In the stunning sequel to Lobizona, Romina Garber continues Manu’s journey to break the archaic notion that one has to prove they have a right to exist. With brutal explorations on what it means to be “illegal” and coming of age in a world where you feel you don’t belong, Cazadora is a shining example of how important diverse stories are in the YA world.
Jumping in right where we were left off at the end of the fantastic Lobizona, Manu is on the run with her friends from the Cazadores who want to capture and punish Manu for being born a hybrid. But as they search for the mysterious Coven who may give them shelter if they truly exist, the Cazadores are nipping at their heels and running them ragged. Manu will have to choose her path to resist and hope she makes the right choice to prove the archaic systems of the Septimus wrong about her.
I want to start this review with a focus on Manu. As an adult reading YA novels, it can be hard to connect and understand what young protagonists are going through, which can lead to frustrations while reading. Though I am very different from Manu (and have quiet a few years on her), I never felt disconnected from her. Garber has done what can be nearly impossible in YA and struck the perfect balance of relatability and believability in a fictional character. Manu is not perfect, but she is relatable and understandable. She makes mistakes just like everyone does, but it’s not in a way that makes you feel like the author was creating bad decisions to move the plot along. It feels the like the decision of a young person who is trying to navigate their world and it’s done in a way that feels understandable to anyone, regardless of life experiences.
And while I could go on for hours about Manu’s beautiful characterisation, I do have to concede that many of the secondary characters lose some dimension in Cazadora. The friendships and romances in the core group of characters do deepen throughout the novel, but it didn’t feel like quite enough to latch onto. There was a lot of focus on Manu and Cazadora truly felt like HER story. Without diving into spoilers, I believe readers will come to see the reason for this focus and I think we’ll see some heavier exploration of the secondary characters in potential future books set in this world.
Speaking of the world: WOW! Garber excels in worldbuilding and imagination. If you are the type of reader who sees movies in their heads as they read, you are in for an absolute adventure with Cazadora. The scenes Garber crafts feel otherworldly and unique, while the struggles faced by Manu and her friends keep the story grounded. The descriptions are beautiful but don’t fall into overly flowery prose that can turn some readers off. Garber walks the line of fantastical and believable without stumbling.
As with Lobizona, there are times when the story slows a bit, but readers will still find themselves motivated to keep going. Garber tackles a lot of difficult and timely subjects and there are a lot of situations that arise in the story that have real world comparisons which many readers may not have experience with. But this is what drives the story and keeps the reader engaged. Stories expose us to other experiences and it is absolutely refreshing to have a novel that isn’t based in whiteness.
When I reviewed Lobizona in 2020 I said that Romina Garber was poised to become a strong literary voice of this era. After reading Cazadora, I’m even more confident in my belief of that. Garber’s ability to unflinchingly address modern day topics and weave them into fantastical tales is unparalleled. I look forward to not only more from the Wolves of No World series, but anything Garber puts to page.
Cazadora is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of August 17th 2021.
Will you be picking up Cazadora? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
In Cazadora, Romina Garber weaves together Argentine folklore and what it means to be illegal in a timely, intimate, and emotionally powerful narrative.
Werewolves. Witches. Romance. Resistance.
Enter a world straight out of Argentine folklore…
Following the events of Lobizona, Manu and her friends cross the mystical border into Kerana―a cursed realm in Argentina―searching for allies and a hiding place. As they chase down leads about the Coven―a mythical resistance manada that might not even exist―the Cazadores chase down leads about Manu, setting up traps to capture and arrest her.
Just as it seems the Cazadores have Manu and her friends cornered, the Coven answers their call for help. As Manu catches her breath among these non-conforming Septimus, she discovers they need a revolution as much as she does.
But is she the right one to lead them? After all, hybrids aren’t just outlawed. They’re feared and reviled. What happens when the Coven learns of Manu’s dual heritage? Will they still protect her? Or will they betray her?
And after running this far, for this long―how much farther can Manu go before her feet get tired, and she stops to take a stand?
