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A review by ninegladiolus
Ander and Santi Were Here by Jonny Garza Villa
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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
5.0
What I loved most about the first novel I read from Jonny Garza Villa (Fifteen Hundred Miles From the Sun) was their ability to weave a mesmerizing contemporary romance while also giving space to important, realistic issues the characters face. Ander & Santi Were Here only elevates that ability, taking the reader on a powerfully emotional, often heartwrenching journey that still manages to be a hopeful celebration of queer joy.
This novel follows nonbinary Mexican-American muralist Ander, who works at their family’s taquería until they are fired at the beginning of the novel. But instead of resenting the new hire who replaces them, a boy named Santiago, Ander falls head over heels for him, and the two end up falling for each other. But their budding romance takes a daunting turn when ICE agents show up to take Santi away, shattering the halcyon first bloom of love with harsh reality.
Despite the hardship and trauma Ander & Santi Were Here explores, it is at its heart a romance. The interactions, understanding, and care between Ander and Santi was so, so tender, even at the most difficult points of the novel. While initially the chemistry between the two is mostly physical (and I appreciate how the novel does not shy away from including queer sexuality in a YA-appropriate way), the two bond through art, music, the different facets of their shared Mexican identities, and increasingly tender vulnerability. Whether it’s a soft glow or heart-pounding intensity, their relationship jumps off the page and will keep readers invested from beginning to end.
On a more symbolic note, I love the choice of murals as Ander’s preferred medium, especially since one of the book’s predominant themes is that everyone has the right to take up space and to belong. The more murals Ander paints (and the more support they receive from Santi and their family), the more they come to find their voice—which enables them to use it for the things that matter to them personally. All of the descriptions of the art were wonderful and I wish I had a whole gallery of it to look at.
Overall, Ander & Santi Were Here cemented Jonny Garza Villa as one of my favourite YA authors. With an emotional story of identity, love, art, and community, this is not a novel fans of contemporary YA stories will want to miss.
Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an advance review copy. All opinions are my own.
This novel follows nonbinary Mexican-American muralist Ander, who works at their family’s taquería until they are fired at the beginning of the novel. But instead of resenting the new hire who replaces them, a boy named Santiago, Ander falls head over heels for him, and the two end up falling for each other. But their budding romance takes a daunting turn when ICE agents show up to take Santi away, shattering the halcyon first bloom of love with harsh reality.
Despite the hardship and trauma Ander & Santi Were Here explores, it is at its heart a romance. The interactions, understanding, and care between Ander and Santi was so, so tender, even at the most difficult points of the novel. While initially the chemistry between the two is mostly physical (and I appreciate how the novel does not shy away from including queer sexuality in a YA-appropriate way), the two bond through art, music, the different facets of their shared Mexican identities, and increasingly tender vulnerability. Whether it’s a soft glow or heart-pounding intensity, their relationship jumps off the page and will keep readers invested from beginning to end.
On a more symbolic note, I love the choice of murals as Ander’s preferred medium, especially since one of the book’s predominant themes is that everyone has the right to take up space and to belong. The more murals Ander paints (and the more support they receive from Santi and their family), the more they come to find their voice—which enables them to use it for the things that matter to them personally. All of the descriptions of the art were wonderful and I wish I had a whole gallery of it to look at.
Overall, Ander & Santi Were Here cemented Jonny Garza Villa as one of my favourite YA authors. With an emotional story of identity, love, art, and community, this is not a novel fans of contemporary YA stories will want to miss.
Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an advance review copy. All opinions are my own.