Scan barcode
A review by briannareadsbooks
Never Look Back by Lilliam Rivera
4.0
Never Look Back is a contemporary YA Latinx retelling of the Orpheus and Eurydice story. It follows Pheus, a musician who is staying with his father in the Bronx for the summer, and Eury, a girl from Puerto Rico who is living with her cousin for the summer, and is being haunted by an evil spirit who has followed her from Peurto Rico.
For some reason, I didn't know it was an Orpheus and Eurydice retelling before starting it, and I was a bit bummed because that story isn't one of my favourites, but I think the author did a great job at making these characters a contemporary version of Orpheus and Eurydice.
I'm also not a fan of magical realism, so I was a bit wary going into it, but again, I think the author did a great job at having the magical realism aspects weave into issues of mental illness, and the effects of Hurricane Maria.
A few things I did not enjoy was the romance between Pheus and Eury, as it seemed a bit rushed and forced. And at times it felt like the story was reaching too hard to connect Book Pheus and Eury with the Classic Orpheus and Eurydice.
But overall, I really enjoyed the characters, the Latinx/modern-day spin on the retelling, and the real-life themes that it touched on.
Thank you to Colored Pages Tours for letting me be a part of their book tour!
For some reason, I didn't know it was an Orpheus and Eurydice retelling before starting it, and I was a bit bummed because that story isn't one of my favourites, but I think the author did a great job at making these characters a contemporary version of Orpheus and Eurydice.
I'm also not a fan of magical realism, so I was a bit wary going into it, but again, I think the author did a great job at having the magical realism aspects weave into issues of mental illness, and the effects of Hurricane Maria.
A few things I did not enjoy was the romance between Pheus and Eury, as it seemed a bit rushed and forced. And at times it felt like the story was reaching too hard to connect Book Pheus and Eury with the Classic Orpheus and Eurydice.
But overall, I really enjoyed the characters, the Latinx/modern-day spin on the retelling, and the real-life themes that it touched on.
Thank you to Colored Pages Tours for letting me be a part of their book tour!