I am from México, specifically from Sonora (which is close to Ciudad Juárez = Santa Teresa), so I'm extremely familiar with the horrible violence the book talks about so probably this has a lot to do with my understanding of it. It is a hard book to read with some boring parts but it's an amazing reflection on violence and the results that it has on the society that endures it every day. I would encourage you to keep going until you get through the second part, it is very much worth it, but let me also mention that Los Detectives Salvajes is an amazing book that was way more accesible (at least to me it was) and a better entry point to Bolaño.