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bookiecharm 's review for:
The Storm Runner
by J.C. Cervantes
I’m more surprised than you that I didn't enjoy this oh so promising, beloved middle grade. ~Unpopular review incoming~
Zane Obispo is a Latinx boy who walks with a cane. He's got a best friend name Rosie who happens to be a Boxer-Dalmatian mix and Zane likes to explore the volcano near his home in New Mexico. Inevitably, his story is intertwined with the Mayan gods and legends of his beloved books. Zane embarks on an adventure and faces shapeshifters (called nawals), giants, and demons on a path to self-discovery and to answer a call to magic that could be in his blood.
So why didn't I like this? Well for the most part it was Zane's voice. For instance, Zane has a crush on Brooks who is a mysterious girl that introduces him to the existence of Mayan supernaturals. Zane thinks of her as a not-like-the-the-girls kind of love interest. Ok, that's overdone by now but I can let that one go.
Zane is witty and curious but also he's very self-deprecating especially regarding his shorter leg and limp. One of the biggest selling points for me to pick this up was the disability representation which I found extremely distasteful at times. It's hard to overlook these instances when lines like this tie Zane’s disability to a larger plot point."And your leg? It's defective for one reason only. Supernaturals and humans don't mix- it so often ends badly. Bum legs, terrible eyesight, missing fingers or toes, anger-management issues." Oh so Zane's leg is defective?! That's gross ableist language. However, this explanation is supposed to be ok because it's the missing link to his power? NO. And then a few lines later let's pile on more gross language. "I have no idea who your father is, so don't ask me. But he could be a nawal, a demon, a spirit guide, a dwarf…… A dwarf. Perfect. My dad could be a Maya supernatural dwarf." And if his dad were a dwarf would that be so bad?! According to Zane it would be bad. More than once Zane refers to himself or his leg as "gimp" and that's disheartening and harmful. There's another instance of this kind of language here. In order to attend a hidden party and walk amongst Mayan gods, Zane and the others wear enchanted clothing. This cltohing disguises so called imperfections. Brooks says "All our faults will be gone. Everyone will only see us as…. Beautiful." Bet you'll never guess what happens to Zane's appearance. Zane's limp is gone so that his appearance will appease the gods. How is this message ok for kids?! Or for anyone really. In the end, Zane does accept his limp as a part of him but there's still this overarching negative connation for his disability. There's still this idea that Zane should be fixed and that just irked me.
This book also had some pacing issues and I felt like so many parts really dragged on. Cervantes' has a bright and refreshing imagination but something just didn't translate. This is mostly an issue of personal preference. Rosie, Zane's dog, dies pretty early on and I think you should let kids know that before they pick this up. Rosie dies a terrible death at the hands of a demon but she eventually comes back as a hell hound.
I was so thrilled to hear about a own voices Latinx story based in Mayan folklore. I learned so much about Ah-puch, Hurakan, Ixkakaw, Ixtab, and Xib'alb'a. We need more stories that feature the folklore of other cultures. Can authors or publishers also limit the number of stories inspired by the same ole regurgitated Greek myths? Please and thank you. I don't know why it's taken this long to have a middle grade story like this hit shelves because those aspects of this story were fantastic! However, it wasn't enough to carry the story or erase the issues I had with the disability representation. I'm sad to say that I'll be passing on the sequel.
Zane Obispo is a Latinx boy who walks with a cane. He's got a best friend name Rosie who happens to be a Boxer-Dalmatian mix and Zane likes to explore the volcano near his home in New Mexico. Inevitably, his story is intertwined with the Mayan gods and legends of his beloved books. Zane embarks on an adventure and faces shapeshifters (called nawals), giants, and demons on a path to self-discovery and to answer a call to magic that could be in his blood.
So why didn't I like this? Well for the most part it was Zane's voice. For instance, Zane has a crush on Brooks who is a mysterious girl that introduces him to the existence of Mayan supernaturals. Zane thinks of her as a not-like-the-the-girls kind of love interest. Ok, that's overdone by now but I can let that one go.
Zane is witty and curious but also he's very self-deprecating especially regarding his shorter leg and limp. One of the biggest selling points for me to pick this up was the disability representation which I found extremely distasteful at times. It's hard to overlook these instances when lines like this tie Zane’s disability to a larger plot point.
This book also had some pacing issues and I felt like so many parts really dragged on. Cervantes' has a bright and refreshing imagination but something just didn't translate. This is mostly an issue of personal preference. Rosie, Zane's dog, dies pretty early on and I think you should let kids know that before they pick this up.
I was so thrilled to hear about a own voices Latinx story based in Mayan folklore. I learned so much about Ah-puch, Hurakan, Ixkakaw, Ixtab, and Xib'alb'a. We need more stories that feature the folklore of other cultures. Can authors or publishers also limit the number of stories inspired by the same ole regurgitated Greek myths? Please and thank you. I don't know why it's taken this long to have a middle grade story like this hit shelves because those aspects of this story were fantastic! However, it wasn't enough to carry the story or erase the issues I had with the disability representation. I'm sad to say that I'll be passing on the sequel.