Our Shadows Have Claws

August 1, 2022
Grades 9-12 Immersive and eerie, the 15 stories in this anthology draw upon the mythologies and folklore of different Latin American cultures--especially their creatures and monsters. El duende ("a strange little green elf"), el viejo de la bolsa (a child-eater), a murderous being named Corpo-seco, and los fr�os (Puerto Rican vampires) are a few of the threats that readers will face. Threads of horror run through most of the stories, but they also contain magic and relatable themes and experiences. Readers will find celebrations of inner strength, the discovery of unique powers, and all-encompassing first love. Romeo and Juliet gets a monstrous makeover in Chantel Acevedo's "The Nightingale and the Lark," in which a monster-hunter searching for cag�eiros (shape-shifters) is caught between love and duty. And car-crash victims walk the cursed road that took their lives in "Dismembered," by Ana D�vila Cardinal. Edited by M�ndez (Furia, 2020) and Ortiz (Blazewrath Games, 2020)--with contributions from Jenny Torres Sanchez, Lilliam Rivera, Julia Alvarez, and others--this anthology will both haunt readers and stir their blood.

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September 1, 2022

Gr 9 Up-This YA horror collection offers revenge, justice, and cautionary advice through the vehicle of brujas, vampires, forest creatures, Haitian shape-shifters, Dominican ciguapas, to name a few; and other unnamed things that can suck one's soul. Save some space before bedtime to read "Sugary Deaths" or "La Patasola," both excellent revenge narratives that offer justice to young girls wronged by boys who revel in the banality of evil. Readers who like their horror to overlap with environmental justice should read "Blood Kin," a tale that provides the Indigenous of Costa Rica with a much-needed win. Sometimes it is the "monsters" that heroically protect the innocent. "Leave No Tracks" also explores the blighting effect humans leave on nature, but ciguapas, while beautiful, will defend land and water without apology. For fans of Shakespeare, this horror collection has star-crossed protagonists from feuding families, one family defending the creatures of the world and the other family wiping them out-until passion consumes a cag�eiro and a daughter of his enemy. In this collection, myths inform culture, blood and sacrifice create heroes, and the villains get bloody justice. These short tales set in the mogotes of Cuba; the deserts of New Mexico; Puerto Rico; Fremont, CA; Montevideo; the Dominican Republic; the Bronx; or enchanted mountains offer thrilling chills for the fans of horror and fantasy. VERDICT For the genrefied library, buy copies for both the horror and fantasy sections.-Stephanie Creamer

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October 31, 2022
Fifteen Latinx authors, including editors and contributors Saied Méndez (Furia) and Ortiz (Dragonblood Ring), reimagine Latin American folklore across myriad genres in this bone-chilling anthology that’s both queer-inclusive and represents myriad facets of Latinx diaspora. Ari Tison’s “Blood Kin” addresses the horrors of imperialism through teenage Nama, who, while struggling to fight against an oil conglomerate encroaching on Costa Rican land, discovers that his recently deceased grandfather has seemingly returned as a shape-shifting panther. Ann Dávila Cardinal’s devastating “Dismembered” centers 18-year-old Raquel, who, after the mysterious death of her grandmother, inherits her estate and contends with traumatic visions of her decapitated corpse. Claribel A. Ortega’s standout tale, “The Other Side of the Mountains,” features 16-year-old Yunior’s setting out into the forest to find his missing sister, whom his mother fears was taken by a bruja. High-contrast art rendered in grayscale by comics illustrator López Ortiz (Razorblades) introduces each story, appropriately foreshadowing nightmarish terrors to come. While familiar narrative horror structures across stories sometimes lend to repetitive tellings, each individual offering is brimming with ominous ambiance, making this a worthy addition to any horror collection. Ages 14–up.

Starred review from August 1, 2022
Fifteen tales full of the macabre and creatures that roam at twilight offer plenty of chills and thrills in this anthology inspired by Latin American folklore and legends. "Be warned, this story is both a lesson and a curse. Most stories are." So begins Chantel Acevedo's strong opener, "The Nightingale and the Lark," a dreamy tale of star-crossed lovers from families who are at odds over how best to handle monsters in Cuba. Love and loss intertwine across several stories, often superbly dissected through the lenses of gender, sexuality, and, crucially, gender-based violence. In Gabriela Martins' stellar "Bloodstained Hands Like Yours," 18-year-old Olivia survives on the streets of Brazil, where the rotten Corpo-seco targets and kills other unhoused people. To save the girl she loves, Olivia must brave her fears and traumas. In Racquel Marie's "La Patasola," a queer girl's coming out turns deadly when her boyfriend's aggression leads to the appearance of La Patasola, a blood-soaked spirit from Colombia. Colorism and racism thread through numerous tales. The horrors of modern U.S.-led capitalism and the consequences of environmental destruction--see Julia Alvarez's poignant "Leave No Tracks," featuring a more-than-human family of ciguapas in the Dominican Republic--round out a few more emergent themes. Dramatic black-and-white art enhances the suspense. The combination of recognizable names from young adult literature and superlative stories on a range of themes makes this collection a winner. This bloodcurdling anthology soars. (Horror anthology. 14-18)

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