My first Garza read and went into this a little blind, expecting a conventional mystery thriller. Nope! I absolutely loved it, but my tastes run more to the literary fiction side of things and I do enjoy “plotless fiction” so the leap to prose poetry wasn’t too far, but my mom who loves thrillers would not be into this and that makes me wonder about how it will be marketed. I’d like to read more of this author now that I’ve gotten to know her. Fascinating.

I really enjoyed the way Cristina Rivera Garza wrote this and enjoyed the overall feel that I wanted from the description. The plot had that overall feel that I was hoping for and enjoyed the way it worked overall in this genre. The characters had that element that I was looking for and glad they were so well written.

I love to pick books that have been translated because there is always some unique storytelling in them. This book is definitely included there. Garza had me engrossed with this very unique book. Reading the book felt like poetry (makes sense since it’s about a Poet). Overall an enjoyable read even with a plot that doesn’t feel like it was completed.

I received a free advanced copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Death Takes Me was exactly what I want from literary fiction — sharp, artistic, poignant. The writing is at times stilted but in a way that makes it read in a poetic sort of rhythm — fitting for the content. I would love to read it in the original Spanish, especially as gendered words and translation is a recurring point within the book. It is by no means an easy read — in content or execution — but an extremely engrossing one.