Having grown up with tales about El Cucuy, La Llorona, and more creepy creatures that you don’t want to meet up with in the night, I can tell you that I was VERY curious what was going to go on in the next book I’m talking about. Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls is a spectacular middle grade debut that will knock your socks off and if you’re familiar with Mexican and Latin American folklore, you’re going to want to have this one on your shelf. It brings these legends to life in a way that I hadn’t seen before, and genuinely want to go back and read more of. I was able to make a connection to it because of my Latin American heritage, but I think lovers of mythology will also be able to connect to it by finding bits and pieces of new myths and legends to discover. It’s a thrilling adventure that is sure to leave you wanting more!
This story follows Cece Rios, who lives in Tierra del Sol, where it’s especially dangerous to live during the criatura months as powerful spirits break away from Devil’s Alley during these months and wreak havoc on the town. However, Cece Rios is curious about the creatures who roam the desert and she feels like there’s more to them, but only brujas consort with the criaturas and control them, and practicing brujeria in Tierra del Sol is an awful crime. When her older sister is kidnapped by El Sombreron, Cece decides she’s going to risk it all to get her back. However, to get into Devil’s Alley, she’ll need to become a bruja herself, and attempt to hide this big secret from her family, town, and other brujas. With the help of El Coyote, she might just be able to reunite her family, and change what it means to be a bruja.
As someone who tends to read YA exclusively, middle grade books usually have to have a great hook in order for me to want to read them. This book delivers that hook and more. Cece is a fascinating young girl in a town that doesn’t value people who are different. From the start, you see a young girl whose curiosity is what is going to get her into trouble, and you can’t help but root for her success, even when you know she’s headed for something disastrous. Cece is bright and inquisitive, but also very stubborn. The town doesn’t make it hard for her to understand that she’s not wanted because of her differences, which ends up being an unintended catalyst for what ends up happening in the story. She has a bit of a complicated family relationship that is explored in depth, and has some darker moments (there is a moment where Cece is hit by one of her parents).
There’s quite a lot to explore in the world of Tierra del Sol, particularly the criaturas. If you’re familiar with Mexican and Latin American mythology, legends, and folklore, you’ll recognise many of the names. Don’t be dismayed if you don’t though as Rivera does an excellent job giving background information that is woven into the story in such a way that it doesn’t feel like an information dump. There’s also a lot of Spanish used throughout the book that is usually translated immediately after, but there’s also a glossary at the end of the book that comes in handy if you’re wanting a little more explanation.
It was impressive the way brujas were incorporated into the story, and the idea of them controlling the criaturas and using them to fight was definitely something I had never read in a story before. It’s unique and clever, and makes you want to keep reading. Even more important is the distinction between a bruja and a curandera, which I’d never really thought about before. Brujas seem to be rooted more in a darker magic, while curanderas would likely be considered like white witches. I was also fascinated by the idea that the criaturas has souls that could be controlled, and the way in which they were controlled was also interesting, if a little cruel. It certainly makes the difference when Cece begins to try her hand at “controlling” a criatura to fight.
As a person with a sibling (specifically a sister), I loved the care and emphasis that Cece placed on rescuing her sister. She certainly feels shame for her actions, but also shows so much love for her sister and this was a great relationship to read about as well as the focus on friendship that the story has. There’s so much that Cece longs to understand and despite the town’s best efforts, she doesn’t let their judgement and scepticism get in her way from doing what she thinks is best. I can’t wait to see what will come next for Cece Rios, because the ending felt a little open ended and I’m hoping there will be another book to come!
Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of April 13th 2021.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
Living in the remote town of Tierra del Sol is dangerous—especially in the criatura months, when powerful spirits break free from their home in Devil’s Alley to threaten humankind. But Cecelia Rios has always believed there was more to the criaturas who roamed the desert, much to her family’s disapproval. After all, it’s common knowledge that only brujas—humans who capture and control criaturas—consort with the spirits, and brujeria is a terrible crime.
When her older sister, Juana, is kidnapped by El Sombrerón, a powerful dark criatura, everyone in town believes she’s lost forever. But Cece is determined to bring Juana back. To get into Devil’s Alley, though, she’ll have to become a bruja herself—while hiding her quest from her parents, her town, and the other brujas. Thankfully, the legendary criatura Coyote has a soft spot for humans, and agrees to help her on her journey. With him at her side, Cece sets out to reunite her family—and maybe even change what it means to be a bruja along the way.
