Prime Meridian, Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Received to review via Netgalley; publication date 10th July 2018
Prime Meridian is a rather quiet novella, following the low-key struggle of life in Mexico City for its protagonist, Amelia, while she dreams of life in the colonies on Mars. There’s no intense action, just an emotional undercurrent of bitterness and the fear that she’ll never escape Mexico City and her life there. There’s an honesty about Amelia’s character — not always likeable, for the reader or for the people around her — but always truthful, doing what she can to live her life and not kidding herself about it.
To say too much about this book wouldn’t spoil it, but I don’t think I can go too deeply into it. It’s wrenching in a way that has nothing to do with big worldwide events or apocalyptic calamities. It’s just about people, and the hope of getting out.
I really enjoyed this one – as you say, it’s all quiet desperation in a very familiar context. Amelia feels so very, very real, and I loved her conversations with Lucia in particular.
imyril recently posted…Bitesize Books: Prime Meridian
Agreed! Lucia was pretty interesting too.