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A review by aprildiamond
Paola Santiago and the River of Tears by Tehlor Kay Mejia
5.0
Impulsively bought this book from a Target and got it 3 weeks earlier than I would have from the library. I'm so glad I did :)
This next book on my own voices mythology journey deals with Hispanic folklore and culture, which I loved learning more about.
The whole book was great, but the best part was the main character, Paola, herself. Not even 3 pages in and I already loved her because I related to her so much. Science obsessed? Loves space? Stubborn? Full of righteous anger? Say no more. The whole book revolves around her emotional growth and it's a very powerful experience. Her character is so complex, interesting, and strong, and she moves the narrative along through her own decisions. we love to see it!
I found this to be pretty different from most MG I've read recently in that it was creepier. It's not outright horror or anything close, but there are definitely darker tones compared to other mythology stories. I really enjoyed that deviation from what I usually read.
Even though the story deals with paranormal myths, the characters have to deal with and are surrounded by real world problems, from big things like poverty and racial discrimination to smaller issues like keeping secrets and fighting with friends. This mixing of real and fantastic elements was handled so well and added to the overall experience.
Paola Santiago and the River of Tears is a lot of things at once and is very successful at being all of them. It's occult, it's emotional, it's real, and it's fun.
This next book on my own voices mythology journey deals with Hispanic folklore and culture, which I loved learning more about.
The whole book was great, but the best part was the main character, Paola, herself. Not even 3 pages in and I already loved her because I related to her so much. Science obsessed? Loves space? Stubborn? Full of righteous anger? Say no more. The whole book revolves around her emotional growth and it's a very powerful experience. Her character is so complex, interesting, and strong, and she moves the narrative along through her own decisions. we love to see it!
I found this to be pretty different from most MG I've read recently in that it was creepier. It's not outright horror or anything close, but there are definitely darker tones compared to other mythology stories. I really enjoyed that deviation from what I usually read.
Even though the story deals with paranormal myths, the characters have to deal with and are surrounded by real world problems, from big things like poverty and racial discrimination to smaller issues like keeping secrets and fighting with friends. This mixing of real and fantastic elements was handled so well and added to the overall experience.
Paola Santiago and the River of Tears is a lot of things at once and is very successful at being all of them. It's occult, it's emotional, it's real, and it's fun.