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allyem_reads's review
4.0
Graphic: Self harm, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Blood, Body shaming, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Suicide attempt, and Gore
Moderate: Colonisation, Grief, Death of parent, Body horror, Dementia, Infidelity, Medical content, and Religious bigotry
iseefirede's review
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
3.25
I feel this book was too explicit in its themes. There was no subtlety to it. The therapist she sees is used to explain what we could've inferred was going on. There's not much, if any, character development.
If you are looking for a quick horror read, this is for you. If you're looking to explore themes of generational trauma, you probably should look elsewhere.
Graphic: Grief, Misogyny, Blood, Body horror, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Animal death, Child death, Death, Gore, Miscarriage, and Self harm
Moderate: Abandonment and Body shaming
Minor: War and Dementia
megandherbook's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Alejandra is a wife and a mother and is seriously struggling. She feels as though she has no identity other than those two things and she isn't even good at them. As her depression gets deeper she starts to see a ghostly figure of a woman in white - La Llorona. After deciding to get therapy this entity starts wreaking havoc on not only her but her children. This leads Alejandra to connect more with her birth mother who gave her up at birth and to learn more about her family history. She wants to learn more about this woman in white and how she can get rid of her for good.
This book is the epitome of how much heart horror can have. To start, Alejandra is such a beautiful, flawed character. I am not married and have no children but as someone who has depression I felt her agony. I have many friends who have felt the way she felt about their own partners and children and I know that Alejandra's struggle will resonate with so many. Yet the strength and love she has for her children will have you cheering for her the whole way through the book.
I also loved the exploration of her family history and heritage. Alejandra is a woman that was adopted and raised by people that had no ties to her heritage which made her feel even more lost in her identity. Getting to go with her has she learned and connected with her family and the strength it gave her had me crying. It was truly beautiful seeing her and the women of her family line experience the very real emotions that come with being human but specifically Mexican American women.
Finally, La Llorona is terrifying. I know enough about this legend and this take on it was so unique. The way that the moments of horror were paced seriously left me on edge. This book is told through multiple POV's and multiple timelines that made the story unfold in a way that made it hard to put the book down. I highly recommend this book!
Graphic: Death, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Moderate: Body shaming, Child death, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Blood, Colonisation, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, and Violence
Minor: Religious bigotry, War, and Rape