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A review by taliejane
Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Genres: Romance, Fantasy, LGBTQ, Latinx, Magic.
Themes: Love, Trans Rights, Coming of Age, Family, Identity, Acceptance, Death and Loss.
Plot Summary:
Cemetery Boys follows the story of Yadriel, a sixteen year old boy growing up in a community of witches (Brujx) in Los Angeles. Girls and boys in his community are usually granted their full powers and magical duties when they turn fifteen, but Yadriel was denied this right as a trans boy. Desperate to prove himself to his family and community, he sets off on a mission, with his fierce and loyal cousin Maritza as back-up, and accidentally summons the ghost of a former schoolmate. Now racing against the clock to prove himself before the big Dia de Muertos celebration in a few days, Yadriel and Maritza also need to figure out how to help Julian pass on to the land of the dead.
Review:
Before I get to any spoilers, I want to say this book is beautiful in every way. It is a coming of age story, filled with the innocence of teenage love and the complexities of personal identity and community. The characters are intriguing and yet familiar, and the plot is gripping. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone looking for a queer romance filled with trans joy, hope, optimism, and acceptance. The struggles of being trans are very much rooted in reality, but the characters are allowed to live unapologetically and be seen for who they are. And have a happy ending. I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.
I usually struggle with fantasy stories. Complicated world building and fantasy rules can tend to take me out of the flow of the story. This isn’t a flaw in that genre, it’s just a personal thing. So when this story began with Yadriel and Maritza preparing to perform a magical ceremony, I was initially a bit worried I would have similar problems with this book. But I needn’t have worried. This book drew me in immediately (and then held me in tight, comforting hug throughout and devastated me but that’s by the by…).
Yadriel and his family belong to the brujx community in Los Angeles, USA. Brujx is the gender neutral plural term used in the book to mean witches (unfortunately in English we don’t really have a group noun for witches and wizards…maybe wix?). The author uses the imagery of the cultural practices of the brujx, informed by the real Mexican festival of Dia de Muertos, to illustrate the setting. Throughout the story, the magical community is preparing for the return of their ancestors to the land of the living, so the cemetery which they all live beside, is filled with the activities of preparation. I felt this constant energy added a lot of momentum to Yadriel's quest, naturally raising the stakes as all of the characters busily worked towards the approaching festival.
The setting being a cemetery sounds a bit strange maybe, but the story never feels dark or gloomy. The subject of death is consistently surrounded by a feeling of optimism. Death, loss and grief are important themes throughout, but the brujx are so sure of the beauty of the next life that the plot doesn’t feel distinctly sad. Of course, they also know they will see their loved ones once a year. Death, personified by the deity Lady Death, is a friend and protector to the brujx. For Yadriel, she is a universal force which confirms his gender and his purpose, when others in his community have not yet. The only time Lady Death becomes an adversary, is in the final act. When Tio Catriz’s plan is revealed, Yadriel and Maritza decry the unfairness of Miguel, Julian, and the other two vicitim’s unnatural deaths. I particularly loved Maritza’s reaction here, but more on that later. Also, Catriz’s death is punishing, a direct result of his evil plot. He is the only character denied a hopeful death.
The imagery of the festival is beautiful throughout. The golden and oranges of the marigolds, the portajes which the brujos carry, the papel picado and on and on.
Inside the gates, it was like walking into another world of golden light and color.
They (the author) even uses smells like the apple smell of the marigolds or the sour smells of death, as an effective shorthand for when Yadriel feels comfort and family, connection to his culture and to his ancestors, or when he feels fear and loss, or threatened. Gold doesn’t only enliven the plot, it also represents life itself in the text. Julian’s life escapes him in golden wisps of smoke. When Lady Death appears, she brings marigold petals and the smell of apples.
I always felt like the details of the magical elements in the story complimented the flow of the plot and the character’s personal development, rather than taking me out of their journey. Basically, the imagery made me FEEL the scenes with Yadriel. It added colour to them.
The characters are also beautifully written. I can’t stop using the word beautiful for this review, sorry! But that’s just how it felt.
Yadriel is a delightful main character. Responsible, loving and yet brave and rebellious. His community and traditions are deeply important to him, and yet he also doesn’t shy away from criticising his Lady Death when he sees injustice
Yadriel to lady death Anger and betrayal boiled in Yadriel’s gut. “Then why did you even come?” he spat.
Yadriel values the acceptance of his family more than anything, and desperately craves inclusion as a brujo. Something Julian can’t understand at first.
“Just because Yadriel had forgiven {his family} didn’t mean he did.”
Julian chose his family. I loved how the boys come to understand each other’s definitions of family and how it strengthens their own understandings of each other too. The found family Julian loves so much is supportive and inclusive, a real example of how many queer people find everything they deserve in people they choose rather than those they found themselves with.
One of Julian’s first lines is “Who let me in a church?”. I love my son so much. He is caustic and sassy, but also empathetic and caring. He supports and defends Yadriel, despite a lot of the other character’s describing his tough guy exterior. When Yadriel’s classmates share some unkind rumours about Julian, he is deeply hurt and clearly used to defending himself and his close ones from prejudice and stereotypes. I found it interesting, and quite sad at times, that Julian seemed more concerned with his family and friends being bad-mouthed than his own fate. In fact, Julian is strangely accepting of his own death.
Acceptance is the other big theme that runs through this story. Yadriel seeks acceptance as a brujo. Catriz is motivated by the rejection of his community. The community and Yadriel’s father and grandmother learn to accept Yadriel. Acceptance of his friends is one of the things that warms Yadriel to Julian, after he was generally more cautious about the boy's more caustic nature.
There are moments throughout the plot here Julian shows Yadriel how things can be seen differently. Like family vs found family. Proving himself vs demanding to be himself no matter what etc. That Yadriel doesn’t necessarily need to be accepted by his family to be himself. Julian is more unapologetic about taking up space in the world than Yadriel. Which is ironic because for most of the story he’s literally a ghost.
“You ready?” Julian asked, a curious look on his devastatingly handsome face.
“No,” Yadriel confessed, his voice tight.
Julian grinned. “Do it anyways”.
I also absolutely ADORED Maritza. She is fierce and unapologetically herself. She has magic but refuses to be a bruja if she has to use animal blood. Her respect must be earned, even by deities. One of my favourite passages was when she was shouting at Lady death,
“Some goddess you are!” a familiar voice all but screamed. {…} “You’re nothing but a coward!”.
I’ve already mentioned that the pacing of this story is very well done, and I found the plot flowed very comfortably. The dialogue is also written brilliantly. The quippy back-and-fourths between Yadriel, Julian, and Maritza throughout add humour and a lightness to the story. Julian tends to be relaxed where Yadriel is not. They balance each other well, which lends to their gradual warming to one another and growing closer. But Julian needed someone to remind him how valued he is by those he loves, something Yadriel knew about himself.
I would have liked to see more of Diego. The theme of brotherhood and siblings is touched on a bit with Rio (Julian’s brother and guardian). Yadriel feels misunderstood by Diego, who is a full brujo and clearly closer to their father. But this isn't explored much in the plot (and honestly, there probably wasn’t enough room for it) and might be an interesting element for the sequel.
Family and the different understanding and concepts of family is a big theme.
Catriz notes that his victims were easy to find, because they were people no one would notice were missing. People with no homes or family.
Yadriel draws strength from his mother’s love and acceptance for him. It motivates his ultimate sacrifice for Julian and Miguel. Also, when Yadriel’s father and grandmother ultimately realise how important it is that their community grows in acceptance of Yadriel, they are apologetic and loving. This was a really beautiful way of showing how generations can progress and accept each other, and traditions can evolve and change.
The question of falling out of the gender binary was still open by the end of the story for me. I wonder how the Brujx would treat a non-binary wix?
I feel like I could make this review so much longer but I better stop. I gave this but a well deserved 5/5 and cannot wait to read more from Aiden Thomas!!!
Content Warnings
Minor: Violence