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greenlivingaudioworm's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Confinement, Violence, Kidnapping, Death, and Racism
puttingwingsonwords's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Pilar Ramirez and the Escape from Zafa is fast paced and fun while also dealing with the heavy subject of intergenerational trauma. The writing is fast-paced and really embodies the voice of 12 year old Pilar.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Genocide, Grief, Violence, Death, and Kidnapping
Minor: Racism
karcitis's review
adventurous
dark
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Violence, Grief, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Death of parent, Police brutality, Murder, and Death
Minor: Child death and Body horror
antonique_reads's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
perpetualpages's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
4.0
CWs: Explorations of war crimes, genocide, massacre, abduction, and trauma; some references to death and police brutality; some thematic violence; and one HP reference
Pilar Ramirez and the Escape from Zafa is a dynamic series opener that introduces us to a spunky, unforgettable heroine who is ready to kick some butt and take some names. Pilar is a determined, opinionated, whip-smart young Dominican-American girl, who is not afraid to go toe-to-toe with El Cuco himself if it means saving her family and defending the people she loves.
To start off, I think Pilar Ramirez is perfect for fans of the Tristan Strong series. Both stories are set in fantasy worlds that are inspired by distinctive cultural myths, and they're also both driven by inquisitive young narrators who aren't afraid to tell you how they really feel about encountering magic for the first time. Much like Tristan, Pilar isn't afraid to openly interrogate aspects of this new-to-her fantasy world as she discovers them, and hearing her recount the story has the same feeling of sitting across from a close friend as they tell you what they've been up to lately. Her voice is personable, entertaining, and distinctive, and I think it perfectly captures that very specific flavor and rhythm of Dominican Spanglish.
This is a fast-paced, captivating fantasy-adventure story, and I think it has a lot to offer young readers. First and foremost, I appreciate how Julian Randall has created a fantastical middle grade story to help young people process the horrors and trauma of the Trujllo dictatorship. There's a traumatic legacy that comes with that, one that many people are unable to talk about, and so it's powerful to have a young heroine like Pilar being able to confront her culture's history and grapple with it in way that's tangible and immediate. In a way, she's discovering her family's culture and history directly for the first time, and figuring out how to navigate it in a very literal sense as she takes on this epic journey to free her long-lost cousin.
With Pilar discovering this world of magic, there's also an interesting narrative thread exploring the reclamation of power. Even though her ancestors and her family were victims of a horrendous dictatorship that essentially rendered them powerless, Pilar is still able to dig deep and find magic within herself that she can use to fight against the literal evils of this fantasy world.
There's also a line that gets repeated in this story about "becoming a threat," and I think that can be a powerful mantra for young marginalized folks who are battling against oppressive systems that don't want them to exist. The idea is that if someone out there is going to invest resources into your destruction, it's because they fear your power and they see you (and potentially your community) as a threat. So if someone believes you to be threat, why not become one and bring about the very destruction they fear? That is an incredibly powerful call to action.
As you would expect, this story is also a rumination on the power of stories. Stories and myths passed down from her family are what has prepared Pilar to face and understand this fantasy world she finds herself in, and in listening to the stories of people currently living in Zafa and suffering through this war, she's able to better arm herself for the battle ahead. The magic that moves through Zafa is also powered by memory itself, and it draws on the collective power of Zafa's people as well as the humans who were abducted there during the war. That is another worthwhile message: that forgetting or erasing tragedies of the past does not lessen their impact, but remembering what your community has endured can make you a stronger person going forward.
If I'm being honest, I wanted a little bit more from the world-building. In terms of the actual portal that transports Pilar to Zafa, it's never made clear whether her sister's professor had anything to do with it or whether it was just pure coincidence. There also doesn't seem to be any long-lasting consequences to Pilar's fantastical adventure, especially because everything wraps up just a little bit too neatly. In fairness, maybe that's something that will be further explored in the second book, but only time will tell. I also wish we could've seen even more of Zafa itself, because the story is primarily focused on a few key locations, and we don't get a strong sense of how big this fantasy world truly is by the end.
Even with that said, I still really enjoyed this. I love that this story is so voice-y, I appreciate the blend of the historical and the fantastical, I enjoyed the humor and the adventure, and the stakes also feel incredibly real for the characters. The author's poetic background also comes through in the thematic resonances of the story, which makes it stand out. What's more, there's *possibly* a sapphic dynamic being set up between Pilar and Carmen as well, and I'm super interested to see how (and if) that unfolds in the final installment. Overall, I think this is a great addition to the shelves of any middle grade fantasy reader, and I cannot wait to see what else Julian writes in the future.
Pilar Ramirez and the Escape from Zafa is a dynamic series opener that introduces us to a spunky, unforgettable heroine who is ready to kick some butt and take some names. Pilar is a determined, opinionated, whip-smart young Dominican-American girl, who is not afraid to go toe-to-toe with El Cuco himself if it means saving her family and defending the people she loves.
To start off, I think Pilar Ramirez is perfect for fans of the Tristan Strong series. Both stories are set in fantasy worlds that are inspired by distinctive cultural myths, and they're also both driven by inquisitive young narrators who aren't afraid to tell you how they really feel about encountering magic for the first time. Much like Tristan, Pilar isn't afraid to openly interrogate aspects of this new-to-her fantasy world as she discovers them, and hearing her recount the story has the same feeling of sitting across from a close friend as they tell you what they've been up to lately. Her voice is personable, entertaining, and distinctive, and I think it perfectly captures that very specific flavor and rhythm of Dominican Spanglish.
This is a fast-paced, captivating fantasy-adventure story, and I think it has a lot to offer young readers. First and foremost, I appreciate how Julian Randall has created a fantastical middle grade story to help young people process the horrors and trauma of the Trujllo dictatorship. There's a traumatic legacy that comes with that, one that many people are unable to talk about, and so it's powerful to have a young heroine like Pilar being able to confront her culture's history and grapple with it in way that's tangible and immediate. In a way, she's discovering her family's culture and history directly for the first time, and figuring out how to navigate it in a very literal sense as she takes on this epic journey to free her long-lost cousin.
With Pilar discovering this world of magic, there's also an interesting narrative thread exploring the reclamation of power. Even though her ancestors and her family were victims of a horrendous dictatorship that essentially rendered them powerless, Pilar is still able to dig deep and find magic within herself that she can use to fight against the literal evils of this fantasy world.
There's also a line that gets repeated in this story about "becoming a threat," and I think that can be a powerful mantra for young marginalized folks who are battling against oppressive systems that don't want them to exist. The idea is that if someone out there is going to invest resources into your destruction, it's because they fear your power and they see you (and potentially your community) as a threat. So if someone believes you to be threat, why not become one and bring about the very destruction they fear? That is an incredibly powerful call to action.
As you would expect, this story is also a rumination on the power of stories. Stories and myths passed down from her family are what has prepared Pilar to face and understand this fantasy world she finds herself in, and in listening to the stories of people currently living in Zafa and suffering through this war, she's able to better arm herself for the battle ahead. The magic that moves through Zafa is also powered by memory itself, and it draws on the collective power of Zafa's people as well as the humans who were abducted there during the war. That is another worthwhile message: that forgetting or erasing tragedies of the past does not lessen their impact, but remembering what your community has endured can make you a stronger person going forward.
If I'm being honest, I wanted a little bit more from the world-building. In terms of the actual portal that transports Pilar to Zafa, it's never made clear whether her sister's professor had anything to do with it or whether it was just pure coincidence. There also doesn't seem to be any long-lasting consequences to Pilar's fantastical adventure, especially because everything wraps up just a little bit too neatly. In fairness, maybe that's something that will be further explored in the second book, but only time will tell. I also wish we could've seen even more of Zafa itself, because the story is primarily focused on a few key locations, and we don't get a strong sense of how big this fantasy world truly is by the end.
Even with that said, I still really enjoyed this. I love that this story is so voice-y, I appreciate the blend of the historical and the fantastical, I enjoyed the humor and the adventure, and the stakes also feel incredibly real for the characters. The author's poetic background also comes through in the thematic resonances of the story, which makes it stand out. What's more, there's *possibly* a sapphic dynamic being set up between Pilar and Carmen as well, and I'm super interested to see how (and if) that unfolds in the final installment. Overall, I think this is a great addition to the shelves of any middle grade fantasy reader, and I cannot wait to see what else Julian writes in the future.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Kidnapping, Violence, War, and Death
Minor: Genocide and Police brutality
decklededgess's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
3.0
trigger warnings: death of family, death of parents, violence, war, kidnapping
This book was so so so amazing! I was thrilled with the integration of lore and mythology with actual political turmoil that affected the lives of people in the Dominican Republic. Incredible storytelling, hilarious writing, and fascinating story. An incredible debut to middle grade!
This book was so so so amazing! I was thrilled with the integration of lore and mythology with actual political turmoil that affected the lives of people in the Dominican Republic. Incredible storytelling, hilarious writing, and fascinating story. An incredible debut to middle grade!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, Genocide, Grief, Kidnapping, Torture, and War
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