Signal to Noise

Since 2019, Silvia Moreno-Garcia has become one of my favorite authors, and I’ve read nearly all of her books by now. However, I still hadn’t read her first two novels. Now available in audiobook form, I’ve finally read her debut novel, Signal to Noise. It starts in Mexico City in 1988, when teenagers Meche, Sebastián, and Daniela are friends who’ve stumbled upon a form of magic tied to music. But fast forward to 2009, and Meche is returning to Mexico after her father’s death. She hasn’t seen her former friends in 20 years and isn’t sure she’s ready to make amends. What happened back then that tore them apart?

Tropes & Narrative Devices:

• Dual timeline (1988-1989; 2009)
• Unlikeable main character
• Coming of age arc
• Third-person narration

What I Liked:

• So much music! What initially drew me to Signal to Noise (besides it being by Silvia Moreno-Garcia) is how central of a role music plays in the story. These characters are able to wield magic from the vinyl records they pick out, but only some records have magic attached to them. I also love how much Meche talks about music, especially with her dad, himself a radio broadcaster who’s writing a book about Mexican music. Numerous artists, albums, and songs are referenced throughout the novel, many of which I know, and many more which I’ll need to listen to.
• The magic. This novel is set in a normal world, but magic exists for the three protagonists. They’re essentially practicing witchcraft, guessing as they go about what works and how and why. It feels like something tangible, like the kind of magic you secretly hope you’ll stumble upon someday, despite living in this ordinary world.
• The complicated friendships. Meche is a tough girl to like. She can be cruel and vindictive, and yet her two friends stick with her. Sebastián has to work after school and on weekends; Daniela has lupus and is overprotected by her parents. All three are outcasts, misfits in some way, and the roles in their friendship aren’t always even. They argue, they make mistakes, and yet it rings true to how friendships can be in high school.
• Meche’s relationship with her dad. This is another complicated relationship. How does she go from idolizing her dad, with whom she shares a love of music, to not having seen him in 20 years? What went wrong in their relationship? Like Meche, her dad Vicente has his own issues: alcoholism, an ability to see his book to completion, and a toxic relationship with his wife. It’s a lot to sort through, but Meche will have to do so eventually.

What Didn’t Work for Me:

• Nothing, this was great!

Audiobook

Kyla Garcia does a magnificent job of narrating Signal to Noise. She gives each character a distinctive voice, yet never overdoes it, either. I appreciated how she brought out their personalities and made them feel true to their teenage years.

Final Thoughts

Signal to Noise is a captivating novel steeped in music, subtle magic, and complicated, thorny relationships. It’s a coming of age story in many ways, but also one that hints at growth 20 years later. I enjoyed this novel and especially the audiobook version.

At this point the only Silvia Moreno-Garcia novel I have left to catch up on is Certain Dark Things. Stay tuned for my review of that very soon!

Special thanks to Spotify Audiobooks and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Get the Book

You can buy Signal to Noise here – it’s available as a paperback, ebook, and audiobook.

Signal to Noise by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Audiobook Narrator	Kyla Garcia
Audience	Adult
Genre	Urban Fantasy
Setting	Mexico City
Book Length	352 pages; 9.5 hours
Format I Read	Audiobook (NetGalley ARC)
Original Publication Date	February 2015 (original publication); September 2022 (reprint); August 20, 2024 (audiobook)
Publisher	Solaris; Spotify Audiobooks

Official Summary

Mexico City, 1988. Long before iTunes or MP3s, you said “I love you” with a mixtape. Meche, awkward and fifteen, discovers how to cast spells using music, and with her friends Sebastian and Daniela will piece together their broken families, and even find love…

Two decades after abandoning the metropolis, Meche returns for her estranged father’s funeral, reviving memories from her childhood she thought she buried a long time ago. What really happened back then? Is there any magic left?

Features an illustrated cover from legendary artist Jim Tierney.