my brain.

It’s got some gore and some very, very uncomfortable parts but the book has something to say about climate change, capitalism, and colonialism, with a focus on the haves and have nots in a world and potential future which magnifies the differences. Dengue is a standout character.

I feel the book is like Carrie meets Aeon Flux meets the Fly meets David Lynch/Cronenberg vibes. It’s the best way I can describe it without spoiling. Again, it’s shocking as hell. Jarring but good sci fi can do that to you.

Want to go on a cli-fi-sci-fi-speculative joyride? Then check your triggers and buckle up. Remember, safety first.

Again, thanks to @astrahousebooks via @netgalley for an advanced copy of the book.

This novel is in turns, hilarious, brutal and profound. Dengue Boy is one of the most original and enjoyable books I've read this year and I cannot wait to recommend it.

Unfortunately, this book wasn't for me. I thought I would enjoy it since I'm a big fan of both speculative fiction and Borges (to which this book is trying to very openly compare itself), but I found it quite empty and unable to achieve what it was set out to do.
I appreciated the parallels with Latin American issues and the message of "capitalism is bad and pointless" but I felt like it was a bit of an empty message, used to try to justify pindaric flights that were too self-serving to be compelling.
I liked the genderfluidity of Dengue but apart from that I couldn't find anything distinguishable in any of the characters we followed. Also, I don't like the "Lord of the Flies"/"children are inherently evil and will kill each other" narrative; it always feels like a cop-out.