Viridiana (never Diana, not Viri), has spent her entire life in a small fishing village in Baja California in 1979. Multilingual, she’s made decent money acting as a translator and tour guide for tourists, but she’s desperately bored. After breaking up with her previous boyfriend, she’s been ostracized by her friends and no matter what she does her family acts like Viridiana is full of herself. When her mentor advises she take a job with three American tourists for the summer, she jumps at the chance. The three seem glamorous and have ties to wealth and glamour. She is in awe of Daisy, the beautiful wife of a rich and temperamental man named Ambrose. Her brother, Gregory, immediately takes a liking to Viridiana. It becomes quickly apparent that there is something predatory about Gregory and Daisy. Their sudden mood swings, and Gregory’s issue with personal limits are thrilling and terrifying for the eighteen year-old. When Ambrose dies in an “accident,” Viridiana finds herself thrown into a suspenseful world that is like something out of the black and white movies she loves so much.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia continues her streak of amazing novels with Untamed Shore. Her writing is careful to frame the characters in a way that will set the reader on edge, but also conveys why Viridiana may be taken in by their lies. As with the book Gods of Jade and Shadow, there are plenty of references to local beliefs and practices. This novel, however, is more thriller and mystery. Moreno-Garcia sets the stage brilliantly and the reader truly can picture the village in Baja. Once you’re in this book, you’re in it. It’s nearly impossible to put down, even when the reader is mentally screaming at Viridinana to not be naive and just walk away.
Untamed Shore is now available and should be read immediately.
