We chat with author Sonido Reyes about To Our Untamed Core, which is a YA dystopia about a boy who survives by hiding his truth until his boyfriend is sentenced to El Torneo — a brutal, fight-to-the-death game — where he must risk everything to save him.
Hi, Sonido! Welcome back! What have you been up to since we last spoke for the release of The Golden Boy’s Guide to Bipolar?
Thank you, so happy to be back! I’ve taken a lot of time for self-care this last year, and I’ve also been working really hard to get more books out in the world. I spent most of the last year working on a book that I’ll hopefully get to talk about more in the near future. It was both so fun and so difficult to write. I can’t say too much about it, but be ready for a telenovela-inspired story that gives Knives Out meets Crazy Rich Asians.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
My mom told me I wrote my first book when I was eight, but I have no recollection of it. I must have lost that spark around then because in my own memory, I actually didn’t enjoy reading and writing very much. I associated both with shame around not feeling smart enough, because I had a slow reading speed and low reading comprehension compared to my peers at the time. It wasn’t until I finished school and started reading and writing fan fiction that I realised it could be fun. I think because I was able to do it without fear of being judged or getting a bad grade, I was finally able to unlock my real potential, and I never looked back!
Your latest novel, To Our Untamed Core, is out September 22nd! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Queer/trans/Mexican Hunger Games
What can readers expect?
Definitely expect something very different from my other books! For one, there is violence, death, and gore on the page, but you can expect grief and hope in equal measure. You can expect to see Temo and his loved ones go through the absolute ringer as they fight for their lives and each others’. You can also expect to see a love triangle where two love interests find an emotionally wounded trans boy absolutely perfect. I hope you enjoy!
Where did the inspiration for To Our Untamed Core come from?
Someone asked me if there was any book I wish I’d written, and I immediately said The Hunger Games. Since I’m not capable of writing anything that isn’t queer and Mexican, I had to add the caveat that my version would be both of those things. From there, I babbled on about a “Capitol” inspired by the conquistadores, Catholic and Indigenous world-building, and a love triangle that goes all three directions. The person who asked me the question told me I absolutely had to write that book, and here we are!
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I really enjoyed writing so much of this book, but my favorite scene, without spoiling too much, is one where Temo learns more about the actual practices of his ancestors. It’s a moment where, even in his grief, he can find things to celebrate. I always think back on this scene as one that pretty much defines the ethos of this book.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
This might sound bad to say, but this book was the only book I didn’t really struggle with. There were of course times when I was writing slower than I wanted, but I never felt any imposter syndrome or writers block with this one. In all my other books, there was some big obstacle that really defined my struggle for that era, but this was was just all inspiration and rage. If anything, the hardest part was having to write a different book after this one was over! I really struggled with the next book, because it did not come as naturally as this one—no book ever has, and I don’t know that I’ll experience that again. I was able to overcome the post-inspiration slump with the next project very, very slowly, by writing sometimes only 20 minutes every day. It was a gruelling process. Still, slow and steady really does win the race because I did eventually finish that book!
To Our Untamed Core is a shift from your other books being a dystopian! Can you share some insight into your writing process and any changes you may have implemented being a different genre?
I had so much fun writing in a different genre! The biggest change I made was something that I discovered is my absolute favorite part about creating a story: world building. In contemporary, you still have to world build, but it’s very rigid. People will jump on you if you get a detail wrong, because it’s about real places and scenarios in a time that people are currently experiencing. In To Our Untamed Core, it was so freeing to know that I was the only one whose approval I needed. I had so much fun making up this world and its rules that I sometimes got lost in it. Still, I knew that even though this book isn’t in this world, it very much is inspired by real colonial events and history, and by my own culture, which I did my best to portray with utmost respect. I did plenty of research, but I found myself actually doing less research than I did in contemporary. Part of that is because I grew up with a lot of the stories that this book is inspired by, and part of it is because contemporary has stricter rules that need to be followed regarding the world. Either way, it was a very different experience for me, and I enjoyed it so much!
What’s next for you?
I mentioned my telenovela-inspired book before, and that’s my only other contracted book at the moment. I’m working on a few others to hopefully sell in the near future (fingers crossed!). Without saying too much, I really hope I can stick around in dystopian or dip my toes into fantasy!
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up? Any you’ve read so far this year that you’ve enjoyed?
I adored Cemetery Boys: Espíritu by Aiden Thomas! It was honestly the perfect sequel. I also really loved The Lost Guardian by Natalia Hernandez! It’s been pitched as Incan Indiana Jones. So good!
