Lobizona by Romina Garber is the kind of book that digs its claws into you and leaves marks so you don’t forget what you just experienced. Though much of the story is deeply rooted in folklore and magic, the way Garber examines and calls out parts of modern society is one of the most impactful parts of this novel. With Lobizona, Romina Garber is poised to become a strong literary voice of this era.
Manu has spent her life in lockdown because of who she is and what she looks like: an Argentinian immigrant living in Miami, on the run from her father’s crime family, with bright yellow eyes and a grey star around the pupil. But Manu’s whole world cracks apart when her mother is arrested by ICE agents and long hidden truths become revealed. There is a magical world hidden within our own, one that Manu’s history is deeply entangled with. Manu must find a way to navigate this world, with new friends, foes, and loves, all while learning more about herself than she ever thought possible.
The most striking things about Lobizona are the worlds Garber builds. There is the “real” world, which is brutal and hard, but painfully accurate. The opening scene of Lobizona, in which Manu and her mother hid from ICE agents, is one that will stay with you for a long time. But where Garber really comes into her own is the world of brujas and werewolves. I can’t remember the last time I read a world so intricately and beautifully crafted. The reader is the silent companion to Manu discovering the hidden magical world in this novel and it is a wonderful journey to go on.
The characters in Lobizona are all well developed and recognisable. No matter where you come from, you know these characters: the one trying to find their way in the world, the one trying to live up to their parent’s standards, the one trying to help others even if it’s in a slightly illegal way, and the one who would do anything for the ones they love. And while we all know these characters, Garber makes them wholly her own. The character dynamics throughout this novel keeps the reader engaged and invested in the plot.
While the general plot of Lobizona is one we have seen before (special main character who finds a magical world and learns about who they really are), Garber weaves the tropes with issues many face in the real world and brings a whole new perspective to things. She is unflinching in calling out racism, sexism, and xenophobia, but does so in a way that is logical and relatable. Some may find the story a bit slow, as I did, but I never lost interest in what was happening. The mysteries and revelations of Manu’s life are teased out through the novel and it always kept me coming back for more.
There isn’t much more I can say about this book without spoiling some of the best parts of the story. This is the kind of book that is enjoyed best with as little foreknowledge as possible. Discovering things along with Manu makes everything so impactful and connects you to the story in ways that few books can pull off. Lobizona is an important and timely book that will resonate with many teens today and those from previous generations that didn’t have this kind of book in their youth.
Lobizona is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers as of August 4th 2020.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
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.
