Silver Nitrate is one of those books whose title entices you to pick it. It piqued my curiosity when I first stumbled upon it and I had been waiting to read it.
The main characters of the book are Montserrate – a sound editor at Antares who is struggling with an underpaying job and her childhood friend Tristan Abascal – a mostly forgotten actor/model trying to resurrect his career. The two of them chance upon an unfinished, rare film from decades ago which is supposedly cursed and had brought bad luck to everyone associated with it back then. Upon the earnest pleas of it’s producer, they unwittingly become party to completing & dubbing the remaining of the film in hope of turning the fortunes.
The film’s German occultist writer Ewers believed films to be magical. Films shot on Silver Nitrate and screened in front of a large audience could be used to perform magic and cast spells. And as Montserrate & Tristan complete the film, it in a way completes a circuit that sets into motion a series of dangerous spells and magical powers that come to threaten their lives. Conjuring ghosts, dead people coming to life, seances, sacrifices – it is all happening as they try to undo this explosion that they have caused.
In a way, this book reminds me of Jumanji where playing a game sets rolling some dangerous real situations. In completing the cursed film, they in turn complete Ewers’ spell and infuse life into the dead monster that Ewers is. So far, so good.
The book however was too slow and unexciting, specially the first quarter. It lacked immediacy and was not scary or intense enough for it to justify a horror theme. The budding romance amidst all this supernatural stuff seemed just for the heck of it. It also throws at you too many historical details and references which only have you questioning – when will the actual story start? I didn’t feel connected with the book at any point.
Conclusion
Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Silver Nitrate is not a bad book. It just doesn’t seem to be my taste. It felt more a fantasy novel than a Horror one. The monstrous depiction of Ewers is effective and lends the much needed tense feel to the story. But at the end, it just felt a big hotch-potch. Read this book if you enjoy supernatural themes, ghosts, magic and such. If you are expecting a nerve wracking horror read – this book falls short.