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bree_h_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I really wanted to like this book. And I had enjoyed it for the most part until the very end, which is why I think this feels so disappointing.
I thought the book had a pretty strong intro. It established the world effectively and did so in a way non-Latin readers could understand. I had a quick grasp on relationships and dynamics. I think the book ended up being a bit heavy handed in foreshadowing with this establishment of the world, but I still appreciated it and that there was foreshadowing.
I also really liked the complexity in the family dynamics. It didn’t feel like Yadriel’s family was villainised for not fully understanding him. It was upsetting, you understood Yadriel’s pain, and (at least with his father) you felt like he was TRYING. And when Yadriel revealed he had become a brujo how PROUD he was of Yadriel. It felt realistic and I appreciated that aspect. This also leant well to the story being told of Yadriel’s struggle as a trans teen, which was compelling and provided such great insight into what trans teens go through in trying to find comfort in their own body.
The biggest issue I had with the book was the romance. I had such a hard time buying into it, especially considering how short of a time the book takes place over. When it did fully turn to romance it felt sudden and like the story hadn’t properly built to it. I felt the book would have been better if it had been about forming a friendship instead of a romance. Especially considering how isolated Yadriel felt as the only noted “friends” outside his family were his cousin’s friends. This was only emphasised when in the ending there was a dramatic declaration that the Julian had feelings for Yadriel and all I could think of was the Sassy Gay Friend video for Romeo and Juliet. I had a couple other issues with the end, but they’re spoilers so I’ll refrain from sharing them.
Overall a book with a strong start that fumbled the ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Grief, Transphobia, and Blood
Moderate: Violence, Child death, Dysphoria, Racism, Classism, and Murder
Minor: Deadnaming, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cultural appropriation, Fire/Fire injury, Bullying, Deportation, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Gun violence, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Outing
rieviolet's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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? No
3.5
I listened to the audiobook version so this is going to colour my review/rating a bit, because I'm still trying to get used to this medium of reading, and my mind doesn't always cooperate and tends to wander a lot.
I felt like the beginning and the end of the story were stronger and more memorable, whereas the middle part was a bit slow and, to be honest, I remember very little of what happened, it all kind of blurred together.
I really liked the representation of the trans experience thorugh the character of Yadriel. We got to see the big and more evident aspects of it, but also the little and everyday details.
I appreciated the cultural elements, as well as their more fantastical re-imagination; though I think maybe at times the author verged into overexplanation. I also liked the interspersed sentences and expressions in Spanish.
I wasn't quite sold at the beginning on the romance but, as the story progressed, it got better and I'm not ashamed to say thatwhen Julian said "mi querido" I screamed.
I felt like the beginning and the end of the story were stronger and more memorable, whereas the middle part was a bit slow and, to be honest, I remember very little of what happened, it all kind of blurred together.
I really liked the representation of the trans experience thorugh the character of Yadriel. We got to see the big and more evident aspects of it, but also the little and everyday details.
I appreciated the cultural elements, as well as their more fantastical re-imagination; though I think maybe at times the author verged into overexplanation. I also liked the interspersed sentences and expressions in Spanish.
I wasn't quite sold at the beginning on the romance but, as the story progressed, it got better and I'm not ashamed to say that
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Racism, and Transphobia
Moderate: Death of parent, Sexism, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Kidnapping, Gore, Child death, Religious bigotry, Murder, Dysphoria, Child abuse, Deadnaming, and Violence
Minor: Abandonment, Drug use, Cultural appropriation, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Bullying, Classism, Deportation, Homophobia, Animal cruelty, Self harm, and Torture
chaotic_corvid's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.75
Nie spodziewałom się, że młodzieżówka może połączyć aż tak dobrze romans z wątkiem przygodowo-śledczym. Zwrot akcji nie jest w pełni przewidywalny ale są bazy by mieć swoje podejrzenia, niestety jedna postać drugoplanowa staje się przez niego trochę... słabiej napisana. Tak jak Yadriel jestem trans gejem i myślę, że gdybym miał te książkę w okresie gdy dopiero to odkrywałem to bardzo by mi pomogła w zrozumieniu siebie wcześniej.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Outing, Grief, Physical abuse, Xenophobia, Death, Dysphoria, Transphobia, Violence, Child death, Death of parent, Blood, Murder, Deadnaming, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug use, Misogyny, Torture, Deportation, Racism, Cursing, Homophobia, Cultural appropriation, Classism, Alcohol, Religious bigotry, and Animal death
_nutella52's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deportation, Dysphoria, Deadnaming, Grief, Racism, Transphobia, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Homophobia, and Outing
Moderate: Drug use, Gore, Blood, Body horror, Alcohol, and Car accident
Minor: Cultural appropriation and Animal death
talonsontypewriters's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
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? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Dysphoria, Sexism, Misogyny, Kidnapping, Medical content, Transphobia, Self harm, Body horror, Gore, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Death of parent, Animal death, Racism, Deportation, Child abuse, Gun violence, Abandonment, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, Deadnaming, Car accident, Drug use, and Xenophobia
Self-harm for ritualistic purposes.onceuponabookcase's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
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? No
4.5
I've been intrigued by Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas for years. It sounded right up my street, and a few friends had raved about it. But it was only available to buy from America, which made it expensive. So I was super excited to hear that Thomas' books were being published in the UK this year by Macmillan Children's Books, and was stoked to buy a copy of Cemetery Boys early at YALC. It was definitely worth the wait, it's such a fantastic story!
Yadriel is from a Latinx brujx community; people who were blessed with powers by Lady Death generations ago. The bruja have healing powers and are connected to the living, and the brujos have power over the dead; they can summon spirits and help them pass on. When someone turns 15, they have their quinces, a ceremony where they dedicate themselves to Lady Death. Yadriel is 16, and has yet to have his quinces. Because Yadriel is trans, and his family and community are having difficulty understanding. He's definitely not a bruja, as he's not a woman, but could he actually be a brujo? Yadriel's father, the the brujx leader, isn't sure. A few days before Día de Muertos, Yadriel decides to perform his quinces in secret with his cousin Maritza, and prove to his family and his community that he can be a brujo. The ceremony works, but immediately after, it becomes apparent that his cousin Miguel has died. Yadriel is desperate to help the other brujos search for him, to find out what's wrong, but is refused by his dad. So, again, he decides to summon Miguel's spirit in secret, to find out what happened, and prove his worth. But instead of Miguel's spirit, he accidentally summons the spirit of Julian, a trouble maker from school. Julian was murdered earlier in the evening, but has no idea what exactly happened. Yadriel tries to help him pass on, but Julian refuses to go, desperate to find out if his friends, who were with him when he died, are ok. Yadriel reluctantly agrees to help, on the proviso that once Julian knows, Yadriel will pass him on. But the longer he spends with Julian, and the longer it takes for the brujos to find Miguel's body, the more complicated things get. And it's not too long before Yadriel questions whether he actually wants Julian to go.
I loved this Cemetery Boys! After Julian has been summoned, not a huge amount happens for quite a while, but it didn't bother me, because I loved these characters and this world so much! There's something about Thomas' writing that really draws you in, and I was quite happy watching Julian and Yadriel together, driving each other round the bend. It's a slow burn story, with the cutest slow burn romance. Julian is like an excitable puppy, and I just adored him! He's labelled a bad boy, but only because he's been judged so by people who don't know him. He's reckless and impulsive, and he can have a temper and be quite stubborn, but he's fiercely loyal to his friends, and can be quite sensitive. I was strongly reminded of the movie Ghost as Julian tries to learn how to be a ghost, and it was just so funny! He hides in a sarcophagus at one point, and his reaction when he finally comes out is hilarious! He's just brilliant, and I loved the romance between him and Yadriel. Julian isn't at all who Yadriel thought he would be, and he can't help but be drawn to him and his infectious joy. He misgenders Yadriel once, but once he knows he's completely onboard, supportive, and actually really quite insightful about Yadriel's situation, even to the point of reading deeper into what Yadriel is going through than Yadriel will admit to himself. Julian is the first person besides Yadriel's mum and Maritza that accepts Yadrial for who he is without question, and it's not long before Julian wants to fight his corne. It's beautiful, but it's complicated - because Julian is dead.
I loved what fuels this story. The story wouldn't exist as it does if Yadriel wasn't trans. Everything he does is to try and prove to his father and the brujx that he is a brujo, that he can be part of the community. It's quite early on, but it was quite emotional when Yadriel's quinces goes perfectly; Lady Death accepts him for who he is without question. There is immediate elation, but quickly followed by sadness and anger; if Lady Death can accept him, why can't the others? It's so layered, because he's not just trying to be accepted as a man, but to be allowed to take his place in his community. The magic is gendered; the women heal, the men summon and pass on spirits. Yes, it could have been written so that magic wasn't gendered, but then the crux of the story for Yadriel wouldn't be there; it's about him wanting and needing to be accepted. And as the magic is gendered, there's definitely a question from the brujx of whether Yadriel could be a brujo. While Yadriel, as the reader, knows from early on that Lady Death accepts him as a man and as a brujo, his father isn't sure whether he would be granted the brujos' powers. In some senses, it's a valid question; what would actually happen? Would Lady Death accept him? But it actually stems more from a lack of understanding and a lack of complete acceptance of Yadriel as a man. How can he be a brujo when he isn't a man? It's a really fraught situation, and it was handled with so much care and sensitivity, and I loved Yadriel's strength and him deciding to no longer accept people's apologies when they use his deadname or misgender him. How long will it be until they get it right? How many times does he have to forgive them? Saying all of this though, it's only part of the story, and while it's difficult at times, the story is mostly light and fun - how could it not be with Julian?
I also loved how rooted this story is in Latinx culture. Every single person with a speaking part - if not also those who don't speak - is Latinx. Not just in the brujx community, but outside it as well; Julian's friends and everyone at school, too. And they're Latinx people from all over; Mexico, Haiti, Columbia, Ecuador, and so on. With the brujx, the stories of Xibalba, which has similarities to hell, Santa Muerte (Lady Death), the celebrations for Día de Muertos, Cemetery Boys is brimming in Latinx culture, traditions, beliefs and mythology, which make up the backbone of this fantasy. While this is a work of fiction inspired by those beliefs and traditions, there is so much love and respect for it all pouring through the pages. It's incredibly beautiful.
I did guess very early on what was happening and who the murderer was, but even so, it wasn't an issue, because I just loved these characters and the story. However, when we get to the big reveal, I did feel the antagonist become a bit of a caricature villain. I do wish more time was given to the reveal and explanation, and it was developed more, because I did feel the idea behind the motivation was interesting. I think if Thomas had dug just a little deeper for this character in particular, it could have made them a more interesting villain, instead of a villain we've seen many times before. Saying that, there were some twists to how things were resolved that I wasn't expecting at all, and were just brilliant! And it had such a powerful and moving ending.
I adored Cemetery Boys; it's such a fantastic story! I'm so excited to read Thomas' other books, and I'm so, so glad that it's been announced that Thomas will be writing a sequel! I honestly can't recommend Cemetery Boys enough, it's brilliant!
Yadriel is from a Latinx brujx community; people who were blessed with powers by Lady Death generations ago. The bruja have healing powers and are connected to the living, and the brujos have power over the dead; they can summon spirits and help them pass on. When someone turns 15, they have their quinces, a ceremony where they dedicate themselves to Lady Death. Yadriel is 16, and has yet to have his quinces. Because Yadriel is trans, and his family and community are having difficulty understanding. He's definitely not a bruja, as he's not a woman, but could he actually be a brujo? Yadriel's father, the the brujx leader, isn't sure. A few days before Día de Muertos, Yadriel decides to perform his quinces in secret with his cousin Maritza, and prove to his family and his community that he can be a brujo. The ceremony works, but immediately after, it becomes apparent that his cousin Miguel has died. Yadriel is desperate to help the other brujos search for him, to find out what's wrong, but is refused by his dad. So, again, he decides to summon Miguel's spirit in secret, to find out what happened, and prove his worth. But instead of Miguel's spirit, he accidentally summons the spirit of Julian, a trouble maker from school. Julian was murdered earlier in the evening, but has no idea what exactly happened. Yadriel tries to help him pass on, but Julian refuses to go, desperate to find out if his friends, who were with him when he died, are ok. Yadriel reluctantly agrees to help, on the proviso that once Julian knows, Yadriel will pass him on. But the longer he spends with Julian, and the longer it takes for the brujos to find Miguel's body, the more complicated things get. And it's not too long before Yadriel questions whether he actually wants Julian to go.
I loved this Cemetery Boys! After Julian has been summoned, not a huge amount happens for quite a while, but it didn't bother me, because I loved these characters and this world so much! There's something about Thomas' writing that really draws you in, and I was quite happy watching Julian and Yadriel together, driving each other round the bend. It's a slow burn story, with the cutest slow burn romance. Julian is like an excitable puppy, and I just adored him! He's labelled a bad boy, but only because he's been judged so by people who don't know him. He's reckless and impulsive, and he can have a temper and be quite stubborn, but he's fiercely loyal to his friends, and can be quite sensitive. I was strongly reminded of the movie Ghost as Julian tries to learn how to be a ghost, and it was just so funny! He hides in a sarcophagus at one point, and his reaction when he finally comes out is hilarious! He's just brilliant, and I loved the romance between him and Yadriel. Julian isn't at all who Yadriel thought he would be, and he can't help but be drawn to him and his infectious joy. He misgenders Yadriel once, but once he knows he's completely onboard, supportive, and actually really quite insightful about Yadriel's situation, even to the point of reading deeper into what Yadriel is going through than Yadriel will admit to himself. Julian is the first person besides Yadriel's mum and Maritza that accepts Yadrial for who he is without question, and it's not long before Julian wants to fight his corne. It's beautiful, but it's complicated - because Julian is dead.
I loved what fuels this story. The story wouldn't exist as it does if Yadriel wasn't trans. Everything he does is to try and prove to his father and the brujx that he is a brujo, that he can be part of the community. It's quite early on, but it was quite emotional when Yadriel's quinces goes perfectly; Lady Death accepts him for who he is without question. There is immediate elation, but quickly followed by sadness and anger; if Lady Death can accept him, why can't the others? It's so layered, because he's not just trying to be accepted as a man, but to be allowed to take his place in his community. The magic is gendered; the women heal, the men summon and pass on spirits. Yes, it could have been written so that magic wasn't gendered, but then the crux of the story for Yadriel wouldn't be there; it's about him wanting and needing to be accepted. And as the magic is gendered, there's definitely a question from the brujx of whether Yadriel could be a brujo. While Yadriel, as the reader, knows from early on that Lady Death accepts him as a man and as a brujo, his father isn't sure whether he would be granted the brujos' powers. In some senses, it's a valid question; what would actually happen? Would Lady Death accept him? But it actually stems more from a lack of understanding and a lack of complete acceptance of Yadriel as a man. How can he be a brujo when he isn't a man? It's a really fraught situation, and it was handled with so much care and sensitivity, and I loved Yadriel's strength and him deciding to no longer accept people's apologies when they use his deadname or misgender him. How long will it be until they get it right? How many times does he have to forgive them? Saying all of this though, it's only part of the story, and while it's difficult at times, the story is mostly light and fun - how could it not be with Julian?
I also loved how rooted this story is in Latinx culture. Every single person with a speaking part - if not also those who don't speak - is Latinx. Not just in the brujx community, but outside it as well; Julian's friends and everyone at school, too. And they're Latinx people from all over; Mexico, Haiti, Columbia, Ecuador, and so on. With the brujx, the stories of Xibalba, which has similarities to hell, Santa Muerte (Lady Death), the celebrations for Día de Muertos, Cemetery Boys is brimming in Latinx culture, traditions, beliefs and mythology, which make up the backbone of this fantasy. While this is a work of fiction inspired by those beliefs and traditions, there is so much love and respect for it all pouring through the pages. It's incredibly beautiful.
I did guess very early on what was happening and who the murderer was, but even so, it wasn't an issue, because I just loved these characters and the story. However, when we get to the big reveal, I did feel the antagonist become a bit of a caricature villain. I do wish more time was given to the reveal and explanation, and it was developed more, because I did feel the idea behind the motivation was interesting. I think if Thomas had dug just a little deeper for this character in particular, it could have made them a more interesting villain, instead of a villain we've seen many times before. Saying that, there were some twists to how things were resolved that I wasn't expecting at all, and were just brilliant! And it had such a powerful and moving ending.
I adored Cemetery Boys; it's such a fantastic story! I'm so excited to read Thomas' other books, and I'm so, so glad that it's been announced that Thomas will be writing a sequel! I honestly can't recommend Cemetery Boys enough, it's brilliant!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood and Transphobia
Minor: Deadnaming, Xenophobia, Racism, and Drug use
This book features unintentional ableist language: lame, misgendering, reference to deportation, reference to forced burning, and reference to child abuse.cluckieduck's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Classism, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Blood, Body shaming, Cursing, Death, Bullying, Child death, Deadnaming, Grief, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Transphobia, Kidnapping, Misogyny, and Murder
Minor: Drug use and Alcohol
jessthanthree's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Transphobia, Violence, and Grief
Minor: Deadnaming, Death of parent, and Drug use
cozyteareads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Murder, Transphobia, Violence, Dysphoria, and Child abuse
Moderate: Drug use, Abandonment, Drug abuse, Outing, Medical content, Grief, Death, Racism, and Bullying
Minor: Animal death, Abandonment, Car accident, and Physical abuse
kbairbooks's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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? Yes
5.0
I enjoyed this book so so much. I love the diversity, I love the Mexican culture, I love the food, I love story, I love the characters, I love everything about the narrator. They were absolutely the most perfect person to take on this job and I really loved the interview between the narrator and author at the end of the audiobook. I think McMillan did an incredible job with the audiobook and choosing the narrator and for sponsoring Aiden to bring the story to life. I can’t WAIT to see where Yadriel and Julian go and what they do.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, and Murder
Minor: Alcohol, Bullying, Car accident, Child death, Deadnaming, Drug use, and Transphobia