Reviews with content warning for Homophobia - Lobizona

Reviews tagging 'Homophobia'

Lobizona by Romina Garber

31 reviews

thejuliebookshelf's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

LOBIZONA can be summed up in one word: lush. The writing is beautiful, the worldbuilding is detailed, the plot is engaging, and the Argentine folklore is rich.

Garber has written excellent YA fantasy. This story discusses issues of sexism, binaries, gender roles and expectations, culture, and being undocumented with nuance, empathy, and anger. You’re definitely going to want to check the content warnings for this book.

I enjoy reading books with untranslated Spanish dialogue, phrases, or sentences. LOBIZONA was particularly fun for me, because it made me realize that I was unfamiliar with Argentine Spanish, and I went down a huge internet rabbit hole after reading the first chapter.

The most important stuff for plot or character development is translated, and non-Spanish speakers can easily use Google Translate for the rest. If this makes you frustrated, remember that language is an essential part of identity and culture – the Spanish is intrinsic to the novel and LOBIZONA would feel incomplete without it!

I’m not going to say too much else for fear of spoiling, as the synopsis for this book is quite vague. But know that I really loved this book and immediately purchased the duology.

Content Warnings

ellythequeen's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing 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

5.0

This book understood the assignment!!! Could not have been better, lovable characters, enticing plot, amazing setting, writing style is like nothing I've ever read!!! Has great messages around feminism and equality! Why are you still reading this review? Go read this book.

Content Warnings

lupitabaeyongo's review against another edition

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adventurous 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

4.25

Content Warnings

cozylifewithabby's review

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

I really enjoyed this. I have never read anything like it. Check it out if you like YA Fantasy and are interested in Argentinian mythology.

Content Warnings

bethann's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Content Warnings

melinabarbuto's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful mysterious medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

Content Warnings

tahsintries's review against another edition

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3.0

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foreverinastory's review

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adventurous challenging 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

Loved this so much!!

Rep: Undocumented Argentinian female MC, Latine male love interest, Latine WLW couple, Latine cast.

CWs: Abandonment, blood, body shaming (for unusual eye color), confinement, drug use (sedatives), homophobia/homomisia, injury/injury detail, lesbophobia/lesbomisia, misogyny, outing, racism, sexism, transphobia/transmisia, violence, xenophobia.

Content Warnings

thebookworm_queen's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

Hello! I am now Lobizona trash and will read anything by Romina Garber! <3 Lobizona is everything that I have been unbeknowingly craving for in a YA novel. A brown girl protagonist who goes to a magic school of witches and werewolves where SHE is the chosen one; she takes on the patriarchy and nationalism that follows her even in a world of magic.

Lobizona by Romina Garber is about Manuela Azul, who was born with eyes like the sun and into a world of solitude and secrecy. Manuela (Manu for short) is an undocumented Argetinian immigrant living in Miami, Flordia with her mother. Manu has spent her life living in secret because “Visibility=Deportation” and Manu is too distinct to hide. She can’t wait for the day that they are citizens so her life can begin. However, she finds that she can’t depend on a set of papers to start her story, she has to write it herself. On the fateful day that she has to run when her mother is deported she takes control and finds out more about herself, her eyes, and her mother. What were they really running from when they left Argentina?

Trigger Warnings: Talks of deportation, the deporting of family members, the act of ICE physically coming to one's home, menstruation, and mild harassment, mild violence and mild homophobia.

“I am that leftover ace of diamonds.

I don’t fit into any of the groupings around me, and the things that make me different always seem to count against me”

(Garber, pg 29).

First and foremost I want to talk about Manuela Azul, who has stolen my heart and has become one of my favorite heroines. She is a new favorite as I related to her as a bilingual, as a Latine, a young womxn; her thoughts of loneliness and idea of being an outsider. I read this book and thought “oh young Marisa would’ve loved you”. Which is why old-ish Marisa adores her today! Manu grew up having to be a secret because she will be at risk of deporting herself and her mother, so she stays hidden in a small apartment complex: El Retirio. She spends her days reading or watching novelas with Perla. Perla is an old school teacher that she and her mother befriended and who allows them to stay with her rent free in exchange for taking care of her. Perla also teaches Manu while her mother goes to work. Her life of solitude has lead Manu to live her life on the outside looking in, imagining what her life could be instead of living it. This is something that I found relatable, I’ve never been a risk taker I've always been on the sidelines never taking chances because I was too afraid-- my worries weren’t deportation, but I still found myself relating to Manu and her need to stay invisible to stay safe.

“ I’ve always felt cramped because I’ve been crammed into an existence too small for me. That’s why the only friends I have are fictional”

( Garber p 57).

In one aspect I felt empathy as I don't know if this is a cultural thing, but as a Latina, without any question you listen to your Mamá and do as you're told. It’s this thing that is ingrained into you that it’s soon your personality. Manu and her mother have this bond as well as trust that has made Manu the obedient daughter her mother wishes for. Despite what Manu really wants to do she stays home when asked. When Manu starts to take chances and makes up her own mind I was ecstatic as she broke that wall down. As she grew more confident through the book and discovered herself as well as her powers, it was beautiful. She started experiencing life!

“Every morning, I’ve sipped the bare minimum, desperate to avoid looking inside and seeing what’s really at my core. Too terrified to unleash my innermost self after all these years of insisting I’m just waiting on papers for my life to begin...And if I don't take a leap, I might never figure out who I am.

So I down the whole drink to find out”

(Garber p200).

The world that Manu gets to start living in is AMAZING. Lunaris and El Laberinto are both depicted so beautifully. I appreciated the little details of the fireflies, the concept of Flora (a living thing within the walls of the school, El Laberinto), the elements that were bendable by the witches, the importance of eye color and the folklore that inspired it all. It was just so captivating! It can be a lot to grasp, but Garber gradually eases the reader into the magic system. Manu is just as clueless as the reader, together we learn about the Argentinian legend that lives true in the world of the Septimus. There are 4 types of witches that can manipulate earth, wind, water and fire. They take care of the land and the werewolves protect them.

“ ‘Los lobizones le cantan a la luna llena,

Las brujas bailan cuando el cielo truena.

Si te cruzas con uno, no dejes que te inquiete:

El secreto está en sus ojos y el número siete’ ”

(Garber, p37).

Then the fact that we learn about this system and its rules, but Manu’s very existence ends up challenging everything! It creates an allusion to her life in the human world, where she is also an outsider. In this world of witches and werewolves the system is very dependent on a binary system of sex leaving no possibilites for female werewolves or male witches. I enjoyed this aspect as Manu took on fighting the patriarchy, her very existence as a Lobizona is a challenge, but then it gets sidelined (understandably so) as she has to fight a different battle. I wish that there could’ve been more opportunities to explore this fight for gender equality, I don’t believe this is the end of it and I understand the shift. The main idea is Manu figuring out who she is and where she belongs.

“Gender equality and freedom of lifestyle are battles I can’t take on yet, because first I need to win a different war: The right to exist”

(Garber p324).

Being an outsider and fighting for the right to live is a big part of Lobizona. Immigration and deportation is a huge problem that should be known by everyone and by having these experiences in written form is huge. I felt the fear from the first page as ICE came into the apartment complex. Manu and her family huddling under the bed, Perla bluntly stating-- “You don't know what they can’t do”. I felt that heartache as Manu saw a baby being separated from their mother. I felt anguish when the ICE agent beat Julieta to a pulp because she dared rebel while in their hands. It’s everything you want to ignore, but it’s there on the page and it’s in the world. Reading about this and Manu challenging it provided hope! It all just starts on the page, but then it starts to motivate others to create change! It’s emotional, but I’m glad this story was published.

“If there’s no word in any known vocabulary to encapsulate me, that just means language can’t define me. A label can’t hold me. I’m beyond classification. I’m an original. I’m---

‘Undocumented’ ”

(Garber,p 382).

Emotionally I was wrecked by this book as my heart broke at the thoughts of a child being separated from their mother and then my heart skipped a beat with the development of Manu’s crush. Yes there is a bit of romance added to the mix! It's love at first sight and Tiago is a dream! I normally don't care for this trope, but Manu was smart and she didn’t just fall into this relationship. There is a will-they-won’t they thing going on between Manu’s friend Cata and her crush Santiago (Tiago), but there’s something that keeps bringing Manu back to Tiago. I appreciated how Manu respected her friend’s feelings and she made the effort to keep her distance versus a typical love triangle of: who will he choose?, oh please choose me. NO, none of that. It was simple sweet moments that made it obvious as to who would end up with who no question, but it was fun! I loved how they related to each other over the nerdist of things, they’re geeking out about books and how can you not fall for a well read werewolf!

“He radiates so much light, it’s like he’s solar-powered. The Spanish word for smile is sonrisa, which sounds a lot like sunrise. . . I’ve watched the sun rise over the Atlantic from El Retiro’s rooftop almost every morning for the past eight years and yet i’ve never seen a sunrise as radiant as Tiago’s sonrisa”

(Garber, p339).

At a time where I felt alone and out of my element I had Manu fighting, winning, and living. It made my day to escape into that. For that I will forever be grateful to this book and this world where there is more than one way to be a wolf! I hope you'll give this book a read! Again it’s a 5 star read for me because of the:

Latinx representation
Feminism
Talks about immigration
Werewolves and witches
Cute romance
Badass Heroine!

Content Warnings

ashlightgrayson's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging 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? No

4.5

This story demonstrates an incredible use of mythology to comment on themes of xenophobia, sexism, misogyny, and abandonment. Manuela is a compelling character that does not have a home. She is rejected both in the human and supernatural world. Despite this, Manu is able to find a family no matter where she is and is able to eventually find her own identity. There is a mingling of folklore with Latinx culture that still incorporates strong criticisms against sexism and traditionalist values that prevent social progress within a society. We are introduced to a diverse and strong cast of characters that contribute to making the story compelling as well. I m looking forward to reading the sequel in the future and getting to know more about this wonderful world created by Romina Garber.

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