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kairosdreaming's review against another edition
5.0
*This book was received as an Advanced Reviewer's Copy from NetGalley.
This may be one of the more compelling, beautiful books that I've read this year. An unexpected joy (which is a weird descriptor, given the themes). While it was short (classifying as a novella), it was packed full of detail and intrigue.
Mercy has only known sorrow in her short life. Ok, maybe that's not entirely true, she has her friend Sherry and they are able to have some semblance of fun. But in general, the women in her small town in New Mexico don't have much to be happy about. It's generational. And because of their sorrows, La Llorona haunts the village, preying on the women and sucking their dreams dry into her river.
Mercy herself is a complicated character. She wants for things, but then turns on herself, believing that she doesn't deserve them. That they'll just be ruined in the end. I think it's a very relatable theme for a lot of people. Add in the haunting from La Llorona, and it just gives it a sinister/creepy vibe.
A surprising detail I found I enjoyed was Mercy's employment (and that around her). It made the book comfortable at the same time the creepiness crept in and the odd mix between the two just strengthened them. I also enjoyed watching her grow into the social scene and handle relationships that were more complicated than what she grew up with.
Throughout all of the book, various social issues came into play; like colorism, racism, sexism. The author did a great job weaving those serious topics in with the other elements of the story. She presented them as driven into the sadness that the water witch fed on and so tied everything together. Finally, the magical realism was done so well that you can't tell if there is magic, or if it's just a vivid picture of life told through a different lens.
Definitely one to read; I couldn't put it down.
Review by M. Reynard 2021
This may be one of the more compelling, beautiful books that I've read this year. An unexpected joy (which is a weird descriptor, given the themes). While it was short (classifying as a novella), it was packed full of detail and intrigue.
Mercy has only known sorrow in her short life. Ok, maybe that's not entirely true, she has her friend Sherry and they are able to have some semblance of fun. But in general, the women in her small town in New Mexico don't have much to be happy about. It's generational. And because of their sorrows, La Llorona haunts the village, preying on the women and sucking their dreams dry into her river.
Mercy herself is a complicated character. She wants for things, but then turns on herself, believing that she doesn't deserve them. That they'll just be ruined in the end. I think it's a very relatable theme for a lot of people. Add in the haunting from La Llorona, and it just gives it a sinister/creepy vibe.
A surprising detail I found I enjoyed was Mercy's employment (and that around her). It made the book comfortable at the same time the creepiness crept in and the odd mix between the two just strengthened them. I also enjoyed watching her grow into the social scene and handle relationships that were more complicated than what she grew up with.
Throughout all of the book, various social issues came into play; like colorism, racism, sexism. The author did a great job weaving those serious topics in with the other elements of the story. She presented them as driven into the sadness that the water witch fed on and so tied everything together. Finally, the magical realism was done so well that you can't tell if there is magic, or if it's just a vivid picture of life told through a different lens.
Definitely one to read; I couldn't put it down.
Review by M. Reynard 2021
juliwi's review against another edition
4.0
Horror and folklore go together so well. Just look at how Midsommar (2019) mingles shattering grief with a "folksy" festival, or how Carmen Maria Machado employs it in her stories in Her Body and Other Parties, specifically in 'The Husband Stitch'! The stories that are told from generation to generation always carry a specific trauma and I adore it when authors explore that to the extent that DeBlassie does in Weep, Woman, Weep. Thanks to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I love the scary side of folklore, the dead women that haunt particular bends in rivers, the little lights hat confuse your path in the woods, the stones that call you and then entrap you. I'm about it, especially because Northern European folklore is full of them. But there is so much more to explore, so many other cultures full of the scary and the awe-inspiring. And that brings me to Weep, Woman, Weep, a Horror novella that doesn't so much put a spin on the La Llorona tale, but rather draws it to a conclusion. La Llorona, or the 'Weeping Woman', is a big part of Latin American folklore and has become so well-known that Hollywood tried to incorporate her into their Conjuring franchise. As is natural with folklore, there are a variety of stories about her, but central elements remain the white dress, the midnight wailing, the drowning of children and women, and the crushing weight of the patriarchy. All these come to play in Weep, Woman, Weep, where crying is dangerous, openly expressing sadness is dangerous, and where men and their desires and expectations are dangerous. The content warnings in the blurb should be taken into account, as DeBlassie does not pull her punches when it comes to the horror. But thankfully she also doesn't shy away from beauty, magic and the slow journey of healing.
Mercy's life is marked by the sorrow of those around her and the growing sorrow within herself. The women of her town carry their sorrow wherever they go, especially once La Llorona has baptized them in her river. Sometimes it seems that the only way to survive is to give in, to let her drag you down into the watery depths and emerge wet-haired and red-eyed. Mercy has lost her friend to La Llorona, but she is determined she won't be dragged down herself. You see, Mercy is a fighter. Not in the traditional, almost cliché, way, where everything becomes a battle and heroism is worn like a cape. Instead, Mercy takes one step after another, moves forward without looking up; survives day by day, letting time pass and her flowers grow. It is a seemingly small act of rebellion and yet it feels epic. Through sumptuous language, a casual yet sharp tone, a down-to-earthness that belies the magic, Weep, Woman, Weep tells of recovery, of restraint, of the difficulty of opening up, and of the beauty of a fulfilling life.
DeBlassie almost seamlessly weaves a whole set of heavy themes into her story without interrupting its flow. Despite the horrors it describes, Weep, Woman, Weep never loses faith in its own main character. It never undercuts her power, even when she is at her lowest. Mercy's journey throughout the novella is one that utterly gripped me as I accompanied her from her teenage years to solid middle-age. DeBlassie shapes her growth well, the way in which the world moves around her but she doesn't let its movements affect her core. There is loneliness there, but also beauty, a balance I believe is at the core of good horror. Magic is something elemental in Weep, Woman, Weep, not in that it is linked to the elements, although it is, but that it is something normal in Mercy's life. She speaks to her plants, just like her mother buried protection charms. I loved how DeBlassie balanced the inheritance of trauma with this inheritance of skill and understanding. I can't wait to read more by Maria DeBlasie!
I raced through Weep, Woman, Weep, engrossed by Mercy's story and fascinated by the folklore and details that DeBlassie weaves throughout her story.
URL: https://universeinwords.blogspot.com/2021/11/review-weep-woman-weep-by-maria-deblasie.html
I love the scary side of folklore, the dead women that haunt particular bends in rivers, the little lights hat confuse your path in the woods, the stones that call you and then entrap you. I'm about it, especially because Northern European folklore is full of them. But there is so much more to explore, so many other cultures full of the scary and the awe-inspiring. And that brings me to Weep, Woman, Weep, a Horror novella that doesn't so much put a spin on the La Llorona tale, but rather draws it to a conclusion. La Llorona, or the 'Weeping Woman', is a big part of Latin American folklore and has become so well-known that Hollywood tried to incorporate her into their Conjuring franchise. As is natural with folklore, there are a variety of stories about her, but central elements remain the white dress, the midnight wailing, the drowning of children and women, and the crushing weight of the patriarchy. All these come to play in Weep, Woman, Weep, where crying is dangerous, openly expressing sadness is dangerous, and where men and their desires and expectations are dangerous. The content warnings in the blurb should be taken into account, as DeBlassie does not pull her punches when it comes to the horror. But thankfully she also doesn't shy away from beauty, magic and the slow journey of healing.
Mercy's life is marked by the sorrow of those around her and the growing sorrow within herself. The women of her town carry their sorrow wherever they go, especially once La Llorona has baptized them in her river. Sometimes it seems that the only way to survive is to give in, to let her drag you down into the watery depths and emerge wet-haired and red-eyed. Mercy has lost her friend to La Llorona, but she is determined she won't be dragged down herself. You see, Mercy is a fighter. Not in the traditional, almost cliché, way, where everything becomes a battle and heroism is worn like a cape. Instead, Mercy takes one step after another, moves forward without looking up; survives day by day, letting time pass and her flowers grow. It is a seemingly small act of rebellion and yet it feels epic. Through sumptuous language, a casual yet sharp tone, a down-to-earthness that belies the magic, Weep, Woman, Weep tells of recovery, of restraint, of the difficulty of opening up, and of the beauty of a fulfilling life.
DeBlassie almost seamlessly weaves a whole set of heavy themes into her story without interrupting its flow. Despite the horrors it describes, Weep, Woman, Weep never loses faith in its own main character. It never undercuts her power, even when she is at her lowest. Mercy's journey throughout the novella is one that utterly gripped me as I accompanied her from her teenage years to solid middle-age. DeBlassie shapes her growth well, the way in which the world moves around her but she doesn't let its movements affect her core. There is loneliness there, but also beauty, a balance I believe is at the core of good horror. Magic is something elemental in Weep, Woman, Weep, not in that it is linked to the elements, although it is, but that it is something normal in Mercy's life. She speaks to her plants, just like her mother buried protection charms. I loved how DeBlassie balanced the inheritance of trauma with this inheritance of skill and understanding. I can't wait to read more by Maria DeBlasie!
I raced through Weep, Woman, Weep, engrossed by Mercy's story and fascinated by the folklore and details that DeBlassie weaves throughout her story.
URL: https://universeinwords.blogspot.com/2021/11/review-weep-woman-weep-by-maria-deblasie.html
littlemissmaudlin's review against another edition
4.0
I generally enjoy feminist gothic horror and this book is no different. It's more or less a novella given its short length. I really just wanted more pages so that there would be more depth to the story, as some parts of the story felt a bit rushed. Still, the writing was beautiful, and I enjoyed the magical realism as well as the themes of intergenerational trauma and grief. A haunting but moving story.
zealandrc's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I liked the ending
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Death
hautemessreads's review against another edition
5.0
“I am built for tears.”
From the opening line, DeBlassie sucks us into an absolutely gorgeously spun tale of culture, breaking generational chains, and sorrow. La Llorona is a haunting presence that lurks throughout the story, causing you to shiver and look twice at the shadows outside your window.
As someone who lives next to the Bosque river, I found the description of New Mexico to be beautifully accurate, and the subtle horror perfect for spooky season.
Mercy is a wonderful narrator, and I empathized with her immediately. To be the friend that always feels a bit out of place, always longs for more beauty- that is a theme that I think many of us relate to.
I love that this novella was written by a bruja, and that we got to see the healing side of witchcraft. Beautifully done and well worth the read. I give this one five stars.
From the opening line, DeBlassie sucks us into an absolutely gorgeously spun tale of culture, breaking generational chains, and sorrow. La Llorona is a haunting presence that lurks throughout the story, causing you to shiver and look twice at the shadows outside your window.
As someone who lives next to the Bosque river, I found the description of New Mexico to be beautifully accurate, and the subtle horror perfect for spooky season.
Mercy is a wonderful narrator, and I empathized with her immediately. To be the friend that always feels a bit out of place, always longs for more beauty- that is a theme that I think many of us relate to.
I love that this novella was written by a bruja, and that we got to see the healing side of witchcraft. Beautifully done and well worth the read. I give this one five stars.
genevarsmith's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is absolutely beautiful story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Violence, and Abandonment
welshbookfairy's review against another edition
5.0
Changed this to five star because this book has truly HAUNTED me. I initially dropped a star because I thought it should have/could have gone on for much longer but in all honesty, the impact of this novella is too powerful to give it anything less than 5.
andreag23's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this book. The storytelling is beautiful and vivid. The genre seems to be a mix - there is a bit of horror which feels like gothic, a bit of coming-of-age, a bit of romance. The narrative voice of the protagonist Mercy is quite dry, but this suits her well - accordingly, her narration is not very emotional and even the more dramatic events are not overdramatised.
Mercy becomes a farmer in the course of the plot, she loves to plant and work with plants. Meanwhile, La Llorona hovers over Mercy's life like an evil shadow throughout the plot, and I won't spoil how that turns out in the end. Depending on how you want to interpret the story, La Llorona could be seen as a spectre, an urban legend or even as a metaphor - a metaphor for everything that prevents people from living their lives to the full - because of anxiety, depression, worries or other problems. I really liked Mercy's character development and highly recommend this book.
Mercy becomes a farmer in the course of the plot, she loves to plant and work with plants. Meanwhile, La Llorona hovers over Mercy's life like an evil shadow throughout the plot, and I won't spoil how that turns out in the end. Depending on how you want to interpret the story, La Llorona could be seen as a spectre, an urban legend or even as a metaphor - a metaphor for everything that prevents people from living their lives to the full - because of anxiety, depression, worries or other problems. I really liked Mercy's character development and highly recommend this book.
jessbookscoffee91's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book!! Got to see Mercy and her friend Sherry grow up together and the history of La Llorona. The fear that Mercy and Sherry felt about her. You can feel and understand all the emotions.
Then seeing Mercy having to live life in her own with only a older man as a friend. Seeing her struggle with the pain of the loss of her best friend. Fear that she would be next.
A dark Hispanic fairytale that kept you wanting to read to learn more and see what’s going to happen next.
Would love to read more books like this!
Then seeing Mercy having to live life in her own with only a older man as a friend. Seeing her struggle with the pain of the loss of her best friend. Fear that she would be next.
A dark Hispanic fairytale that kept you wanting to read to learn more and see what’s going to happen next.
Would love to read more books like this!
seitenreise's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. Obwohl ich zwischendurch das Gefühl hatte, dass es sich ein wenig im Kreis dreht, hat sich am Ende alles gefunden und ich bin extrem angetan von DeBlassies Stil, wie sie ihre Elemente und Details verwebt und am Ende eine Geschichte der Hoffnung und des Wachstums geschaffen hat.