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A review by yeontan
Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova
4.0
Labyrinth Lost is the story of Alex, an ecantrix, the most powerful bruja (witch) in a generation. Alex hates her magic. It is a dark reminder of the death and destruction she leaves in her wake and of the day her family was torn apart. On her death day ceremony Alex makes the ill-fated decision to free herself of her magic for good – and casts a canto (spell) to rid herself of her dark powers for good. When the canto backfires and Alex’s entire family disappears in a single moment she’s left alone and terrified. Alex finds herself being hunted by a monster and with a brujo she’s not sure she can trust. With no choice but to trust, Alex follows Nova into the mysterious land of Los Lagos in search of her family. All the while, the devourer, a powerful and evil bruja is hunting Alex in order to steal her power.
Labyrinth Lost was my second read of 2017 and is up for being one of my favorites. The opening chapter has an immediate hook and draws you into the magical world of the Brooklyn Brujas. The language Cordova uses is engaging and filled with a haunting eeriness (I constantly felt like I needed to look over my shoulder). Alex and her sisters spoke with such teen authenticity it reminded me of the way I am with my own two sisters.
Alex’s character arc was engaging and I believe teenagers struggling with loving their heritage will relate. She grows form a girl who resents who she is and wants to turn her back on it, into a proud young bruja. I was rooting for her the entire way and felt as though my family member had come to accept herself when she finally did.
The world-building in this story is intricate and detailed. A stand out scene took place in Los Lagos where Alex and her friends (Nova and Rishi) find themselves captivated by magical beings who trap them like sirens. The scene was filled with a sense of urgency carefully woven in with calm. I felt as though I were experiencing the same muddled emotions as Alex and her friends.
There is a love triangle in this story but it is not what you think. I do not want to spoil anything all I will say is Alex is bisexual and this is clearly represented. Alex’s chemistry with both of her love interests was electric, I knew who they were before she did. I do think the story would have benefited more with explaining why Alex felt the way she did about Nova a part from thinking he was pretty. While their chemistry was palpable the relationship did not have much depth.
In the story Alex is being hunted by the devourer, an evil presence in Los Lagos who is hungry for her power. The devourer proved to be a truly terrifying villain, cloaked in mystery. I was a little let down by her arrival and felt it could have used more urgency and danger. However, her motives were strong and she was a fun villain overall.
Over all, it was an engaging read. While the story did slow down at points it was still extremely enjoyable. If you were a fan of the TV shows Charmed and The Secret Circle, you love the same sisterhood and eeriness Labyrinth Lost provides.
Review on Blog
Labyrinth Lost was my second read of 2017 and is up for being one of my favorites. The opening chapter has an immediate hook and draws you into the magical world of the Brooklyn Brujas. The language Cordova uses is engaging and filled with a haunting eeriness (I constantly felt like I needed to look over my shoulder). Alex and her sisters spoke with such teen authenticity it reminded me of the way I am with my own two sisters.
Alex’s character arc was engaging and I believe teenagers struggling with loving their heritage will relate. She grows form a girl who resents who she is and wants to turn her back on it, into a proud young bruja. I was rooting for her the entire way and felt as though my family member had come to accept herself when she finally did.
The world-building in this story is intricate and detailed. A stand out scene took place in Los Lagos where Alex and her friends (Nova and Rishi) find themselves captivated by magical beings who trap them like sirens. The scene was filled with a sense of urgency carefully woven in with calm. I felt as though I were experiencing the same muddled emotions as Alex and her friends.
There is a love triangle in this story but it is not what you think. I do not want to spoil anything all I will say is Alex is bisexual and this is clearly represented. Alex’s chemistry with both of her love interests was electric, I knew who they were before she did. I do think the story would have benefited more with explaining why Alex felt the way she did about Nova a part from thinking he was pretty. While their chemistry was palpable the relationship did not have much depth.
In the story Alex is being hunted by the devourer, an evil presence in Los Lagos who is hungry for her power. The devourer proved to be a truly terrifying villain, cloaked in mystery. I was a little let down by her arrival and felt it could have used more urgency and danger. However, her motives were strong and she was a fun villain overall.
Over all, it was an engaging read. While the story did slow down at points it was still extremely enjoyable. If you were a fan of the TV shows Charmed and The Secret Circle, you love the same sisterhood and eeriness Labyrinth Lost provides.
Review on Blog