Some people ARE illegal.

Lobizonas do NOT exist.

Both of these statements are false.

Manuela Azul has been crammed into an existence that feels too small for her. As an undocumented immigrant who's on the run from her father's Argentine crime-family, Manu is confined to a small apartment and a small life in Miami, Florida.

Until Manu's protective bubble is shattered.

Her surrogate grandmother is attacked, lifelong lies are exposed, and her mother is arrested by ICE. Without a home, without answers, and finally without shackles, Manu investigates the only clue she has about her past—a mysterious "Z" emblem—which leads her to a secret world buried within our own. A world connected to her dead father and his criminal past. A world straight out of Argentine folklore, where the seventh consecutive daughter is born a bruja and the seventh consecutive son is a lobizón, a werewolf. A world where her unusual eyes allow her to belong.

As Manu uncovers her own story and traces her real heritage all the way back to a cursed city in Argentina, she learns it's not just her U.S. residency that's illegal. . . .it’s her entire existence.

Review:

When I read the premise for this book, I was immediately interested. The struggles of undocumented people living in America, is an important topic in these times. But When I saw there were witches, and werewolves in the story, I just had to read this book.

This may seem, at first, to be rip off of Harry Potter. However, where J.K. Rowling uses that book series to explore the dangers of authoritarian governments, author Romina Garber uses the premise to inspect themes of gender norms in Hispanic culture, immigration, and human value. These are important themes for our time wrapped in a highly entertaining YA fantasy novel.

What I Liked:

Settings:

The story begins in Miami in a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood. People band together and help each other out. Fear of ICE (Immigration & Customs Enforcement) raids is a constant threat. Manu, the main character can only see part of the neighborhood because she is in hiding, both from ICE, and from her father's Argentinian family. She is stuck in an illegal status, and waits for a time where she can have legal status. She also has some physical traits that mark her as different...

Later, as Manu finds a hidden world of magic, she discovers a place where she might actually belong.  It's a place filled with natural wonders, brujas (witches), Lobizones (werewolves), and rigid gender roles.  Even with these constraints, it feels like she could make a life for herself in this new world.  But as she is half-human, she realizes she is also considered illegal here as well!  The girl can't win!

Characters:

I really liked Manu, the main character.  All her life, her mom has told her to keep a low profile in order to avoid deportation.  She's been held back, but dreams of the day she'll get legal status so she can finally start living.  When she realizes she's been lied to her whole life, she has to decide what she, herself, really wants, and what she's willing to do to get it.

Manu is strong, but also practical.  She carefully weighs her options and looks to the big picture in deciding what she will do.  Does she draw attention to herself?  Her special abilities would make her famous and start real change for girls in her new culture.  But this could also motivate people to investigate who she really is.  This could get her killed.

Cata and Saysa are girls Manu becomes friends with in her new, magical world.  They represent this friction between keeping things the same (and safe), and trying for change (and risking one's life).  I loved their spirited arguments over the best way to make a difference.  These were wonderful characters who show how challenging it is to enact change.

Story:

As Manu discovers her true heritage, she learns all the positive, and negative aspects of this new, magical culture.  On the plus side, there are strong supports among one's group, large loving families, and mouth-watering food.  But there are very strict gender roles.  Boys are werewolves who play sports and protect brujas (witches).  Brujas are always girls, and have jobs as nurtures, and healers.  Everything from clothing to who you can love is tightly regulated.  What century are we in, people?

But, that is the point.  While it probably is comforting to cling to traditions, this society isn't thriving.  Every culture evolves over time, or dies out.

Rating: 

Release Date: August 4th, 2020

Author:  Romina Garber

Publisher:  Wednesday Books

Genre:  YA Fantasy

Page Length:  400 Pages

Source:  Publisher Blog Tour

Format:  E-book

Recommendation:  A very entertaining fantasy with Hispanic culture.  Very relevant to our times.