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A review by laurensbookvibes
Pilar Ramirez and the Curse of San Zenon by Julian Randall
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Brujas, Ciguapas, and Hell Hounds, Oh My!!
Pilar Ramirez and The Curse of San Zenon is the second book in the fantasy series about a girl who has to “save the world before high school”! It’s an action packed, adventure story packed full of Dominican Republic culture, myths, and history.
Pilar is a relatable middle grader. I love the easy flow between her usage of the English and Spanish languages. She’s just like any typical middle grader with her sisterly drama, a strong feminist attitude, and being protective of her family. But there’s one important difference between Pilar and the typical middle grader next door: she’s a Bruja (witch) and a powerful one!
This story is filled with many Latinx legends and mythological creatures just like in the first story. We find Pilar and her friend Carmen back together fighting all these dark forces. But while the mythical creatures are scary, the most horrific enemy throughout the series is the threat of the return of real life dictator Trujillo, who we find the young heroines fighting to stop his return. Trujillo, or El Jefe, was responsible for the tearing apart and displacement of thousands of Dominican families, as well as horrific abuse, torture and murder of them. I appreciated how Randall used this real life threat as the most horrific enemy of all.
If you haven’t read this Latinx Middle Grade series yet, I highly recommend! It’s the perfect book to pick up for upcoming Middle Grade March!I’m
Pilar Ramirez and The Curse of San Zenon is the second book in the fantasy series about a girl who has to “save the world before high school”! It’s an action packed, adventure story packed full of Dominican Republic culture, myths, and history.
Pilar is a relatable middle grader. I love the easy flow between her usage of the English and Spanish languages. She’s just like any typical middle grader with her sisterly drama, a strong feminist attitude, and being protective of her family. But there’s one important difference between Pilar and the typical middle grader next door: she’s a Bruja (witch) and a powerful one!
This story is filled with many Latinx legends and mythological creatures just like in the first story. We find Pilar and her friend Carmen back together fighting all these dark forces. But while the mythical creatures are scary, the most horrific enemy throughout the series is the threat of the return of real life dictator Trujillo, who we find the young heroines fighting to stop his return. Trujillo, or El Jefe, was responsible for the tearing apart and displacement of thousands of Dominican families, as well as horrific abuse, torture and murder of them. I appreciated how Randall used this real life threat as the most horrific enemy of all.
If you haven’t read this Latinx Middle Grade series yet, I highly recommend! It’s the perfect book to pick up for upcoming Middle Grade March!I’m