Book Review: “Silver Nitrate” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Moreno-Garcia writes beautiful stories, lush fantasy, ghost stories, and Mexico City Noir.   Silver Nitrate hits all these themes, as well as SMG’s passion for twentieth century Mexican pop culture.  Silver nitrate is, of course, the ingredient of pre-war film, which figures both symbolically and literally in this story.

I’m not a giant fan of supernatural stuff, and I know pretty much zilch about Mexico City of any period.  But SMG is so good, I read right along, wanting more.

The protagonists are unglamourous, no longer young, and not especially successful.  Childhood friends Monserrat (AKA, Momo) and Tristán are hanging onto the edges of the Mexico City film scene.  Tristán and Momo have been friends forever, but never lovers.  (You know that’s gotta change, right? : – ) )

Monserrat’s perpetual freelance gig is crashing.  Tristán’s film career is now reduced to a few voice overs.  Troubled and going nowhere, what will happen to them?

Tristán moves to a new apartment, and discovers he is neighbors with an old man who used to make movies.  Momo has heard of him, and becomes interested in his famous last movie which was never released and is said to have cursed all the participants.

The old guy tells them he can lift the curse and bring all of them good fortune.  They will need to finish the key scene by dubbing in the dialog on a snippet of film (if the silver nitrate print has survived in his freezer).

The segment portrays a magic ritual, and the old filmstock is silver nitrate, for magical oomph.  Adding the voices and some special runes in the credits will supposedly make the film capable of sucking the power from the audience.

Tristán and Momo complete the dubbing, though they don’t really know what this will do.  At first, a series of fortunate events gives them hope that their luck has changed for the better.  But they have stirred up a bunch of magical forces; as multiple sorcerers and their minions want the film for their own agendas.  Ghosts take an interest, too. 

It becomes apparent that the crazy director didn’t exactly die all those years ago, at least not permanently.  And he wants to come back to life. Uh, oh!

Its all very complicated and full of loony occult nonsense, nasty people, and, what appears to be very real and very dangerous magic.

What have they got themselves into?  Can these two survive and maybe get back to a simple life?

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1. Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Silver Nitrate, New York, Del Ray, 2023.

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