I loved this book. I loved getting a glimpse into the Puerto Rican culture. I love the Greek god and goddess aspects ton the story and I loved the strong female lead.
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What a wonderful re-telling!
[thank you to Bloomsbury YA Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy of this novel, out on September 15th.]"Never Look Back" by Lilliam Rivera is the modern Latinx retelling of the classical Greek myth, Orpheus and Eurydice, focusing on two teenagers set against the backdrop of the Bronx. Pheus, an Afro-Dominican teen, is visiting his father for the summer. With his masterful bachata guitar playing and his skillful voice and talent, he plans to pass the warm months on the beach wooing his on-again, off-again flame but his plans go awry when he ends up meeting Eury, who is staying with her aunt and cousin for the summer. Eury and her mother were forced to flee to Florida after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico and between that and her father's death, she has not been in a healthy place. She is naturally a quiet, shy girl but part of the reason for her reservedness is Ato, a spirit that has been tormenting her since she was a young girl. Of course, no one in her life, least of all her mother, believe that she is being abused by a spirit and push her to seek solace in religion, church, etc. As a last resort, Eury's mother ships her off to the Bronx, thinking a change of scenery will do her some good. The problem is, where Eury goes, Ato goes so she is never fully free from her demons.First, let me just say how much I loved the author's writing and storytelling. What could have easily been a story about a summer romance instead tackled abusive relationships and trauma, was a shining portrayal of mental health and the stigma surrounding seeking help, especially culturally, and shone a light on afro-Latinx history, racism and sexism, and even gentrification in the Bronx. The author also plays homage to Latin music. This was a beautiful young adult novel and I never got the sense that the writing was heavy-handed or overly lyrical. The secondary characters were excellent; I especially loved Apollo, Pheus' father.I think my lone quibble with the novel is the second half, when Pheus quickly accepts the underworld and goes to fight for Eury's return. It felt disjointed, almost like I was reading an adventure story. The pacing just felt weird and as a result, I thought the ending was a little anti-climatic. I felt like I wanted a little more resolution there. What a wonderful book, though!
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Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2023
Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2021
Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2020
[thank you to Bloomsbury YA Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy of this novel, out on September 15th.]
"Never Look Back" by Lilliam Rivera is the modern Latinx retelling of the classical Greek myth, Orpheus and Eurydice, focusing on two teenagers set against the backdrop of the Bronx. Pheus, an Afro-Dominican teen, is visiting his father for the summer. With his masterful bachata guitar playing and his skillful voice and talent, he plans to pass the warm months on the beach wooing his on-again, off-again flame but his plans go awry when he ends up meeting Eury, who is staying with her aunt and cousin for the summer. Eury and her mother were forced to flee to Florida after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico and between that and her father's death, she has not been in a healthy place. She is naturally a quiet, shy girl but part of the reason for her reservedness is Ato, a spirit that has been tormenting her since she was a young girl. Of course, no one in her life, least of all her mother, believe that she is being abused by a spirit and push her to seek solace in religion, church, etc. As a last resort, Eury's mother ships her off to the Bronx, thinking a change of scenery will do her some good. The problem is, where Eury goes, Ato goes so she is never fully free from her demons.
First, let me just say how much I loved the author's writing and storytelling. What could have easily been a story about a summer romance instead tackled abusive relationships and trauma, was a shining portrayal of mental health and the stigma surrounding seeking help, especially culturally, and shone a light on afro-Latinx history, racism and sexism, and even gentrification in the Bronx. The author also plays homage to Latin music. This was a beautiful young adult novel and I never got the sense that the writing was heavy-handed or overly lyrical. The secondary characters were excellent; I especially loved Apollo, Pheus' father.
I think my lone quibble with the novel is the second half, when Pheus quickly accepts the underworld and goes to fight for Eury's return. It felt disjointed, almost like I was reading an adventure story. The pacing just felt weird and as a result, I thought the ending was a little anti-climatic. I felt like I wanted a little more resolution there. What a wonderful book, though!
"Never Look Back" by Lilliam Rivera is the modern Latinx retelling of the classical Greek myth, Orpheus and Eurydice, focusing on two teenagers set against the backdrop of the Bronx. Pheus, an Afro-Dominican teen, is visiting his father for the summer. With his masterful bachata guitar playing and his skillful voice and talent, he plans to pass the warm months on the beach wooing his on-again, off-again flame but his plans go awry when he ends up meeting Eury, who is staying with her aunt and cousin for the summer. Eury and her mother were forced to flee to Florida after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico and between that and her father's death, she has not been in a healthy place. She is naturally a quiet, shy girl but part of the reason for her reservedness is Ato, a spirit that has been tormenting her since she was a young girl. Of course, no one in her life, least of all her mother, believe that she is being abused by a spirit and push her to seek solace in religion, church, etc. As a last resort, Eury's mother ships her off to the Bronx, thinking a change of scenery will do her some good. The problem is, where Eury goes, Ato goes so she is never fully free from her demons.
First, let me just say how much I loved the author's writing and storytelling. What could have easily been a story about a summer romance instead tackled abusive relationships and trauma, was a shining portrayal of mental health and the stigma surrounding seeking help, especially culturally, and shone a light on afro-Latinx history, racism and sexism, and even gentrification in the Bronx. The author also plays homage to Latin music. This was a beautiful young adult novel and I never got the sense that the writing was heavy-handed or overly lyrical. The secondary characters were excellent; I especially loved Apollo, Pheus' father.
I think my lone quibble with the novel is the second half, when Pheus quickly accepts the underworld and goes to fight for Eury's return. It felt disjointed, almost like I was reading an adventure story. The pacing just felt weird and as a result, I thought the ending was a little anti-climatic. I felt like I wanted a little more resolution there. What a wonderful book, though!
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