Santa Olivia (Santa Olivia, #1)

May 15, 2010 Brownbetty rated it 4 of 5 stars

The thing about this book is...

Okay, I'm not actually sure what the thing about this book is. There's a couple of points where I felt the author was being weird and wrong-headed, but overall it was so fascinating that I forgave it almost anything.

I found the book fascinating because it was, to me, an indictment of the privilege on which the superhero story is constructed. Loup Garron has special powers; speed, super-strength, yer basic 'I am an advanced biological construct' lego set. But, beca...more The thing about this book is...

Okay, I'm not actually sure what the thing about this book is. There's a couple of points where I felt the author was being weird and wrong-headed, but overall it was so fascinating that I forgave it almost anything.

I found the book fascinating because it was, to me, an indictment of the privilege on which the superhero story is constructed. Loup Garron has special powers; speed, super-strength, yer basic 'I am an advanced biological construct' lego set. But, because of the society she's in, the most that this affords her is the occasional opportunity to get in one blow, which had better be a knockout, because she won't get a chance for a second. She's a woman, and a child, and a latina, in a town run by the United States army and local mob. There is no 'with great power comes great responsibility,' but rather the message she is given is that the power structures around her will not tolerate her threat to the established order, and she had by god better be careful.

This is not what I expected from Carey, an author I otherwise associate with the kinktastic. It seems to me an incredibly female take on the 'superhero,' and the result is so different that it doesn't even resemble a superhero narrative, although characters within the book allude to the concept. There are no clearly defined villains, and no 'victim' to be saved: if there is any wronged party seeking redress it is Loup's entire community, and if there is heroism, it is likewise corporate.

One specific point of Loup's mutation is that she doesn't experience fear. In another book, this would be treated with a sort of muscle-flexing aggression, but in this book, Loup is told from earliest childhood that her lack of fear is a danger to her, causing her to take risks she wouldn't otherwise, and urged to learn the caution others have instinctively. However, on an extra-textual level, it seems to me that Loup's fearlessness could be another extremely female super-power, given the ways in which women are regulated by fear.

Although this is not in the vein of Carey's more, um, BDSM-tastic works, it has quite interesting sexual politics. Loup's mother engaged in something like prostitution, as do most of the women in her community on some level, and this is treated as part of the economy, and neither stigmatized nor eroticized. Several of the characters who constitute the strongest voice of moral authority are implied to be part of a poly-fidelious relationship. And Loup herself, although not quite human enough to be a lesbian, has a girlfriend.

Okay, now to deal with what's obvious to any French speakers in the audience: Loup understands herself to be a werewolf, although not in any mythological sense, and her name, "Loup Garron" is a pun on the French for werewolf, loup garou. Her father, the source of her difference, requested that her mother name her that, because he thought naming her "Wolfy McWolferson" would be a good way for her to go undetected. Also, and maybe my understanding of Spanish morphemes is shaky, but although people ask if Loup (pronounced "Lu") is short for Lucinda, no one ever calls her Lupita, which seems like the blindingly obvious name for her, if she's not going to go around telling people her name is 'Wolf.'

This is a highly readable book that is cynical about power structures, but not people.(less)

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Nov 01, 2009 notyourmonkey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009-read, biggayfiction, kindle, scifi

This is the post-apocalyptic gay superhero with soulbonds underdog sports story OF MY HEART. While quality may vacillate between three and four stars, it's, like, at least a six on my enjoyment scale. You got your apocalypse in my scrappy kids working together novel! You got your gay soul bonds in my underdog boxing tournament story! Ignore the description on the back; it's dumb. This is like Annie crossed with X-Men crossed with Escape from New York crossed with Rocky crossed with the as-yet-un...more

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Aug 17, 2009 Lasairfiona Smith rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: havereadin2009, iown

Are you looking for another Phedra? You aren't going to find her here. You aren't going to find the sex or the epic adventure either. If this is what you are in the mood for, you should probably go elsewhere.

However, if you are up for a quick adventure that is self contained and a bit more real than the fantasy that you are used to from Carey, this is worth a look.

Loup (pronounced Lou actually) has some crazy genetics. She is fast, super strong, and has no fear. Literally. This actually poses a...more Are you looking for another Phedra? You aren't going to find her here. You aren't going to find the sex or the epic adventure either. If this is what you are in the mood for, you should probably go elsewhere.

However, if you are up for a quick adventure that is self contained and a bit more real than the fantasy that you are used to from Carey, this is worth a look.

Loup (pronounced Lou actually) has some crazy genetics. She is fast, super strong, and has no fear. Literally. This actually poses a problem in real life and Carey actually addresses the issue (Loup has a big brother). However, the world Loup lives in isn't typical. The world has all been attacked by Swine Flu! (Okay, you can enter your choice of disease.) And the town Loup is stuck in is walled off from the rest of the world so America can keep Mexico out.

Not that any of that is addressed either. But, the characters Loup interacts with are real enough and the story flows okay. Frankly, a child with that kind of background really wouldn't have too many details on what she is, what the government is doing, or really anything else that Carey skims over.

It really reads as if it is an expanded short story. You know the sort - the story itself could be short and sweet but it meanders just a bit. I am loving that Carey is stepping out of what she usually writes and the story is even good. I guess I expected more from such an excellent writer. However, if she can write a decent story in a type of world that she never touches I am impressed. More authors should step out of their comfort zone and write something fun.

So final bit - this was fun and I will continue to buy Carey's work without a second thought. However, if Carey is not one of your favorite authors, you should pick this up at the library and try her anyway. This is not her typical work but does contain her excellent writing ability. Just treat it like some multi flavored popcorn - it is light, jumps all over the place, and pretty fun.(less)

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Nov 20, 2010 Sonya rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, science-fiction-lite

Santa Olivia is a story that spans 18 years in a small dystopian community recovering from a disease outbreak in Texas. The local population has been cut off from the US and imprisoned in their town by physical walls and the military.

Loup Garron, the child of a genetically engineered soldier, tries to blend in with the rest of society. Although she follows her brother’s advice to be careful and hide her talents, she is torn between acting “normal” and embracing her “gifts”. She allows her “sibli...more

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Mar 22, 2009 Paul rated it 3 of 5 stars

(NB: I received this as an ARC)
Santa Olivia is the latest book by Jacqueline Carey, who is better known for, and much better known for the Sundering Duology, and much much better known for two Kushiel trilogies. While the former is a take on classic fantasy and the latter are milestone in dark, sensual fantasy, Santa Olivia is a completely different kettle of fish.

The press information provided to me describes Santa Olivia as Jacqueline Carey's take on comic book superheroes and the classic were...more (NB: I received this as an ARC)
Santa Olivia is the latest book by Jacqueline Carey, who is better known for, and much better known for the Sundering Duology, and much much better known for two Kushiel trilogies. While the former is a take on classic fantasy and the latter are milestone in dark, sensual fantasy, Santa Olivia is a completely different kettle of fish.

The press information provided to me describes Santa Olivia as Jacqueline Carey's take on comic book superheroes and the classic werewolf myth. However, what this novel is, I think, is far more nuanced and complex than that simple formulation.

The novel centers around Loup. Born in a future where a conflict and a disease has created such tensions between Mexico and the United States that a no man's land has sprung up between the two nations, Loup lives in the abject poverty and virtual prison that makes up the titular piece of land controlled by the U.S. Military. Born of a genetically engineered father, and a local for a mother, we follow Loup's life, from living with her mother and older half-brother, to her life as an orphan in the local church when she loses both of them.

Loup has a hard life in a hardscrabble world, but she does have her secret--the genetic heritage of her father. Her father's special gifts of strength, fearlessness, paranormal senses, and speed have been fully inherited in Loup. What first starts as a secret to be held tightly for fear of discovery by the military turns into a opportunity to exact justice, and later still, an opportunity to escape...

While Loup does take up the mantle of a disguised superhero, and hints and nuances (including the very name given to her) suggest werewolves as an inspiration for the genetic manipulations which inadvertently created Loup, this novel is much more than a novel about a werewolf-powered comic book superhero.

Carey's interest in Christian saints and iconography get play here in the identity that Loup takes in her retributive acts, the titular saint of the compound, Santa Olivia. The novel runs from before her birth to her ultimate escape and freedom, and so we follow her as she grows up, grows into her abilities and learns to use them as a symbol of hope and strength for herself, and for the people around her that she touches. There is a love story in the novel as well, and while the love story itself follows a relatively familiar pattern, the identities of the participants, and the development of the characters give it its own unique stamp.

I don't think that the novel quite works as well as I had hoped. There are an awful lot of loose ends left unanswered by the denouement (not ones that really would be answered in a sequel, either). It's difficult to do "near future" worldbuilding well, as any of the top lights in science fiction can tell you; Carey's worldbuilding is much more assured in her other novels than here. I never really bought the Macguffin that the head of the camp holds as a potential means of escape, although I recognize its dramatic necessity as a device to propel the characters, Loup included, a chimerical banner to chase after. I was also surprised at first at the coarseness of language of the characters of all ages. It took a shift of perception on my part to go from the beauty of courtly language in Terre D'Ange to the salty, expletive filled language of the residents of Santa Olivia.

Overall, though, on the balance, I am happy that Carey wrote the novel. Not only on its merits, which, upon reflection do outweigh its drawbacks, but because I am a firm believer in author diversification. I don't want Carey to write *only* endless Kushiel novels, just like I don't want Stross to only write Merchant Prince novels. I want authors that I like (and Carey certainly has her place in there) to do well--but I'd rather not have them turn into one-series wonders, with each successive volume in the series groaning under the weight of the previous ones. Writing different things, I think, is a good way for an author to remain fresh, inventive, and keep me coming back for more.

So, if you come to this novel hoping for a rocking comic book superhero who changes into a werewolf at night, you are going to be very, very disappointed. This is really a novel about a little girl, born in a cage, who grows, learns to love, and learns to be free. And in the process, she learns to be an inspiration for all of those around her.(less)

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Oct 13, 2012 Misericordia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Beautiful cover! Good reading. At first I put off reading of this book - I'm not sure why. Right now I am glad I read it after all. It is a very dynamic, very fast read. Good charachters, little fluff. Overall, I loved it.

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Jan 06, 2012 Leah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, r-2010

Santa Olivia is a border town quarantined and occupied by the military after a pandemic has struck United States and Mexico. Completely isolated from the rest of the world, the town's inhabitants dream of getting out. They pin all there hopes on their boxing champions who fight against army soldiers for a chance to win a ticket to America. After some back story on her mother, Carmen, and half-brother, Tom, we meet Loup Garron an unusual girl with special abilities. Loup is very strong, very fast...more

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Nov 18, 2011 Victoria rated it 5 of 5 stars

Reread in preparation for the sequel coming out next week. In retrospect, the back cover is not as inaccurate as I'd originally thought - though the description above is terrible! - but the book is so unique that I was misled by my own assumptions based on the cover blurb.

PREVIOUS REVIEW:

How does she do it?!? I've said it before and I'll say it again: Jacqueline Carey could write a shopping list and I'd pay money to read it. She has a vivid imagination, a captivating writing style, and there is...more

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Jun 03, 2009 mlady_rebecca rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of Jacqueline Carey

Shelves: author__jacqueline_carey, 2009, genre__urban_fantasy, 2010__gave_to_charity, fiction__part_of_a_series, fiction__speculative, in_retrospect__forgettable

I'm torn between 3 and 4 stars on this one, and I'm rarely torn. Good book. Good story. Slow at first. Gained momentum at the end. One of those stories that you don't know where it's going to end up. Not really predictable. That's a nice change of pace.

Hints at the end that this may not be a one shot, it may be the start of a series. If so, I'd gladly pick up the next book. It would be one of those "same universe - different hero/heroine" type series, because I think Loup's story has been told....more

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Apr 10, 2012 Beth Cato rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: in, 2009, superhero, fantasy

After influenza and war devastate the world, Santa Olivia, Texas, finds itself declared a no man's land. While the United States government locates a military base nearby, to the outside world the small town does not exist. And then a mysterious man arrives, the waitress Carmen finds him undeniably attractive. Under threat by local gangs, the man leaves. Nine months later, a baby is born under the state of the village's patron saint. Loup Garron grows up knowing that she's different, that's she'...more

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Apr 24, 2013 Bjorn rated it 3 of 5 stars

Someone I usually trust told me "You like Buffy, so read this" and thrust this book into my hands. And I'm glad.

In a not-too-distant future, the US government is finally sick of illegal immigrants, bird flu, and terrorist attacks from south of the border and do something drastic but effective: they cordon off a strip of west Texas, declare it no longer part of the US but a military buffer zone, and give everyone a few hours to get out. Those who choose to remain - and, 20 years later, their chil...more Someone I usually trust told me "You like Buffy, so read this" and thrust this book into my hands. And I'm glad.

In a not-too-distant future, the US government is finally sick of illegal immigrants, bird flu, and terrorist attacks from south of the border and do something drastic but effective: they cordon off a strip of west Texas, declare it no longer part of the US but a military buffer zone, and give everyone a few hours to get out. Those who choose to remain - and, 20 years later, their children - find themselves living on occupied territory, with only as many rights as it's currently convenient for the military to allow them, and no possibility to leave in either direction. Except one: every month or so, there's a boxing gala where locals are invited to challenge the current military champion. If they win, they get a ticket back to the States. Of course nobody has (yet), and isn't likely to since everyone knows it'd be a PR disaster if people back home found out how things are...

This is where Loup (pronounced "Lou") Garrón grows up. Loup is... different. Her father, a deserter whom she never met, was part of some sort of military experiment (described with a great deal of exaggeration in the tabloids as "werewolf soldiers", hence her name), and as a result, it's clear early on that Loup has inherited something from him. She's stronger and faster than a normal person, and she has no capacity to feel fear. Which isn't a good thing when you're living under martial law, and doesn't get easier when she and her half-brother get orphaned early on. He grows up to be the best boxer the town of Santa Olivia has seen, she grows up in an orphanage trying to hide who or what she is; falling in love with another girl doesn't make things easier for her. But the town has a legend of its own, that of Santa Olivia, the blue-clad little girl who stopped a war, and as people get sick of their situation they start praying for her to appear.

It's tempting to describe the plot of Santa Olivia as Dark Angel meets Rocky; mutant girl becoming working-class hero. That doesn't mean it's not an intriguing novel. Sure, you'll see the plot twists coming, but Carey wisely doesn't rush into things, taking time to set up her world and giving all sides motivations for acting the way they do without painting anyone as a grade-A villain. The SF/fantasy elements and the big political questions are played very low and used mostly as a background for the story of the town, how people survive in it, the stories and dreams they rely on to keep going from day to day, and of course Loup herself. She's an intriguing character, enough so that even when the tempo flags in the middle rounds (the entire third act of the novel is essentially one long training montage) it stays on track, a slow but rich build-up to a finale that makes me want to read more. It's not quite a masterpiece, but hey, if you like the idea of a fairly realistic dystopia with a female protagonist who kicks ass, you won't be disappointed. (less)

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Apr 10, 2013 Lightreads rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, lgbt, urban-fantasy

Totally the best dystopic queer orphan superpowered Latina boxing novel I've ever read.

Some of you guys are going to seriously dig this. (Or, you know, already did. In 2008.) It's about the daughter of a super soldier trapped in a militarized border town, and social injustice, and vengeance. And it's throwing down some interesting stuff. Our heroine tries on and discards assorted narratives – vigilante folk hero, redemptive underdog boxing hero. It's sorta about how when you change the gender of...more

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Sep 17, 2012 Jaime rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, dystopia, science_fiction

Jacqueline Carey is well known for her epic fantasy, but this book is more science fiction mixed with a little dystopia. It does share one major element with her Kushiel series — love, in all of its forms, is very important to the story.

Santa Olivia is a town without a country, caught in a no-man’s land between the U.S. and Mexico and ruled by the military. It’s the town no one knows about, in a world that has been decimated by war and the flu. All the townspeople have to live for is the hope th...more Jacqueline Carey is well known for her epic fantasy, but this book is more science fiction mixed with a little dystopia. It does share one major element with her Kushiel series — love, in all of its forms, is very important to the story.

Santa Olivia is a town without a country, caught in a no-man’s land between the U.S. and Mexico and ruled by the military. It’s the town no one knows about, in a world that has been decimated by war and the flu. All the townspeople have to live for is the hope that one day, one of them will be allowed to leave. This honor is supposed to be bestowed upon the man who can beat the army’s choice in a boxing match.

Loup is an outcast in a town of outcasts. She’s always been unusual, even as a baby, incapable of experiencing fear. It’s a trait passed on to her by her father, a mysterious man on the run who disappeared as quickly as he appeared. Her older brother Tom is her protector, until they become orphans and he isn’t able to give her the care she needs. She then ends up at the parish church, which doubles as the town’s orphanage.

What follows is the struggle for survival in a town where conditions are deteriorating. Between the never-ending boxing losses and suspicions that the war being fought doesn’t really exist, the townspeople are restless and the military is cracking down. The conditions are just right for a savior to appear.

Carey’s writing is beautiful and expressive and descriptive without being overdone. One thing that she writes about very well is relationships, whether they are familial, friendly, or romantic, and those relationships are the real star of this story. The heart she injects into this bleak landscape is what makes you keep reading. You care about everyone, from Loup and her friends, to Tom, to the unorthodox clergy caring for them all. You cry when they cry, and cheer when they cheer, and above all, you root for their escape. Because, like them, you have no idea what is truly happening outside of the town’s walls.

If it’s not evident, I will definitely be continuing this series. This is the first book I’ve read in a while that I had difficulty putting down.(less)

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Jun 12, 2012 Liviania rated it 5 of 5 stars

It took me awhile to pick up the Kushiel books. In fact, all of Phedre's trilogy had been published when I started. I fell in love with Carey's writing, though I know some found it too purple. Then I was impressed by BANEWREAKER and GODSLAYER, where she wrote a different type of fantasy and used a different style. Then came Imriel's trilogy, where she used the same style as with Phedre, but managed to convey a completely different voice. Now she's ventured into the realm of standalone, with SANT...more It took me awhile to pick up the Kushiel books. In fact, all of Phedre's trilogy had been published when I started. I fell in love with Carey's writing, though I know some found it too purple. Then I was impressed by BANEWREAKER and GODSLAYER, where she wrote a different type of fantasy and used a different style. Then came Imriel's trilogy, where she used the same style as with Phedre, but managed to convey a completely different voice. Now she's ventured into the realm of standalone, with SANTA OLIVIA. In this one, the fantastic elements are highly limited and of a more scientific nature.

It begins with the story of Carmen Garron, who lived in Texas near the Mexican border. Not a bad place to live, until the area is cordoned off due to a pandemic and a search for a criminal. Now the villagers live in a military zone, forgotten by the rest of the world. But Carmen falls in love twice, and has two very different kids.

Boxing is the way out. There's a prizefight periodically, in which a civilian winner can leave with the person of their choice. Tommy Garron is the most promising contender yet. He's loved by the people and his sister, Loup Garron. But they were separated when their mother died - she lives in the orphanage. With her fellow orphans, they seek to teach the soldiers to respect the villagers, using the abilities Loup inherited from her father.

Unfortunately, things can and do go wrong. Loup must make some tough choices, and could end up hurt no matter what she chooses. I enjoyed reading about the fearless but loving Loup, who desires to protect those close to her and give hope for a better future. I liked how Jacqueline Carey handled her sexuality, making it not that big of a deal. I liked Tommy, who was a good kid, and the orphans, who were also good kids. I liked Miguel, who wasn't a good kid, but was learning to be a better man once he started associating with people who expected more of him that thuggish behavior.

Carey developed a harsh setting, but she populated it with motivated and good-hearted characters. (Not to say there aren't those who aren't filled with spite and ruin things for other people.) She uses language well to evoke the setting, though it begins with way too many uses of the word "fuck." It either lightens up when the story focuses on Tommy and Loup, or I started blanking it out more.

I enjoyed the fairytale ending, even though many fates were still unknown. Loup deserved her happiness. While I am partial to superher stories and Jacqueline Carey, that does mean there's more room for disappointment. But this one satisfied me quite well. (For the younger readers of my blog: You might want to wait on this one due to the sex and language. Or not, if you an handle it. Know what you're comfortable with.) (less)

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May 31, 2012 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Holy hell. One hell of a book.

As some others pointed out, the back cover blurb is super misleading. I didn't read it very closely when I picked this one up in the library, and I'm glad I didn't, because when I got home and actually read "werewolves" and whatever I felt my heart sink. I didn't want to read a werewolf book.

But fortunately for me I skimmed the cover in the library and brought it home, and then decided I might at well give it a try anyway, and I'm glad I did.

It's face-paced and e...more

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May 30, 2012 Amanda Holcombe rated it 4 of 5 stars

I do not like boxing. Or werewolves. But I picked this book up because it's hard to find "mainstream" sci-fi/fantasy with a gay main character by an author you know you enjoy. I was intrigued by the promise of a legitimate lesbian love story, and I've been a Carey fan for the past what, twelve years since her long-form fiction debut?

I was surprised. I was amused and afraid and hopeful. I was heartbroken a few times, but I was never disappointed.

Santa Olivia was a muuuuuch faster read than any of...more I do not like boxing. Or werewolves. But I picked this book up because it's hard to find "mainstream" sci-fi/fantasy with a gay main character by an author you know you enjoy. I was intrigued by the promise of a legitimate lesbian love story, and I've been a Carey fan for the past what, twelve years since her long-form fiction debut?

I was surprised. I was amused and afraid and hopeful. I was heartbroken a few times, but I was never disappointed.

Santa Olivia was a muuuuuch faster read than any of the D'Angeline stuff. I sat down at 3:00 this afternoon, and aside from trivial things like cooking dinner, did not put this book down. I just finished it at about 10:15.

If you're looking for the depth and breadth of the D'Angeline books, I'll warn you--it's a lighter read in the language, in the scope of the first book. But the richness is still there, because there is so much less to paint for the reader. But if you have any room in your heart for a fearless girl in a blue robe, you will recognize Carey's sense of the dramatic in a wonderful way.

One small caveat: if you don't like cursing, this one is chock-full of it. This didn't bother me, but it was definitely telling of the town's character that there were three f-bombs dropped on the first two pages, haha. I think the language makes sense--this is an economically oppressed town where there may be a very scant handful of people who are high-school educated or better. So it fit and made it more believable. But there were a good many JFCs thrown around that some might cringe at.

The only reason I didn't give it a full five is because (possibly due to being accustomed to the pace of the D'Angeline books) the last few chapters moved too quickly, IMO. And the situation versus a character who feels no fear made it difficult for me as a reader to ID with Loup's situation--due to her lack of fear and her willingness to persevere, I never really believed the terrible possibilities of the situation on an empathetic level. Crazy stuff goes down, though, never fear!

Now I'm off to investigate this series... Hope you enjoy!(less)

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Mar 09, 2012 Tessa rated it 2 of 5 stars

This is perhaps the fifth or sixth of Miss Carey's books that I have read, and I find myself saying the exact same thing about it as I said about the others.
Some books are perfectly mediocre and that is their strength, they say early on what they're going to do and do it and it's fun, and that's all that they need to do, but some are astonishingly beautiful or terrible. Then there is the worst offenders books which have such potential or aim so high and are just plain mediocre.
This book promise...more This is perhaps the fifth or sixth of Miss Carey's books that I have read, and I find myself saying the exact same thing about it as I said about the others.
Some books are perfectly mediocre and that is their strength, they say early on what they're going to do and do it and it's fun, and that's all that they need to do, but some are astonishingly beautiful or terrible. Then there is the worst offenders books which have such potential or aim so high and are just plain mediocre.
This book promises high, it really does, and delivers a wonderful idea badly executed with boring characters, a completely unnecessary fascination with sex and rather trite world building.

This was a wonderful idea, a young girl who is extraordinary agrees to train as a boxer to revenge herself against the regime that killed her brother and holds her town in thrall. The twist in this case being that the regime is the American Government and a militarised zone to keep out the Mexicans.

So why does this book fall flat. It's taken a long time but I've decided after this one that the problem is that Jacqueline Carey is a wonderful idealist, she has great ideas unfortunately she spends so long building the idea that the rest of it falls flat. It's not easy to write a book, but Santa Olivia felt short cutted all through it. Important details were dealt with succinctly. It felt rushed. Characterisation was vague and people were often dealt with by who they were sleeping with rather than their own merits. This made me feel kind of cheated as there were characters there who had every reason to be exceptional, Mack for instance, bun instead were dealt with so abruptly they might as well have not been there.

Even the core of the novel, the actual boxing, felt stunted. When I came on here to note that I had read it I noticed it has a sequel and felt myself going Miss Carey you've lost me, and I wanted to say why, why I've read so many of your books when generally I found myself not caring one way or another. This book has so much potential, the idea behind it is solid and should have made a brilliant novel, but the problem is that Carey is lazy, characters can carry a shoddy story, world building can carry shoddy characterisation but a good story can't cover for the other two and it's really very obvious in this.
I was not disappointed in this as much as frustrated. I've read better and I will not return to Miss Carey's work because she aims so high and it hurts when she falls flat on her face attempting it.(less)

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Feb 05, 2012 Cab rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-books, sci-fi, romance, glbt

Let me quickly state that this is not a typical “werewolf” story. I certainly can’t claim to know the author’s intent for latching onto that claim other than to provide some context for Loup’s extraordinary abilities. Having said that; the story is very well written and was a pleasure to read. It starts a little slow introducing the reader to “Outpost 12”, which is a military zone that acts as a buffer between the United States and Mexico following the outbreak of an epidemic in Mexico. The peop...more

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Oct 09, 2011 Lisa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

(originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog)

I have mixed feelings about this one. I've read Carey's Kushiel's Dart a long time ago and I had mixed feelings about that one, as well, but for different reasons. I really enjoyed Kushiel's Dart for the worldbuilding and plot, but had issue with the characters. In Santa Olivia I had issue with the worldbuilding and plot (and I suppose some characters). What I liked about it was the originality in setting (an Outpost where residents cannot go in o...more (originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog)

I have mixed feelings about this one. I've read Carey's Kushiel's Dart a long time ago and I had mixed feelings about that one, as well, but for different reasons. I really enjoyed Kushiel's Dart for the worldbuilding and plot, but had issue with the characters. In Santa Olivia I had issue with the worldbuilding and plot (and I suppose some characters). What I liked about it was the originality in setting (an Outpost where residents cannot go in or out due to the threat of war) between Mexico and the USA. I also liked the mythology used about the figure of Santa Olivia and how this played into the lives of the townspeople. My favorite part has to be the beginning where Loup's mother meets and falls in love with two men and has two children (not at the same time). I thought her struggles with life and romance was sympathetic and I admired her for the decisions she had to make.

Where the book changed for me was when the focus changed to Loup. It became, not about a superhero (which I thought) but more of children orchestrating events to do good to some people or to send messages.Then, to me it seemed like it suddenly became a book about boxing. A good chunk of the novel focused on boxing and I definitely have no interest in that. I wasn't connected to Loup enough to care about her goal or her problems in her romance with Pilar. I would have rather seen more about the engineered men and the world outside Outpost, because in Outpost, there wasn't much going on at all (except boxing).

I finished the book, which may be a surprised since I had a lot of negative things to say. It was interesting but I felt what I was interested in was always happening elsewhere or outside the view of the main characters. I liked the world that is hinted at but I needed more. If this is a series, I'd definitely be interested in continuing because I think the next books can only reveal more of the world. If someone is interested in a book with a strong female protagonist or a different take on werewolves and don't mind a lot of boxing, you will probably like this.(less)

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Sep 30, 2011 Stormcrow rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: hail-the-horrors

„This singularly gifted Storyteller“, wie es in einem Zitat auf dem Rückentext so schön heisst, fesselt den Leser mit einer nahezu beängstigenden Nähe zum Geschehen. In einem ständigen, dynamischen Wechsel zwischen der Betrachtung von aussen und dem Blickwinkel der Charaktere schweben die Worte über die Seiten. Was nicht heisst, dass das Buch leicht zu lesen ist. Im Gegenteil. Obwohl auf sehr wenigen Seiten sehr viel passiert, hat die Geschichte Tiefgang. Carey schürft die Emotionen mit wenigen,...more

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Apr 02, 2011 Patty rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: texas, family, fathers-and-daughters, fiction, 2011, urban-fantasy, speculative-fiction, science-fiction, catholicism, christianity, religion, religion-and-politics, glbqt, dystopia, women-writers, war, boxing, siblings, friendship

I have not read anything else by Jacqueline Carey. I certainly have heard of her Kushiel's Legacy series, but some how they have not been on my to-read list. I may have to add them.

Santa Olivia is a small town that has become no man's land in the war between the United States and Mexico. It once was part of Texas, but war and pestilence has cut the people in this town off from the rest of the world. The only way folks could ever get out is by winning a boxing match against a contender from the a...more

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Dec 30, 2010 Karissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

I loved Carey's Kushiel series and I also read a lot of urban fantasy, so I was excited to see that Carey had tried her hand at an urban fantasy novel. This novel wasn't at all what I expected but I liked it quite a bit all the same.

Santa Olivia is a small area that is acting as a buffer zone between plague ridden Mexico and the United States. No one knows the town exists outside of the Army. The citizens of the town struggle to make it. This story tells a tale of two half-siblings; Tom and Loup...more I loved Carey's Kushiel series and I also read a lot of urban fantasy, so I was excited to see that Carey had tried her hand at an urban fantasy novel. This novel wasn't at all what I expected but I liked it quite a bit all the same.

Santa Olivia is a small area that is acting as a buffer zone between plague ridden Mexico and the United States. No one knows the town exists outside of the Army. The citizens of the town struggle to make it. This story tells a tale of two half-siblings; Tom and Loup. After their mother dies, Tom goes to live at the gym and train for the boxing matches that could be his ticket out of Santa Olivia. Loup is sent to live at the church with other orphans there. Loup is not quite human because of her genetically modified father and ensues on a series of semi-vigilante actions with the other orphans of the church.

This was a great story. The characters are interesting and engaging. The story compelling because you are constantly hoping that the characters will win the boxing matches and get their ticket out of this secret, rundown town. Loup is the most intriguing character because she does not fear (because of being not quite human). Carey does an excellent job of realistically dealing with the problems that come with being fearless when it comes into blending into society. All of the characters in (and out) out of the church are very well done and have interesting pasts.

I was also impressed that Carey did a great job at making such an isolated society realistic and reasonable. She does an excellent job showing how things are kept in check.

The story wasn't what I expected though. It was just different from most urban fantasy, much less action driven and more character driven. This ended up being okay and interesting...just unexpected. I also thought that Carey's writing style was a bit odd for this type of story. The profanity used by some of the characters came off as sounding a bit odd when paired with some of the more detailed descriptions or sensual scenes. It wasn't bad, it was just different. I think people who think this is some sort of super-hero like paranormal novel may be disappointed or at least taken by surprise...this book was just different from anything out there.

Overall I really liked the story and the characters. I hope that Carey does some additional stand-alone novels. The biggest problem with this book is that it may not appeal to the fans of her epic fantasy Kushiel series and it may be too different for the paranormal crowd...but if you are into both urban fantasy and Carey's previous works I would definitely give it a read.(less)

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Nov 18, 2009 Kylie rated it 1 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 27, 2009 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-book

I love Jacqueline Carey. She is one of my all-time favorite authors. This book begins a new series by her, separate from her beloved Terre D'Ange books. It is a very different story from those books, but I enjoyed it, and I am really looking forward to a sequel.
Loup Garron is born in the forgotten town of Santa Olivia, where she is raised by her single mother. She has been named by her father, who had to flee while her mother was pregnant with her - he was an enigma, a man who had been genetical...more

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Jul 02, 2009 Tamora Pierce rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: sf

This is a science fiction novel from Carey, about the daughter about a genetically engineered soldier who escapes the lab and passes through a border zone created between the U.S. and Mexico (in the wake of a plague that came up from Mexico--I wonder how Carey feels now, since the copyright date is April 2009, the same month reports of H1N1 virus became news, which means that Carey would have handed the manuscript in a year earlier!). Loup is born to her single mother when her father is forced t...more

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Jun 28, 2009 Elizabeth rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I have been a Jacqueline Carey fan for many years now, hooked on her bestselling Kushiel's Legacy Series. Heard about this paperback of hers and picked it up without hesitation since it is very different from her norm, which I would describe as novels with epic sagas of unbelievable richness.

Santa Olivia has many of Carey's usual elements: an alternate version of history (in this case future history), and a different perspective on religion and its symbolism and function within society. I think...more I have been a Jacqueline Carey fan for many years now, hooked on her bestselling Kushiel's Legacy Series. Heard about this paperback of hers and picked it up without hesitation since it is very different from her norm, which I would describe as novels with epic sagas of unbelievable richness.

Santa Olivia has many of Carey's usual elements: an alternate version of history (in this case future history), and a different perspective on religion and its symbolism and function within society. I think this book, with its futuristic military society cordoned off between the borders of Texas and Mexico, is successful in most ways, showcasing Carey's creativity, and her ability to tell a wonderful story dealing with contemporary hot-button issues as well as significant issues of humanity, such as human genetic experimentation, and the inherent need to belong.

Two things distracted me from enjoying the story as well as I felt I should.

First, Carey is a writer who has a fondness for one-sentence paragraphs, which add punch to the singular comment or idea therein. In this book, however, I think she overdid it; open to any page with narration and you can see them, clear as day, nearly to the point that they appear between each and every full paragraph in the text. Punch the same spot often enough and the tissue goes numb--I would say this technique worked against her long before the end of the book.

Second is something less obvious and more subjective on my part (though I expect I'm not the only one to feel this way). Her heroine, Loup, is the daughter of a soldier whose genetics were enhanced, and thus Loup is unable to feel fear. While I thought that this was a neat and very creative idea at first, and that it even makes a ton of sense if you consider what qualities might make the best human-weapon, I think it actually undermined the impact of her story.

How can a reader sympathize with a character's struggle, if the character herself doesn't feel afraid? To me, part of what makes a hero/heroine compelling is how he or she is afraid of what must be done, but they do it anyway. In turn, we the readers feel the hero's fear along with them and share their worries over the consequences, which are always dire. I wanted Loup to succeed, and I could see the dangers of what she had decided to attempt, but I didn't have any gripping anxiety over the possible outcome because Loup did not have it. And thus, her success fell flat for me as well b/c I didn't have the sense that she had struggled. There was no payoff, no reward. To be honest, while I felt she had earned her freedom, I didn't feel like she had earned her new life with Pilar--she didn't give anything up for it.

I'm glad I read this book because I ended up thinking about some unexpected things! And of course, Carey's writing on the whole is wonderful, and this book is no different in that regard.(less)

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Jun 20, 2009 Michael Kranjcevich rated it 5 of 5 stars

Well, this was a fun departure from the world of Terre d'Ange;

(Synopsis from Amazon.com) SANTA OLIVIA is Jacqueline Carey's take on comic book superheroes and the classic werewolf myth.

Loup Garron was born and raised in Santa Olivia, an isolated, disenfranchised town next to a US military base inside a DMZ buffer zone between Texas and Mexico. A fugitive "Wolf-Man" who had a love affair with a local woman, Loup's father was one of a group of men genetically-manipulated and used by the US gover...more

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Jun 18, 2009 Kim rated it 5 of 5 stars

I don't read a lot of science fiction but when I do read it, what I like best is science fiction that explores elements of the world we live in and takes them to their logical conclusions. Santa Olivia, while ostensibly paranormal fiction, shares many qualities with this type of dystopian SF. In it, Jacqueline Carey explores current US immigration policy and, amazingly, anticipates the H1N1 flu epidemic by creating the small town of Santa Olivia, formerly part of Texas but now in the midst of a...more I don't read a lot of science fiction but when I do read it, what I like best is science fiction that explores elements of the world we live in and takes them to their logical conclusions. Santa Olivia, while ostensibly paranormal fiction, shares many qualities with this type of dystopian SF. In it, Jacqueline Carey explores current US immigration policy and, amazingly, anticipates the H1N1 flu epidemic by creating the small town of Santa Olivia, formerly part of Texas but now in the midst of a military buffer zone between the US and Mexico. The town has been struck by plague, and now the US military maintains a presence in Santa Olivia, now Outpost 12, to guard against the threat of raids coming from the south. Most of the citizens in Santa Olivia live at a bare, subsistence level, although there are two powerful families who have benefited from their situation---the Garzas, who have taken over security in Santa Olivia, and the Salamancas, who have taken over commerce in the town, accommodating the military presence with brothels and bars.

Santa Olivia tells the story of Loup Garron, whose mother is a cocktail waitress in Santa Olivia, and whose father is a "Wolf-Man," genetically altered by the US army. From him, Loup has inherited superhuman strength and speed, but perhaps most importantly a lack of fear. Her older half-brother Tommy, fathered by an ordinary soldier, has to protect Loup from her own inability to fear; and the protective and loving relationship between the two siblings is one of the true joys of this book. Loup knows that if her abilities are discovered she will be reclaimed by the US Military, from whom her father deserted; she knows it, but since she is unable to actually feel this worry, Tommy has to worry on her behalf. I was quite impressed by the way Carey distinguishes between the knowledge of risk and the actual emotion of fear, and how Loup has to use the former to make up for her lack of the latter. I found Loup surprisingly easy to relate to; I saw "surprisingly" because both she and her brother have only a rudimentary education and for survival depend mostly on their physical gifts (Tommy may not have Loup's abilities, but becomes a skilled boxer over the course of the book). However, the use to which Loup puts these abilities makes her someone to admire, and reveals the best and worst aspects of being extraordinarily gifted; her difference can make her a hero, or it can make her a freak.

I found Santa Olivia impossible to put down, and had two main reactions once I'd finished it. Firstly, I felt "wrecked," ruined for any other book (probably a good thing considering how late it was!), and craving more, more, more. Secondly, I really wished I was part of a book group, because to me Santa Olivia would make for excellent discussion, for the reasons I mentioned at the start of this review and because of the issues it raises about gender roles and difference, physical and otherwise. I loved Carey's Kushiel trilogies (and am anxiously awaiting my copy of Naamah's Kiss), but in many ways Santa Olivia is very different, the language more elegantly sparse than lushly detailed, and the focus more narrowly defined. If you liked the Kushiel books, you may very well like this one too, but be prepared for something totally different.(less)

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Jun 07, 2009 Chris rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: werewolves-are-awesome, comic-books-and-such, sci-fi, fantasy-urban

Despite the description that surrounds this novel, it isn't a superhero/werewolf novel, so don't think you're going to read about werewolves.

It's better than that. Much better.

While the novel isn't about werewolves, it is about superheros, or at least what makes a heroine. Carey is playing with the superhero genre for much of the book. There are references to X-Men, Wolverine in particular, and Superman. Many of the plot points are similar to those used in comics - the outsider with superpowers,...more

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Jun 01, 2009 Cameron rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

One thing that amazes me with this novel is Carey's scope as a writer. With the Kushiel sextuplet she was graceful and highly engaging with her intelligent main characters, spinning sentences like colorful and erotic thread; with this book, her main character is more physical and so her writing takes on a greater physicality and brevity. Parsed phrases create intense moments, highlighting the fearless nature of her heroine, the simplicity that she brings to bear in her worldview.

Unlike the shado...more One thing that amazes me with this novel is Carey's scope as a writer. With the Kushiel sextuplet she was graceful and highly engaging with her intelligent main characters, spinning sentences like colorful and erotic thread; with this book, her main character is more physical and so her writing takes on a greater physicality and brevity. Parsed phrases create intense moments, highlighting the fearless nature of her heroine, the simplicity that she brings to bear in her worldview.

Unlike the shadowy origins that much of urban fantasy uses as a suspenseful trope, Carey makes us witness to the events leading to the birth of the girl who will enliven the myth of Santa Olivia. Occurring in a slightly off future Texas where the threat of rampant disease in Mexico has caused the U.S. to seal the border claiming rebel Mexican forces are threatening to overrun the States, focusing in on the town once known as Santa Olivia but now converted into Outpost - disappearing from public awareness as the entire town becomes locked down - Carey introduces us to a genetic experiment of human scale: men who were bred to be stronger and faster and more resilient.

It is one such man, fleeing his U.S. captors, who succumbs to a tryst with a local girl, causing the improbable pregnancy that leads to the birth of Loup (pronounced Lou, French for wolf, told with a somber yet tongue-in-cheek werewolf reference and not the overripe gravitas crappy romance novels would give to the name).

Born gifted with the same genetic alterations engineered into her father, life is rather challenging for Lou. But then, life pretty much sucks for all the residents of Santa Olivia cum Outpost. Not allowed to leave by the U.S. Army, able only to serve as the working class servants of the soldiers, stuck between warring factions of Outpost gangs trying to scratch the crumbs the Army leaves, the scene becomes ripe for an avenging angel – Zorro style. Carey could have thrust her novel into the trenches of high action/adventure with swashbuckling and ass kicking, creating a comic book heroine in Loup. She does not. There is plenty of action, but Carey does not allow her action sequences to spin out of proportion to the story, despite Loup’s heightened abilities. In my opinion, this makes the story more realistic and rich, for the true heroic aspects arise in the only sport allowed the town of Outpost: boxing.

Loup’s older brother Thomas grows to be the heroic ideal of the town, training wholeheartedly and single-mindedly. Loup will get her turn in the spotlight, but the trajectory that Carey takes her on – growing and learning amongst orphans under the protection of the unorthodox Church, shadowing her older brother in the local boxing gym, performing “miracles” more akin to pranks as the original namesake child saint of the town, butting heads with the local bad boy tough who could easily be a stereotypical gang leader but in Carey’s hands becomes much more – plays alongside her brother’s development, benefiting from the comparison and example she finds, fleshing out the hopes and dreams of a small town forgotten and trapped.

Santa Olivia, as a novel of urban fantasy, pushes through many of the boundaries reinforced by previous novels of the genre. Carey continues to expand her craft and seduce her readers into her worlds just slightly askew of our own, spinning characters of coarse fabric and fine patterns, threading sexuality into her tales with skillful aplomb, and interweaving literary merit with the excitement of the genre and a subtle social commentary. Punches are not pulled, pelvic thrusts fully expressed. Santa Olivia packs the wallop of her main character.
(less)

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Santa Olivia (Santa Olivia #1)

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