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dlrosebyh's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Xochitl is condemned to travel the desert by herself while telling the tales of her unhappy hamlet to its parched winds. Her solitary company is provided by the wonderful stars overhead and mysterious lines of poetry that appear magically scattered across sand dunes. Her only wish is to connect with someone who shares her values.
One night, Emilia, the icy and stunning daughter of the town's merciless conqueror, comes into the world, fulfilling Xo's wish. However, when the two embark on a fantastical voyage over the desert, they discover that their hearts might be compatible. If only they can make it through the nighttime terrors that seem like nightmares.
I see why everyone loved this book, but my timing was off. Not because the plot wasn't intriguing, but rather because I've been having a terrible reading slump, I found myself skimming through a lot of it. I think it's a nice book overall—it has a flawed hero, a wholesome conclusion, lyrical writing, and a clever plot twist—but my slump really sapped the fun out of it for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Animal cruelty
Minor: Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, and Infidelity
mandkips's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Gore
Moderate: Animal death and Animal cruelty
Minor: Domestic abuse and Alcoholism
puttingwingsonwords's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gore, Murder, Trafficking, and Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism and Alcohol
meagangrace's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Death, Murder, Animal death, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Vomit, Animal cruelty, and Child abuse
Minor: Alcoholism and Domestic abuse
nesstea's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Really connected to this spiritually. Knocked a fourth off the rating because that ending with no clue what happens to Xochitl was not enjoyable but ultimately leads to having faith I guess and at least I’m comforted that Emilia will still be there.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Child abuse, and Blood
Moderate: Trafficking
Minor: Alcoholism
liteartha's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
oh how i loved this!
we follow xochitl, the young cuentista of a small desert village called empalme. it is her responsibility alone to hear the dark personal stories of her community whenever they might need her, and to return these stories to the deity solís in a ritual that leaves xochitl dazed, exhausted, and without any memory of the stories she has heard.
xo's world is harsh and unforgiving. the climate itself is brutal, water is scarce, there is a threatening foreign presence in empalme, and the burden of being cuentista wears heavily on her shoulders. she yearns to be free, to be seen, and to be accepted. when she begins to discover mysterious poems buried in the sand, she finds a voice that seems to understand her more deeply than she'd hoped possible.
through a life-altering chain of events, xochitl finds herself leaving everything she's ever known to embark on a harrowing journey across the desert with only an unlikely travelling companion and a desire for a better life to guide her.
this novel really shines in the exploration of its own mythology and how multiple truths can be held at once without there needing to be a determined right or wrong. i also loved the natural and unchallenged queerness of its world, frank depictions of menstruation and bodily functions, and the way that spanish was woven so seamlessly in with english, translated only sparsely and trusting the reader to understand.
the parallels to rivers solomon's the deep (a recent favourite of mine) were impossible to ignore, but in no way took away from this novel's own strength. both reflect on storytelling, connection, identity, and the weight of bearing a heavy burden alone, and both do so in their own beautifully compelling way. i also can't help but find it fitting that stories that centre storytelling would evoke thoughts of each other in reading. what better way to emphasise how universal and vital the practice is?
thank you to tor teen and netgalley for providing this e-arc
we follow xochitl, the young cuentista of a small desert village called empalme. it is her responsibility alone to hear the dark personal stories of her community whenever they might need her, and to return these stories to the deity solís in a ritual that leaves xochitl dazed, exhausted, and without any memory of the stories she has heard.
xo's world is harsh and unforgiving. the climate itself is brutal, water is scarce, there is a threatening foreign presence in empalme, and the burden of being cuentista wears heavily on her shoulders. she yearns to be free, to be seen, and to be accepted. when she begins to discover mysterious poems buried in the sand, she finds a voice that seems to understand her more deeply than she'd hoped possible.
through a life-altering chain of events, xochitl finds herself leaving everything she's ever known to embark on a harrowing journey across the desert with only an unlikely travelling companion and a desire for a better life to guide her.
this novel really shines in the exploration of its own mythology and how multiple truths can be held at once without there needing to be a determined right or wrong. i also loved the natural and unchallenged queerness of its world, frank depictions of menstruation and bodily functions, and the way that spanish was woven so seamlessly in with english, translated only sparsely and trusting the reader to understand.
the parallels to rivers solomon's the deep (a recent favourite of mine) were impossible to ignore, but in no way took away from this novel's own strength. both reflect on storytelling, connection, identity, and the weight of bearing a heavy burden alone, and both do so in their own beautifully compelling way. i also can't help but find it fitting that stories that centre storytelling would evoke thoughts of each other in reading. what better way to emphasise how universal and vital the practice is?
thank you to tor teen and netgalley for providing this e-arc
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Death, Animal death, Blood, and Vomit
Moderate: Alcoholism
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