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A review by swordspoint
Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
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? Yes
4.5
TL;DR, content breakdown, and recommendations at the bottom!
Yeah, this one's good. If you're here and it sounds interesting, go read it. It's a quick read. Or read the actual review. Either way.
Cemetery Boys is a YA novel following Yadriel, a brujo-in-training. Since he's trans, his traditional family has difficulty accepting his magic and won't let him undertake the rites to become a full brujo - so he takes matters into his own hands and summons a spirit to prove once and for all that he is a brujo. However, difficulties come around when he can't release the spirit, a boy from his high school named Julian, into the afterlife, and when the brujx community has a member suddenly, mysteriously die.
The characters here are both diverse and fun to read. Yadriel, Julian, and Yadriel's bruja friend Maritza are a great main cast, and Aiden Thomas does a great job writing teenagers in all their chaos. This also makes the book feel very YA (including a bit of insta-love-y romance), so if YA is not your preferred genre be prepared for that. That said, the relationships - whether platonic, familial, or romantic - included have a lot of growth and are fun to read about, with a lot of humorous moments (I particularly loved Julian. He's a good ghost lad.) Even being YA, there are a lot of themes and challenges tackled very effectively throughout the book - it's not shallow whatsoever. (And I appreciated the teenage main characters actually still caring about school even as they're trying to solve a mystery. Why do so many YA novels forget that the characters still have school?!)
The setting is also deep and well-built. The brujx community felt well-rounded on the page, with plenty of inclusion for varieties of cultures not often represented in YA, and the titular cemetery populated with ghosts is gorgeously described. In general, the writing here is either strong - great description! especially of places and characters - or invisible.
My single complaint was a pacing issue - the actual main plotline/twist, although slightly foreshadowed, didn't come together at ALL until the last 20% of the book. I kept reading because I loved the characters and ideas, but it felt very slow and then wrapped up a little too quick at the end. Be prepared to stick with it through a slow beginning - it's worth it.
Yeah, this one's good. If you're here and it sounds interesting, go read it. It's a quick read. Or read the actual review. Either way.
Cemetery Boys is a YA novel following Yadriel, a brujo-in-training. Since he's trans, his traditional family has difficulty accepting his magic and won't let him undertake the rites to become a full brujo - so he takes matters into his own hands and summons a spirit to prove once and for all that he is a brujo. However, difficulties come around when he can't release the spirit, a boy from his high school named Julian, into the afterlife, and when the brujx community has a member suddenly, mysteriously die.
The characters here are both diverse and fun to read. Yadriel, Julian, and Yadriel's bruja friend Maritza are a great main cast, and Aiden Thomas does a great job writing teenagers in all their chaos. This also makes the book feel very YA (including a bit of insta-love-y romance), so if YA is not your preferred genre be prepared for that. That said, the relationships - whether platonic, familial, or romantic - included have a lot of growth and are fun to read about, with a lot of humorous moments (I particularly loved Julian. He's a good ghost lad.) Even being YA, there are a lot of themes and challenges tackled very effectively throughout the book - it's not shallow whatsoever. (And I appreciated the teenage main characters actually still caring about school even as they're trying to solve a mystery. Why do so many YA novels forget that the characters still have school?!)
The setting is also deep and well-built. The brujx community felt well-rounded on the page, with plenty of inclusion for varieties of cultures not often represented in YA, and the titular cemetery populated with ghosts is gorgeously described. In general, the writing here is either strong - great description! especially of places and characters - or invisible.
My single complaint was a pacing issue - the actual main plotline/twist, although slightly foreshadowed, didn't come together at ALL until the last 20% of the book. I kept reading because I loved the characters and ideas, but it felt very slow and then wrapped up a little too quick at the end. Be prepared to stick with it through a slow beginning - it's worth it.
TL;DR: Great diverse YA fantasy dealing with a lot of topics with a lot of magic. Fun relationships, scenes, and characters, and a good ending as long as you're willing to stick with it through a slow rising action.
Content Warnings: This book deals with a lot, but in a progressive way. Transphobia and misgendering are on the page. Some bloody scenes or mild gore towards the end. Yadriel seems to have anxiety or similar symptoms, which shows up on page as well. Depictions of grief/losing a parent. Some swearing. Y'know.
Recommended For: Those whose favorite character in the Raven Cycle was Ronan, those who like well written diverse YA, those who want more Central/Southern American representation on the page, folks who would watch an aged-up and darker version of Coco, people looking for a YA where the teenagers have diverse personalities as well as looks and actually act like teenagers, those who like spooky magic. If you liked the Raven Cycle you'll probably enjoy this one.
Favorite Moment: Julian generally causing problems as a ghost, including but not limited to: throwing skateboards, tormenting Yadriel's teachers, sticking his head through doors and sarcophagi, listening to Yadriel's "shitty music", yelling very loudly and making any brujx in a five mile radius jump, and petting cats.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Dysphoria, Death of parent, Transphobia, Gore, and Grief