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Wolves of No World #1
Lobizona
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.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 4, 2020
443 people are currently reading
32845 people want to read
About the author
Romina Garber
12 books840 followersRomina Garber is a NYT/International Bestselling YA author who also writes under pen name Romina Russell. Born in Buenos Aires and raised in Miami, Romina landed her first writing gig as a teen—“College She Wrote,” a weekly Sunday column for the Miami Herald that was later picked up for national syndication—and she hasn’t stopped writing since. She is a graduate of Harvard College and a Virgo to the core. For more information about her books, visit www.rominagarber.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,955 reviews
August 18, 2022
The beginning of Lobizona is nightmarish.
Manuela Azul’s life is laden with eggshells, and she walked on afraid, fraying a little more every time she has to put on her mirrored sunglasses to hide the unnatural bright yellow engulfing her eyes from the whites to the irises. The possibility of being snapped up by ICE, or of her father’s past catching up to her first, is always there, hovering in the air like an axe. Her whole life, Manu had waited for them to find her and her mother. She never doubted that they would. And then they did.
Alone, Manu sets out to look for answers to the thousand questions she has no answers to, and finds a magical school for witches and lobizones (Argentinian werewolves). For years, Manu’s eyes were a strange fact she had to bend her life around, yet here is a place where she fits with the familiar comfort of a well-worn coat. But Manu’s lies about her family are as growing thin, and when her father’s real identity is dragged to the fore, the truth of it blows out the embers of hope that let Manu believe she finally had somewhere she could call home.
**
Lobizona is a vibrant representation of Argentinian culture and folklore. One of the things I relish most in fiction is when fantasy is interwoven with our world and its timeline. Lobizona dwells in the low-lit overlap of myth and reality—and the way it owns that space is spellbinding. The notion of werewolves and witches is exhilarating, and the authors milks it for all its considerable worth. A book like Lobizona doesn’t undo any clichés; it deals in them, and while it's not particularly complex or unpredictable, it perfectly counterbalances the elaborate world-building elements Garber has managed.
The strength of the novel, however, lies in its thematic gravity: the author touches upon a smorgasbord of topics that inform many conversations today (race, immigration, prejudice), and the passionate politics of the book come through with vivid clarity because we’re lost inside the experiences of its protagonists. There’s a sympathetic sense of dislocation and dread that permeates every corner of the story, and which kept my interest firmly moored to the page. Manu has lost the unbruised part of herself when she lost her freedom to exist without the constant fear of being wrenched away from her home. It’s the sort of truth that one can say only when they’re looking away from it, offhand, distracted, because to meet its eye is enough to curdle your blood. But hope is small enough to nest within Manu’s palm, and seeing all her courage pile itself hand over hand was a welcome respite.
All in all, this was solid read!
Manuela Azul’s life is laden with eggshells, and she walked on afraid, fraying a little more every time she has to put on her mirrored sunglasses to hide the unnatural bright yellow engulfing her eyes from the whites to the irises. The possibility of being snapped up by ICE, or of her father’s past catching up to her first, is always there, hovering in the air like an axe. Her whole life, Manu had waited for them to find her and her mother. She never doubted that they would. And then they did.
Alone, Manu sets out to look for answers to the thousand questions she has no answers to, and finds a magical school for witches and lobizones (Argentinian werewolves). For years, Manu’s eyes were a strange fact she had to bend her life around, yet here is a place where she fits with the familiar comfort of a well-worn coat. But Manu’s lies about her family are as growing thin, and when her father’s real identity is dragged to the fore, the truth of it blows out the embers of hope that let Manu believe she finally had somewhere she could call home.
**
Lobizona is a vibrant representation of Argentinian culture and folklore. One of the things I relish most in fiction is when fantasy is interwoven with our world and its timeline. Lobizona dwells in the low-lit overlap of myth and reality—and the way it owns that space is spellbinding. The notion of werewolves and witches is exhilarating, and the authors milks it for all its considerable worth. A book like Lobizona doesn’t undo any clichés; it deals in them, and while it's not particularly complex or unpredictable, it perfectly counterbalances the elaborate world-building elements Garber has managed.
The strength of the novel, however, lies in its thematic gravity: the author touches upon a smorgasbord of topics that inform many conversations today (race, immigration, prejudice), and the passionate politics of the book come through with vivid clarity because we’re lost inside the experiences of its protagonists. There’s a sympathetic sense of dislocation and dread that permeates every corner of the story, and which kept my interest firmly moored to the page. Manu has lost the unbruised part of herself when she lost her freedom to exist without the constant fear of being wrenched away from her home. It’s the sort of truth that one can say only when they’re looking away from it, offhand, distracted, because to meet its eye is enough to curdle your blood. But hope is small enough to nest within Manu’s palm, and seeing all her courage pile itself hand over hand was a welcome respite.
All in all, this was solid read!
January 11, 2021
This released today, August 4th 2020!
4 1/2 stars and I keep waffling back between four and five, but please do know I'm absolutely obsessed.
Lobizona follows Manu, an undocumented immigrant confined to her home both by ICE and by her starry eyes. When her life at home falls apart, she escapes to the magical world of Kerana, where she is still, regardless of appearances, wrong.
Manu lives at first with her mother and family friend Perla. In Garber’s Argentinian mythology, seventh sons become werewolves, lobizones, while seventh daughters become witches, brujas. Here, women are brujas, while men are lobizones. Manu, however, just as she has found a place where her eyes do not define her, discovers that as a hybrid, her existence is a crime: that even here, in the first place where she is not an immigrant, she is still considered illegal.
This book feels deeply vivid. From the harsh opening on, danger constantly feels real, present. Manu is at first hiding, and next a fish out of water, but at all times a fascinating narrator. When she escapes ICE to a new world, we root for her wellbeing, hoping for magical solutions. When it is revealed that even here, her entire existence is illegal to the powers that be, it is genuinely crushing.
Seeing her come into her own, though, is deeply satisfying. It helps that her relationships with other characters all hold different weights in the narrative: Saysa, Catalina, and Tiago have a wonderful squad dynamic with Manu, but still all feel like distinct characters. Saysa was my favorite. Catalina, though, is probably the one I find most interesting: in any other book, she could be a popular girl trope, but here she’s nuanced, developed, and fun to root for. She also has a full character arc, something missing for side characters in a lot of YA fantasy. The unfolding mystery of the fate of Manu’s father, Fierro, is excellent.
The dynamic between Manu, Perla, and her mother is also resonant. There's a particular scene where Manu almost goes home to Perla, and Perla tells her that she may make her own choices, just as her mother did. I appreciated that the narrative is both deeply sympathetic to Manu's mother and allows Manu to make her own choices. (And the scene made me tear up a bit.)
I try to avoid reading other reviews before writing my own, but I really liked what Adri said about this book in their review:
It’s not a perfect novel; at times, the first half is fairly slow. Some metaphors didn't totally work. The romance felt a bit by-the-book at first: there's a romantic competition plot line that, though resolved in a creative way (I really liked it), definitely takes over the dynamic between Tiago and Manu. But this book went so hard, and I am so excited for more.
This is an excellent blend of magical realism and contemporary fantasy focusing on binaries and the space between them. I’m excited for more. This comes out on August 4th. I hope you'll love it as much as I did.
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4 1/2 stars and I keep waffling back between four and five, but please do know I'm absolutely obsessed.
Lobizona follows Manu, an undocumented immigrant confined to her home both by ICE and by her starry eyes. When her life at home falls apart, she escapes to the magical world of Kerana, where she is still, regardless of appearances, wrong.
Manu lives at first with her mother and family friend Perla. In Garber’s Argentinian mythology, seventh sons become werewolves, lobizones, while seventh daughters become witches, brujas. Here, women are brujas, while men are lobizones. Manu, however, just as she has found a place where her eyes do not define her, discovers that as a hybrid, her existence is a crime: that even here, in the first place where she is not an immigrant, she is still considered illegal.
This book feels deeply vivid. From the harsh opening on, danger constantly feels real, present. Manu is at first hiding, and next a fish out of water, but at all times a fascinating narrator. When she escapes ICE to a new world, we root for her wellbeing, hoping for magical solutions. When it is revealed that even here, her entire existence is illegal to the powers that be, it is genuinely crushing.
Seeing her come into her own, though, is deeply satisfying. It helps that her relationships with other characters all hold different weights in the narrative: Saysa, Catalina, and Tiago have a wonderful squad dynamic with Manu, but still all feel like distinct characters. Saysa was my favorite. Catalina, though, is probably the one I find most interesting: in any other book, she could be a popular girl trope, but here she’s nuanced, developed, and fun to root for. She also has a full character arc, something missing for side characters in a lot of YA fantasy. The unfolding mystery of the fate of Manu’s father, Fierro, is excellent.
The dynamic between Manu, Perla, and her mother is also resonant. There's a particular scene where Manu almost goes home to Perla, and Perla tells her that she may make her own choices, just as her mother did. I appreciated that the narrative is both deeply sympathetic to Manu's mother and allows Manu to make her own choices. (And the scene made me tear up a bit.)
I try to avoid reading other reviews before writing my own, but I really liked what Adri said about this book in their review:
… she comes to represent everyone who's ever wrongfully been limited or boxed into labels that don't fit simply because it's more convenient for everyone else. I feel the story is about how if we let ideas, traditions, and laws matter more than actual people, we are creating a world that confines us—we are drawing a border between what is and what could be. Language and societal norms don't exist in a vacuum. They are not stagnant; they're things we engage with, create, and shape for ourselves.
It’s not a perfect novel; at times, the first half is fairly slow. Some metaphors didn't totally work. The romance felt a bit by-the-book at first: there's a romantic competition plot line that, though resolved in a creative way (I really liked it), definitely takes over the dynamic between Tiago and Manu. But this book went so hard, and I am so excited for more.
This is an excellent blend of magical realism and contemporary fantasy focusing on binaries and the space between them. I’m excited for more. This comes out on August 4th. I hope you'll love it as much as I did.
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July 18, 2020
"The horrors Perla left behind when she came to this country darken her glassy gaze, and I realize she never got away. No matter how many borders we cross, we can't seem to outrun the fear of not feeling safe in our own house."
I think it's fair to note that, while this is definitely YA fantasy, it reads more like contemporary fiction sprinkled with magical realism. Those looking for high fantasy involving werewolf folklore might be disappointed in this slow burning tale, because it feels as if the purpose of this story is to serve the reader with a unique book about the immigrant's life in America. Garber has provided a call to action with Lobizona, and I love that she holds back nothing in her attempt to educate the average reader on many horrors of modern society.
The prologue immediately gripped me and set the tone for the remainder of the book, and as a privileged white woman, I found myself choking back tears and grieving for those who aren't treated equally in this country. The author also ties in menstrual cycles as an important part of Manu's transformation, and it was so refreshing to see a YA author normalize something that is, well, NORMAL. Even though this was not an own voices read for me, I wholly appreciated diving into someone else's culture and heritage and learning more about their folklore.
The pacing is steady in this book, and it felt like a solid set up for the next installment, which I am very much anticipating to read. If you are looking for a YA fantasy that stands apart from the regular humdrum, and you're interested in current events and educating yourself on some of the injustices that Latinx immigrants face on a daily basis, do yourself a favor and pick this title up on August 4th.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
I think it's fair to note that, while this is definitely YA fantasy, it reads more like contemporary fiction sprinkled with magical realism. Those looking for high fantasy involving werewolf folklore might be disappointed in this slow burning tale, because it feels as if the purpose of this story is to serve the reader with a unique book about the immigrant's life in America. Garber has provided a call to action with Lobizona, and I love that she holds back nothing in her attempt to educate the average reader on many horrors of modern society.
The prologue immediately gripped me and set the tone for the remainder of the book, and as a privileged white woman, I found myself choking back tears and grieving for those who aren't treated equally in this country. The author also ties in menstrual cycles as an important part of Manu's transformation, and it was so refreshing to see a YA author normalize something that is, well, NORMAL. Even though this was not an own voices read for me, I wholly appreciated diving into someone else's culture and heritage and learning more about their folklore.
The pacing is steady in this book, and it felt like a solid set up for the next installment, which I am very much anticipating to read. If you are looking for a YA fantasy that stands apart from the regular humdrum, and you're interested in current events and educating yourself on some of the injustices that Latinx immigrants face on a daily basis, do yourself a favor and pick this title up on August 4th.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
July 31, 2024
Although Lobizona was a mixed bag for me, it did give me a lot to think about, which I always appreciate in a story.
Manuela Azul is an undocumented immigrant living in Miami with her mother and a surrogate grandmother.
Manuela has learned to hide in plain sight, not simply because of her immigration status, but also because of her eyes, with their very distinctive pupils.
When her grandmother has an accident that forces Manu to call emergency services for help, a series of events begin that will change Manu's life forever.
Manu's mother gets arrested by ICE, leaving Manu on the run, fending for herself. On her own for the first time, she sets out to discover the truth about her family and her past.
She knows her father's name and that he was from a Argentine-crime family. One that her mother fled from, or at least that is what she has been told, but is that true?
Manu ends up stumbling upon an entire magical world that she is a part of. The mystery of her eyes is finally revealed. She is the first known Lobizona, a female werewolf.
There are brujas and lobizons galore. A magical school. Magical sports that Manu happens to excel at and that is where the story started to lose me.
The beginning of this was strong for me. The opening scenes were quite intense. Garber did an incredible job of portraying the stress and fear experienced by undocumented peoples within the United States.
It was visceral reading about the way Manu and her family had to adjust so much about their lives in order to remain safe; really well done.
I appreciate the topics covered within this story. They're so important and need to be discussed. Things like gender, identity, culture, immigration and sexism.
Garber explored these elements in great detail within the story and those aspects were my favorite parts of the book.
Unfortunately, I didn't feel compelled by the YA Fantasy storyline. It's funny because it contains some of my favorite tropes, a magic school setting, as well as a competition element.
I think honestly, I did myself a disservice by reading this pretty much concurrently with the Akata Witch duology. I knew it too, I could tell by about 50-pages into this one.
They are so similar.
We follow teenage female protagonists, who due to a specific physical abnormality stand apart from their peers, who suddenly discover they are part of a magical world based on the lore and legend of their particular culture, begin training in a magic school where they are a little behind their magical peers since they discover their powers at an older age.
Additionally, both excel at a sport that girls aren't traditionally expected to excel at; the list goes on an on.
For me personally, I love the Akata Witch books so much and in comparison, this one just didn't shine quite as bright.
Perhaps that is unfair of me to say, however, I do rate books based upon my reading experience and while this is a good story, the pacing issues caused it to fall short of the really good category for me.
With all of this being said, again, I appreciate the content and important topics that Garber tackles within these pages.
This is a necessary story and I'm extremely glad it exists and is out there in the world for people to read. There are a lot of glowing reviews for this story, so I definitely consider myself to be in the minority opinion.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Wednesday Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I appreciate the opportunity and will, in fact, read the next book upon its release!
Manuela Azul is an undocumented immigrant living in Miami with her mother and a surrogate grandmother.
Manuela has learned to hide in plain sight, not simply because of her immigration status, but also because of her eyes, with their very distinctive pupils.
When her grandmother has an accident that forces Manu to call emergency services for help, a series of events begin that will change Manu's life forever.
Manu's mother gets arrested by ICE, leaving Manu on the run, fending for herself. On her own for the first time, she sets out to discover the truth about her family and her past.
She knows her father's name and that he was from a Argentine-crime family. One that her mother fled from, or at least that is what she has been told, but is that true?
Manu ends up stumbling upon an entire magical world that she is a part of. The mystery of her eyes is finally revealed. She is the first known Lobizona, a female werewolf.
There are brujas and lobizons galore. A magical school. Magical sports that Manu happens to excel at and that is where the story started to lose me.
The beginning of this was strong for me. The opening scenes were quite intense. Garber did an incredible job of portraying the stress and fear experienced by undocumented peoples within the United States.
It was visceral reading about the way Manu and her family had to adjust so much about their lives in order to remain safe; really well done.
I appreciate the topics covered within this story. They're so important and need to be discussed. Things like gender, identity, culture, immigration and sexism.
Garber explored these elements in great detail within the story and those aspects were my favorite parts of the book.
Unfortunately, I didn't feel compelled by the YA Fantasy storyline. It's funny because it contains some of my favorite tropes, a magic school setting, as well as a competition element.
I think honestly, I did myself a disservice by reading this pretty much concurrently with the Akata Witch duology. I knew it too, I could tell by about 50-pages into this one.
They are so similar.
We follow teenage female protagonists, who due to a specific physical abnormality stand apart from their peers, who suddenly discover they are part of a magical world based on the lore and legend of their particular culture, begin training in a magic school where they are a little behind their magical peers since they discover their powers at an older age.
Additionally, both excel at a sport that girls aren't traditionally expected to excel at; the list goes on an on.
For me personally, I love the Akata Witch books so much and in comparison, this one just didn't shine quite as bright.
Perhaps that is unfair of me to say, however, I do rate books based upon my reading experience and while this is a good story, the pacing issues caused it to fall short of the really good category for me.
With all of this being said, again, I appreciate the content and important topics that Garber tackles within these pages.
This is a necessary story and I'm extremely glad it exists and is out there in the world for people to read. There are a lot of glowing reviews for this story, so I definitely consider myself to be in the minority opinion.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Wednesday Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I appreciate the opportunity and will, in fact, read the next book upon its release!
July 12, 2021
Argentinian lore, werewolves and witches, futbol, fighting gender roles, identity, belonging, Other, and the lives of the undocumented... this was so wonderful.
Concept: ★★★★★
First 50 pages: ★★
Plot/Pacing: ★★★★
Enjoyment: ★★★★★
Manu is an undocumented Argentinian immigrant living in secret in Miami with her mother. Manu's life is a double-edged sword of secrets—on the one hand, Manu and her mother are in the USA and in hiding from the government, and on the other hand, Manu is also forced into hiding by her own mother because of her unique eyes and an unknown threat from Argentina—the real reason they're living off the government grid.
Manu has golden, luminous eyes with a starburst pattern of silver in the center.
Manu's eyes have made her life a living cage. Her mother won't let her go anywhere, she can't make friends, and everywhere she goes it has to be daylight so that she can wear her mirrored sunglasses. Manu's father had dangerous friends, her mother always said, and they've never stopped looking for Manu and her mother. With her father's eyes, Manu has no choice.
Then Manu's mother is captured by the ICE, America's immigration unit. In the rush of capture, her mother screams at her to flee, to stay in hiding.
Running away from the city on the back of a mysterious pick up truck, she takes an unexpected trip into the wilds of the Everglades and happens upon something she literally can't believe: there's a secret community in a magical mangrove forest, and ALL of the people in it have Manu's luminous eyes.
What's a girl to do, but join them? Manu has no idea what she's in for. (Hint: werewolves and witches and other dimensions, oh MY!)
My thoughts:
AMAZING. I think it's safe to say that this is one of my favorite YA fantasy reads of 2020. This was fresh—and filled with so many unique spins on fantasy tropes that I was shooketh. I loved learning more about Argentinan and Latin American culture, especially as it related to their myths, and I LOVED where the author's imagination took us. (We always need more alternate dimensions in our fantasy.)
Now, to address a mild elephant in the room: some other reviews of this book mention that it's filled with traditional YA tropes and is predictable. I'd like to (politely) disagree, and here's why:
-This is an Argentinian/Latinx/immigrant narrative. Our diverse stories did NOT get a chance to get in on the YA action at the start of the genre in the 2000s and 2010s—so for many of our diverse reads, they're playing with some of these tropes for the first time, and they're writing them for an audience that never saw themselves in Harry Potter, Kiss of Deception, Hunger Games, etc etc etc. YES this story has the magical school trope. So what? I still found enough unique identifiers to set it apart from the rest. YES this story has similar plot devices to other YA fantasies. So what? (No shade, just honest questions. I think our community is sometimes quite hard on YA fantasies.)
-Yes, there's a love interest identified quite early on in the story. So what? While the initial interaction might seem to be instalove or trope-filled, the author immediately back pedals and allows the story to take over. Again, I thought this was well done and deviated enough from the tropes to be relevant.
I could go on, but those are two of the main points. In short, I thought this story was beautiful, extremely relevant to modern American and Latin American concerns (immigration, ICE, etc.), and a fantastic series opener with a great take on werewolves, or the Argentinian lobizones. Also, the quoteable portions of this book - gah. So great.
Thank you so much to Wednesday Books for an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
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Concept: ★★★★★
First 50 pages: ★★
Plot/Pacing: ★★★★
Enjoyment: ★★★★★
Manu is an undocumented Argentinian immigrant living in secret in Miami with her mother. Manu's life is a double-edged sword of secrets—on the one hand, Manu and her mother are in the USA and in hiding from the government, and on the other hand, Manu is also forced into hiding by her own mother because of her unique eyes and an unknown threat from Argentina—the real reason they're living off the government grid.
Manu has golden, luminous eyes with a starburst pattern of silver in the center.
Manu's eyes have made her life a living cage. Her mother won't let her go anywhere, she can't make friends, and everywhere she goes it has to be daylight so that she can wear her mirrored sunglasses. Manu's father had dangerous friends, her mother always said, and they've never stopped looking for Manu and her mother. With her father's eyes, Manu has no choice.
Then Manu's mother is captured by the ICE, America's immigration unit. In the rush of capture, her mother screams at her to flee, to stay in hiding.
Running away from the city on the back of a mysterious pick up truck, she takes an unexpected trip into the wilds of the Everglades and happens upon something she literally can't believe: there's a secret community in a magical mangrove forest, and ALL of the people in it have Manu's luminous eyes.
What's a girl to do, but join them? Manu has no idea what she's in for. (Hint: werewolves and witches and other dimensions, oh MY!)
My thoughts:
AMAZING. I think it's safe to say that this is one of my favorite YA fantasy reads of 2020. This was fresh—and filled with so many unique spins on fantasy tropes that I was shooketh. I loved learning more about Argentinan and Latin American culture, especially as it related to their myths, and I LOVED where the author's imagination took us. (We always need more alternate dimensions in our fantasy.)
Now, to address a mild elephant in the room: some other reviews of this book mention that it's filled with traditional YA tropes and is predictable. I'd like to (politely) disagree, and here's why:
-This is an Argentinian/Latinx/immigrant narrative. Our diverse stories did NOT get a chance to get in on the YA action at the start of the genre in the 2000s and 2010s—so for many of our diverse reads, they're playing with some of these tropes for the first time, and they're writing them for an audience that never saw themselves in Harry Potter, Kiss of Deception, Hunger Games, etc etc etc. YES this story has the magical school trope. So what? I still found enough unique identifiers to set it apart from the rest. YES this story has similar plot devices to other YA fantasies. So what? (No shade, just honest questions. I think our community is sometimes quite hard on YA fantasies.)
-Yes, there's a love interest identified quite early on in the story. So what? While the initial interaction might seem to be instalove or trope-filled, the author immediately back pedals and allows the story to take over. Again, I thought this was well done and deviated enough from the tropes to be relevant.
I could go on, but those are two of the main points. In short, I thought this story was beautiful, extremely relevant to modern American and Latin American concerns (immigration, ICE, etc.), and a fantastic series opener with a great take on werewolves, or the Argentinian lobizones. Also, the quoteable portions of this book - gah. So great.
Thank you so much to Wednesday Books for an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
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September 7, 2020
Hearing that Lobizona was an Argentinian werewolf story was enough to convince me I’d love this book. Sadly, it turned out to be a weak contemporary and an even weaker fantasy.
“Sometimes reality strays so far from what’s rational that we can only explain it through fantasy.”
~★~ What is this book about? ~★~
Manu and her mother are undocumented immigrants. Running from their father’s life of crime in Argentina led them to the confinement of a cramped apartment in Miami, Florida. Manu is unable to leave the apartment, seeing as her pupils are shaped as stars, and her eyes shine a vibrant yellow. When her mother is arrested and taken to a detention center to be deported, Manu narrowly escapes, finding herself caught up in a world of werewolves and witches, her only hope of uncovering her past and saving her mother.
~★~
In terms of the fantasy aspect, nothing of note takes place until a third into the book. Before then all we hear is constant descriptions of Manu’s bizarre eyes.
I found myself undeniably disappointed with the way the “chosen one” plot unfolded. It was frustrating and boring to read about Manu perfecting anything magic related on her first try.
Love triangles don’t typically bother me, and neither did the one in Lobizona. I didn’t care for the characters, meaning Manu’s love life was of little concern to me. The insta-love and miscommunication was painful, though.
It took me about 200 pages to start enjoying Lobizona even mildly, which says a lot. Within the first couple of chapters, clusters of cultural references were being listed and repeated without explanation, making it hard for me to absorb the story. Paragraphs of dialogue were frequently included without english translation which left me -a non latino reader- feeling stranded. Having to stop and translate whole chunks of dialogue throughout the entire book took away from my reading experience largely. It was unfortunate that the cultural aspect felt so forced to me, whereas in stories like Furia, I was able to experience and appreciate the Argentinian culture with ease.
The thing I did like about Lobizona was the challenging of gender roles and conversations surrounding misogyny and sexism. The women in this novel never hesitated to speak up and think for themselves, which I appreciate.
“Sometimes reality strays so far from what’s rational that we can only explain it through fantasy.”
~★~ What is this book about? ~★~
Manu and her mother are undocumented immigrants. Running from their father’s life of crime in Argentina led them to the confinement of a cramped apartment in Miami, Florida. Manu is unable to leave the apartment, seeing as her pupils are shaped as stars, and her eyes shine a vibrant yellow. When her mother is arrested and taken to a detention center to be deported, Manu narrowly escapes, finding herself caught up in a world of werewolves and witches, her only hope of uncovering her past and saving her mother.
~★~
In terms of the fantasy aspect, nothing of note takes place until a third into the book. Before then all we hear is constant descriptions of Manu’s bizarre eyes.
I found myself undeniably disappointed with the way the “chosen one” plot unfolded. It was frustrating and boring to read about Manu perfecting anything magic related on her first try.
Love triangles don’t typically bother me, and neither did the one in Lobizona. I didn’t care for the characters, meaning Manu’s love life was of little concern to me. The insta-love and miscommunication was painful, though.
It took me about 200 pages to start enjoying Lobizona even mildly, which says a lot. Within the first couple of chapters, clusters of cultural references were being listed and repeated without explanation, making it hard for me to absorb the story. Paragraphs of dialogue were frequently included without english translation which left me -a non latino reader- feeling stranded. Having to stop and translate whole chunks of dialogue throughout the entire book took away from my reading experience largely. It was unfortunate that the cultural aspect felt so forced to me, whereas in stories like Furia, I was able to experience and appreciate the Argentinian culture with ease.
The thing I did like about Lobizona was the challenging of gender roles and conversations surrounding misogyny and sexism. The women in this novel never hesitated to speak up and think for themselves, which I appreciate.
November 29, 2023
7/21/2020 update:
LOBIZONA IS ONLY 2 WEEKS AWAY!!!!
If you have yet to see the sheer gorgeousness that is the hardcover, I recommend visiting my Twitter or IG pages to check it out. Wednesday Books absolutely SLAYED IT.
If you'd like your copy PERSONALIZED, please place your PREORDER with my amazing local indie bookstore, Books & Books, & I will pick out a quote for you & make your copy extra special. <3
https://booksandbooks.com/event/virtu...
4/11/2020 update:
A bit of news: Lobizona’s pub date has been pushed to 8/4. I’m really bummed, but these circumstances are beyond anyone’s control. I hope you will still add her to your tbr shelf/preorder/request from your libraries because I have never ever been more excited to introduce a character to you. bit.ly/lobizona
Can’t wait for you to meet #ManuLaLobizona this summer!
Also, I just finished the first draft of the sequel & AAAAHHHHHH!!! #WolvesOfNoWorld
----
3/26/2020 update:
YAY!!! The Lobizona PREORDER GIVEAWAY is LIVE!
https://bit.ly/LobizonaPreorder
When you preorder a hardcover, ebook, or audio edition, submit your receipt for a set of 5 Lobizona buttons! Unfortunately, due to legal nuances, this is only valid for US & Canada residents.
----
I don’t want to scare you off, but the mystery at the heart of Lobizona is real. . . .
Like Manu, I was also flipping through the pages of a newspaper when I stumbled across the Argentine law that inspired this story—la ley de padrinazgo presidencial 20.843.
The law declares the President of Argentina godparent to the 7th consecutive son or daughter in a family. I was curious why this was even a thing, & when I spiraled down the rabbit hole of online research, history bled into myth, until it became harder and harder to separate fact from folklore.
Naturally, I had to write a book.
So I did.
A dozen years ago.
Yet when I tried to get the novel traditionally published, I was told US readers didn’t care about Argentine immigrants.
In other words, they didn’t care about ME.
I tried letting this idea go, & for about a decade, I thought I had. Yet as the situation for immigrants worsened in this country, I realized this story will never let go of me.
So if you’ve preordered Lobizona, or added her to your tbr, or even if you’ve just read this far—thank you, for caring. <3
Xoxoxo
Romina
PS: 2.5 months!!!!!!! AHHHH!!!!
PPS: Preorder links (keep your receipts!): https://read.macmillan.com/lp/lobizona/
LOBIZONA IS ONLY 2 WEEKS AWAY!!!!
If you have yet to see the sheer gorgeousness that is the hardcover, I recommend visiting my Twitter or IG pages to check it out. Wednesday Books absolutely SLAYED IT.
If you'd like your copy PERSONALIZED, please place your PREORDER with my amazing local indie bookstore, Books & Books, & I will pick out a quote for you & make your copy extra special. <3
https://booksandbooks.com/event/virtu...
4/11/2020 update:
A bit of news: Lobizona’s pub date has been pushed to 8/4. I’m really bummed, but these circumstances are beyond anyone’s control. I hope you will still add her to your tbr shelf/preorder/request from your libraries because I have never ever been more excited to introduce a character to you. bit.ly/lobizona
Can’t wait for you to meet #ManuLaLobizona this summer!
Also, I just finished the first draft of the sequel & AAAAHHHHHH!!! #WolvesOfNoWorld
----
3/26/2020 update:
YAY!!! The Lobizona PREORDER GIVEAWAY is LIVE!
https://bit.ly/LobizonaPreorder
When you preorder a hardcover, ebook, or audio edition, submit your receipt for a set of 5 Lobizona buttons! Unfortunately, due to legal nuances, this is only valid for US & Canada residents.
----
I don’t want to scare you off, but the mystery at the heart of Lobizona is real. . . .
Like Manu, I was also flipping through the pages of a newspaper when I stumbled across the Argentine law that inspired this story—la ley de padrinazgo presidencial 20.843.
The law declares the President of Argentina godparent to the 7th consecutive son or daughter in a family. I was curious why this was even a thing, & when I spiraled down the rabbit hole of online research, history bled into myth, until it became harder and harder to separate fact from folklore.
Naturally, I had to write a book.
So I did.
A dozen years ago.
Yet when I tried to get the novel traditionally published, I was told US readers didn’t care about Argentine immigrants.
In other words, they didn’t care about ME.
I tried letting this idea go, & for about a decade, I thought I had. Yet as the situation for immigrants worsened in this country, I realized this story will never let go of me.
So if you’ve preordered Lobizona, or added her to your tbr, or even if you’ve just read this far—thank you, for caring. <3
Xoxoxo
Romina
PS: 2.5 months!!!!!!! AHHHH!!!!
PPS: Preorder links (keep your receipts!): https://read.macmillan.com/lp/lobizona/
August 4, 2020
“If you’re undocumented, you’re unwritten. Embrace that.”
“You’re saying if no one’s told my story before… I get to tell it the way I want?”
“Exactly.”
8/4/2020: If you're a fan of Argentinian werewolves, elemental witches, and alternate dimensions... you're in LUCK bc this book just dropped today!!! 🌙
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 3.5 stars! Steeped in South American mythology, a defiant challenge of sexism and misogyny, exploring the struggles faced by undocumented immigrants... Lobizona is unlike ANY story I've ever read before.
Manuela Azul is an undocumented immigrant. All her life she's had to be invisible—she never attended school, never made friends. But when ICE arrests her mother and someone attacks her found-grandmother, Manu's forced to go on the run; what she never expected was to stumble upon a magical academy built on ancient ruins deep in the Everglades.
At El Laberinto, Manu's thrown into a wholly fantastical world. (Am I the only one who got Luminous by Dawn Metcalf vibes??) The Septimus are a society of brujas/witches and lobizón/werewolves who travel to another dimension—Lunaris—every full moon. Here, there exists gorgeous magic (think edible fizzy flowers, a sentient mother-tree filled with books, and a sport combining soccer and elemental pro-bending from Legend of Korra), but also extreme danger.
Just as Manu discovers someplace she might belong, with people she's beginning to love, she realizes that her existence in Lunaris is deemed as "illegal" as it was in Miami.
◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️
There's something so compulsively readable about Romina Garber's writing. It isn't complex (actually kinda purple at times ngl) but I still found myself propelled to read on. The world-building in this novel is unique and enthralling, and I adored the Argentine lore woven into the magical realism. (Not to mention I got SO HUNGRY reading this book—someone take me to Buenos Aires ASAP so I can get my hands on some enchanted mate and milanesas!!)
Lobizona tackles themes of alienation and belonging with nuance. It resonated a lot with me, and will with anyone who's ever found themselves straddling two worlds—be it culture, country, race, or anything else. Manu grapples with the freedom (and life-or-death risks) of living honestly: if she comes out as the world's only lobizona, she won't have to lie anymore. She'll show others that it's possible to defy convention.
But—and this hit me really hard—Manu also realizes that she shouldn't have to martyr herself to achieve the life she's always wanted.
Why settle for being a son of the system, when you can mother a movement?
HOWEVER, there were a couple things I found really off-putting. For one, I didn't care for the waxing poetic about their magical eyes (rose quartz and sapphire and Mars-red just sound SO CHEESY. At one point Manu's are literally described as "orbiting golden galaxies" and I cringed so hard).
The insta-attraction between Manu and Tiago was bleh, and I was mostly unsympathetic to their love triangle with Cata because the angst could've been so easily avoided if Manu just talked to her friends about her thoughts/feelings instead of being rude and running away. For a character who showed so much complexity when coming to terms her identity, Manu was frustratingly juvenile at times, too.
There was also the fact that this book is heavy heavy heavy on the Chosen One tropeyness. Manu's the only one of her kind, and she masters literally everything possible WITHOUT HAVING EVER DONE IT BEFORE. She's a star Septibol player and finds an elusive rare flower and is Tiago's one true love and also has eNviABLE CuRVES bc ofc. She perfectly controls her emotional magic and ultra-enhanced senses without even trying.
◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️◻️
That being said, the good about this book overshadows the bad. I loved that the women in Lobizona challenge the patriarchal and heterosexual structure of Septimus society (Saysa in particular is such an inspiring budding activist). The characters speak openly about menstruation and the laws that enforce rigid gender roles for brujas and lobizón. They struggle to figure out what's right in a world that quashes any sort of difference—to be free, or safe?
Ultimately, with adventure and lush magic, this book carves out a space for the marginal and the complex. People of two worlds, or none at all. As Saysa says—
Now go forth and shatter every convention.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this magical ARC in exchange for an honest review!
September 10, 2022
"Why settle for being a son of the system when you could mother a movement?"
The half of my heart that is all South Miami is still in pieces.
I need to own a physical copy of this book so I can hold it in my hands.
2022 Reread: oof the sheer amount of Harry Potter references are painful.
The half of my heart that is all South Miami is still in pieces.
I need to own a physical copy of this book so I can hold it in my hands.
2022 Reread: oof the sheer amount of Harry Potter references are painful.
July 30, 2021
Manuela is not your ordinary teenager. She secretly lives in a small apartment with her mother and a stranger who she considers to be her grandmother. Her grandmother suddenly falls ill so Manuela must leave for her own safety. Manuela is illegal immigrant, but she’s also much more. While fleeing, Manuela comes across more people with her same set of powers and this is where the book turns into a magical story encompassing real life and fantasy.
You can really pick up on the authors “Harry Potter“ vibes. She’s done an excellent job of bringing in the reader with a captivating story line and also educating the reader on what it’s like to Live in the United States without citizenship. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
You can really pick up on the authors “Harry Potter“ vibes. She’s done an excellent job of bringing in the reader with a captivating story line and also educating the reader on what it’s like to Live in the United States without citizenship. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
Want to read
October 25, 2019um excuse me why aren't more people screaming about this??
also this is set in my home state so huzzah!!
also this is set in my home state so huzzah!!
January 28, 2022
Este libro es raro.
Me encantó el principio, consigue generar una sensación enorme de tensión e incertidumbre hablando de la inmigración, las personas sin papeles y la deportación en Estados Unidos, así como del abuso de poder de las autoridades.
También me gustó mucho que en el inicio se intercalara bastante de la cultura argentina en el texto, su literatura, gastronomía o el propio lenguaje, pero llega un momento en que el libro tira de lleno al "fantástico juvenil" y para mi pierde el interés.
La autora es una fan declarada de Harry Potter (se menciona bastante en el texto) y para mi hay demasiadas similitudes con el tema del colegio de magia. Llegados a este punto me resultó bastante aburrido y previsible.
Aún así lo recomiendo muchísimo para un público adolescente, y creo que trata temas diferentes e interesantes de una manera que no esperaba.
Me encantó el principio, consigue generar una sensación enorme de tensión e incertidumbre hablando de la inmigración, las personas sin papeles y la deportación en Estados Unidos, así como del abuso de poder de las autoridades.
También me gustó mucho que en el inicio se intercalara bastante de la cultura argentina en el texto, su literatura, gastronomía o el propio lenguaje, pero llega un momento en que el libro tira de lleno al "fantástico juvenil" y para mi pierde el interés.
La autora es una fan declarada de Harry Potter (se menciona bastante en el texto) y para mi hay demasiadas similitudes con el tema del colegio de magia. Llegados a este punto me resultó bastante aburrido y previsible.
Aún así lo recomiendo muchísimo para un público adolescente, y creo que trata temas diferentes e interesantes de una manera que no esperaba.
March 9, 2020
I went into this expecting very little but hoping for a whole lot. That cover! That synopsis! I couldn't help but be intrigued by it all.
And while I think this was a very well written story that deeply delves into life of an undocumented immigrant and all that entails, this sorely lacked in the fantasy department as a whole.
It dragged a little for me and overall, I found myself wanting to skim pages to get to the action of the story. To find out all the mystery and intrigue and it just never quite got there for me to keep me wholly entertained. Again, it wasn't a bad story, just sadly, not at all what I was hoping it would be.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
And while I think this was a very well written story that deeply delves into life of an undocumented immigrant and all that entails, this sorely lacked in the fantasy department as a whole.
It dragged a little for me and overall, I found myself wanting to skim pages to get to the action of the story. To find out all the mystery and intrigue and it just never quite got there for me to keep me wholly entertained. Again, it wasn't a bad story, just sadly, not at all what I was hoping it would be.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
August 8, 2020
“But why settle for being a son of the system, when you can be the mother of a movement?”
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Don’t mind me I’m just over here drooling over how good this was!
I have yet to see a bad review about Lobizona and honestly after reading it I completely understand why. This was so freaking good and I devoured pretty much the entire book in one sitting. If you love stories with magic, lovable characters, beautiful writing, hard-hitting but important topics, impeccable world building, and lots of folklore this book absolutely deserves to be on your TBR and currently reading shelves immediately!
What I Liked
🌎 Dual worlds. I truly LOVED that this takes place in two worlds. The first being in Miami with Manu and her mother and the second is the world of the Septimus where all the magic happens – literally. The author does a great job of building both worlds to have both similarities and differences. Once Manu and her mother are separated and Manu is drawn to the world that has the magic I was 100% invested in everything about it and would happily still be reading about the world if this book was 1,000 pages long.
💖 Tugs on the heart. This book had me feeling emotional quite a bit. Manu and her mother are undocumented immigrants living in Miami who are doing everything they can to remain undetected and try to earn their citizenship in the U.S. (or so Manu believes). But when Manu’s mother is taken by ICE and the two of them are separated it truly broke my heart – especially knowing this happens to so many people every single day that are just trying to build a better life for their families. Their love for one another is so strong and I loved the dynamic of their relationship even if it wasn’t always perfect. Once Manu enters the “fantasy world” she quickly finds out that even though she finally feels like this is where she belongs she is also considered “illegal” there as well which tugs on the heart even more.
✨ Magic, mystery, and folklore. Women are brujas (witches) and men are lobizons (werewolves) in the fantasy world of this story. It’s been set in stone for quite some time, however, Manu quickly learns that the last person who tried to change that way of thinking was her father. As the story progresses Manu tries to pick up where her father left off all the while unraveling all the things she never knew about him Between the types of magic each witch possesses, the werewolves, the mystery of Manu’s father, and history of the folklore I truly never wanted to put this down. It might seem like there’s a lot going on but the way this story is written it all comes together so well, which brings us to the next thing I loved about this book.
🖋 Writing. From the minute I picked this up I knew I was going to like it just from the writing alone. It feels flawless, effortless, and dreamy all wrapped in one. The descriptions and world building of the fantasy world practically had me salivating at the mouth with how pretty it was and the best part was that it all never felt overly descriptive. It was just the right amount of flowy and informative. I’ll definitely be reading more from this author in the future, that’s for sure!
What I Didn’t Like
📈 Pacing. If there is one thing in this book that I feel could have been slightly better it would be the pacing. Even though I knew this was going to be an enjoyable read the beginning started off a little slow, however, once the story picked up it took off and never looked back. So, it’s not something that killed the story for me in any way but something I think is worth mentioning.
All in all, even though this book falls into the fantasy genre I would say it more so feels like a contemporary with magical realism. I adored the writing, the characters, and the overall themes that this book discusses. Y’all better believe I will eagerly be awaiting the sequel to this novel and anything else the author writes in the future!
Thank you Wednesday Books for inviting me to be a part of the blog tour and providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review!
Blog | Twitter
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Don’t mind me I’m just over here drooling over how good this was!
I have yet to see a bad review about Lobizona and honestly after reading it I completely understand why. This was so freaking good and I devoured pretty much the entire book in one sitting. If you love stories with magic, lovable characters, beautiful writing, hard-hitting but important topics, impeccable world building, and lots of folklore this book absolutely deserves to be on your TBR and currently reading shelves immediately!
What I Liked
🌎 Dual worlds. I truly LOVED that this takes place in two worlds. The first being in Miami with Manu and her mother and the second is the world of the Septimus where all the magic happens – literally. The author does a great job of building both worlds to have both similarities and differences. Once Manu and her mother are separated and Manu is drawn to the world that has the magic I was 100% invested in everything about it and would happily still be reading about the world if this book was 1,000 pages long.
💖 Tugs on the heart. This book had me feeling emotional quite a bit. Manu and her mother are undocumented immigrants living in Miami who are doing everything they can to remain undetected and try to earn their citizenship in the U.S. (or so Manu believes). But when Manu’s mother is taken by ICE and the two of them are separated it truly broke my heart – especially knowing this happens to so many people every single day that are just trying to build a better life for their families. Their love for one another is so strong and I loved the dynamic of their relationship even if it wasn’t always perfect. Once Manu enters the “fantasy world” she quickly finds out that even though she finally feels like this is where she belongs she is also considered “illegal” there as well which tugs on the heart even more.
✨ Magic, mystery, and folklore. Women are brujas (witches) and men are lobizons (werewolves) in the fantasy world of this story. It’s been set in stone for quite some time, however, Manu quickly learns that the last person who tried to change that way of thinking was her father. As the story progresses Manu tries to pick up where her father left off all the while unraveling all the things she never knew about him Between the types of magic each witch possesses, the werewolves, the mystery of Manu’s father, and history of the folklore I truly never wanted to put this down. It might seem like there’s a lot going on but the way this story is written it all comes together so well, which brings us to the next thing I loved about this book.
🖋 Writing. From the minute I picked this up I knew I was going to like it just from the writing alone. It feels flawless, effortless, and dreamy all wrapped in one. The descriptions and world building of the fantasy world practically had me salivating at the mouth with how pretty it was and the best part was that it all never felt overly descriptive. It was just the right amount of flowy and informative. I’ll definitely be reading more from this author in the future, that’s for sure!
What I Didn’t Like
📈 Pacing. If there is one thing in this book that I feel could have been slightly better it would be the pacing. Even though I knew this was going to be an enjoyable read the beginning started off a little slow, however, once the story picked up it took off and never looked back. So, it’s not something that killed the story for me in any way but something I think is worth mentioning.
All in all, even though this book falls into the fantasy genre I would say it more so feels like a contemporary with magical realism. I adored the writing, the characters, and the overall themes that this book discusses. Y’all better believe I will eagerly be awaiting the sequel to this novel and anything else the author writes in the future!
Thank you Wednesday Books for inviting me to be a part of the blog tour and providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review!
Blog | Twitter
Read
May 24, 2020o
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| Goodreads | Blog | Pinterest | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram
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| Goodreads | Blog | Pinterest | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram
February 22, 2020
4.5 stars
Lobizona is so damn satisfying. I read the last half of the book in a frenzy, taking turns between white-knuckling the book in my hand to having to set it down to squeal about it. It is both dramatic and poignant, seamlessly blending heavy topics with some serious entertainment. There is so much care, creativity, and uniqueness in here that I don't know that I'm able to unpack all of Garber's excellent excellent choices. The lush world of the Septimus is everything I could've hoped for as a young teen. I will forever be jealous this wasn't available when I was growing up. I know it would've been in my constant rotation of favorites to reread again and again.
Even still, my feelings were such a flurry when I finished. I am beyond ready for book two and to see what else is in store for Manu and co. Until then, I'm going to be scouring the internet for fan art to cope with my withdrawals.
Lobizona is so damn satisfying. I read the last half of the book in a frenzy, taking turns between white-knuckling the book in my hand to having to set it down to squeal about it. It is both dramatic and poignant, seamlessly blending heavy topics with some serious entertainment. There is so much care, creativity, and uniqueness in here that I don't know that I'm able to unpack all of Garber's excellent excellent choices. The lush world of the Septimus is everything I could've hoped for as a young teen. I will forever be jealous this wasn't available when I was growing up. I know it would've been in my constant rotation of favorites to reread again and again.
Even still, my feelings were such a flurry when I finished. I am beyond ready for book two and to see what else is in store for Manu and co. Until then, I'm going to be scouring the internet for fan art to cope with my withdrawals.
January 7, 2021
Trigger Warnings: menstruation, ICE arrest, discussions about immigration and fear of deportation, homophobia (called out by the characters)
Lobizona is about Manuela Azul, an undocumented Argentinian immigrant living in Miami, whose discovery of a magical world turns her life upside down. When I saw this book, ownvoices Argentine rep, I was cautiously curious. I mean, internally, I was screaming with excitement, but I didn’t want to place my expectations too high. Oh, but friends, this book climbed out of my expectations chart and broke it into pieces. This book!!
Romina Garber has created a beautiful and magical world that feels like going home. I have read this book twice now, and both times, I have kept it close with tears in my eyes. This is a story about an undocumented teen girl, about identity, about Argentine myths.
I have such a difficult time talking about this book without adding ten thousand exclamation points. This story left me eternally screaming; it’s beautifully written, the world-building is fascinating, Manu is one of my favorite characters, and the themes of immigration and identity were well done.
I will keep this story close to my heart for a long time, and I’m so excited for everyone to read it soon (come out August 4th). Yes, Lobizona is so worth the hype.
Read my full review on my blog, Cande Reads, to find out why.
ARC was sent by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Lobizona is about Manuela Azul, an undocumented Argentinian immigrant living in Miami, whose discovery of a magical world turns her life upside down. When I saw this book, ownvoices Argentine rep, I was cautiously curious. I mean, internally, I was screaming with excitement, but I didn’t want to place my expectations too high. Oh, but friends, this book climbed out of my expectations chart and broke it into pieces. This book!!
Romina Garber has created a beautiful and magical world that feels like going home. I have read this book twice now, and both times, I have kept it close with tears in my eyes. This is a story about an undocumented teen girl, about identity, about Argentine myths.
I have such a difficult time talking about this book without adding ten thousand exclamation points. This story left me eternally screaming; it’s beautifully written, the world-building is fascinating, Manu is one of my favorite characters, and the themes of immigration and identity were well done.
I will keep this story close to my heart for a long time, and I’m so excited for everyone to read it soon (come out August 4th). Yes, Lobizona is so worth the hype.
Read my full review on my blog, Cande Reads, to find out why.
ARC was sent by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
August 20, 2020
So good. Suspenseful but fast-paced. Wonderful characters My only complaint is that the next book in the series isn't already in my lap.
May 8, 2020
If Lobizona is not yet on your radar, it absolutely should be! One of the best YA fantasy novels I've read this year, it combines magical realism, portal fantasy, Latinx werewolf mythology, and a decidedly progressive vision of the world into a smart, engrossing tale that you won't want to put down. Vivid imagery, a cool magic system, fantastic world-building, important themes, interesting characters, and unexpected twists all contribute to making this something truly special.
I can't tell you too much about the plot without spoiling things, but the story follows Manuela (Manu) Azul, a sixteen-year old girl from Argentina living illegally in Miami with her mother. Manu's existence is a constricted one, not only because of her immigration status, but also because of her unusual eyes that she must hide behind mirrored glasses. She also has extremely difficult periods each month and her mother gives her pills that keep her unconscious for the first three days of her cycle, during which she dreams vividly of a dangerous and magical world. Things begin strange and quickly get even stranger as Manu tries to uncover the secrets of her identity and her estranged father's past, and gets sucked into a dangerous yet magical world she never knew existed.
Without getting into details, we also end up getting a great friend group, forbidden love, and queer representation (not the MC). But things don't go the way you might expect in this kind of story and the author has thoughtfully woven in big issues that are well worth your time and consideration. Obviously this addresses immigration, legal status, and the problems with ICE, but it also addresses misogyny, the problems with a binary system of gender and gendered expectations, privilege, and even, (in a truly brilliant scene) the problems with awarding a privileged status to only "special" or talented outsiders when every life has value. It's such a smart and important book, but also a fun and thrilling one. Not to mention, if a certain book announcement has you excited for vampires and werewolves, Lobizona just might scratch part of that itch. (to be clear, this does not have vampires, but it DOES have werewolves and witches!)
Clearly I was a fan of this and I'm very excited to see people talking about it once it's widely available. There is a lot that could be said, but spoilers! So I'll just say, please read this one. I received an advance copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I can't tell you too much about the plot without spoiling things, but the story follows Manuela (Manu) Azul, a sixteen-year old girl from Argentina living illegally in Miami with her mother. Manu's existence is a constricted one, not only because of her immigration status, but also because of her unusual eyes that she must hide behind mirrored glasses. She also has extremely difficult periods each month and her mother gives her pills that keep her unconscious for the first three days of her cycle, during which she dreams vividly of a dangerous and magical world. Things begin strange and quickly get even stranger as Manu tries to uncover the secrets of her identity and her estranged father's past, and gets sucked into a dangerous yet magical world she never knew existed.
Without getting into details, we also end up getting a great friend group, forbidden love, and queer representation (not the MC). But things don't go the way you might expect in this kind of story and the author has thoughtfully woven in big issues that are well worth your time and consideration. Obviously this addresses immigration, legal status, and the problems with ICE, but it also addresses misogyny, the problems with a binary system of gender and gendered expectations, privilege, and even, (in a truly brilliant scene) the problems with awarding a privileged status to only "special" or talented outsiders when every life has value. It's such a smart and important book, but also a fun and thrilling one. Not to mention, if a certain book announcement has you excited for vampires and werewolves, Lobizona just might scratch part of that itch. (to be clear, this does not have vampires, but it DOES have werewolves and witches!)
Clearly I was a fan of this and I'm very excited to see people talking about it once it's widely available. There is a lot that could be said, but spoilers! So I'll just say, please read this one. I received an advance copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
July 31, 2021
Completamente sorprendida con este libro y está historia. Me encantó.
LOBIZONA es una novela escrita por Romina Garber, autora Argentina que recide en Estados Unidos. Y es importante conocer esto porque la protagonista es una adolecente Argentina que vive ilegalmente en Estados Unidos desde su infancia.
Su madre siempre le enseñó a ocultarse, esconderse, ser invisible. No solo porque no quieren que las deporten sino también porque Manu tiene una rareza que la hace distinta. Sus ojos son de un color muy llamativo, brillantes y llenos de estrellas.
Hay una ley argentina (muy rara) que obliga al presidente de la Nación a ser el padrino del séptimo hijo consecutivo o la séptima hija consecutiva de una familia. Eso de debe a la leyenda de que ese niño nacerá Lobizón y esa niña Bruja.
No quiero contar mucho más sobre la trama, pero digamos que Manu buscará su lugar en el mundo, su identidad. Tendremos escenas muy divertidas que incluirán lobizones y brujas. Una escuela de magia (dónde juegan al fútbol, tienen clases de hechizos y toman mate).
Este libro tiene fantasía, romance, muchas costumbres argentinas, acción, amistad, un misterio a resolver, brujas, lobos y una protagonista que busca un lugar a cual pertenecer.
Muy recomendado!
Yo leyendo LOBIZONA: 😅😳🥺😊🙈
LOBIZONA es una novela escrita por Romina Garber, autora Argentina que recide en Estados Unidos. Y es importante conocer esto porque la protagonista es una adolecente Argentina que vive ilegalmente en Estados Unidos desde su infancia.
Su madre siempre le enseñó a ocultarse, esconderse, ser invisible. No solo porque no quieren que las deporten sino también porque Manu tiene una rareza que la hace distinta. Sus ojos son de un color muy llamativo, brillantes y llenos de estrellas.
Hay una ley argentina (muy rara) que obliga al presidente de la Nación a ser el padrino del séptimo hijo consecutivo o la séptima hija consecutiva de una familia. Eso de debe a la leyenda de que ese niño nacerá Lobizón y esa niña Bruja.
No quiero contar mucho más sobre la trama, pero digamos que Manu buscará su lugar en el mundo, su identidad. Tendremos escenas muy divertidas que incluirán lobizones y brujas. Una escuela de magia (dónde juegan al fútbol, tienen clases de hechizos y toman mate).
Este libro tiene fantasía, romance, muchas costumbres argentinas, acción, amistad, un misterio a resolver, brujas, lobos y una protagonista que busca un lugar a cual pertenecer.
Muy recomendado!
Yo leyendo LOBIZONA: 😅😳🥺😊🙈
August 1, 2020
4.5 Stars
CWs: ICE raids, anti-immigration sentiments, descriptions of intense menstruation pain, incurred homophobia (side characters), incurred sexism and gender essentialism, descriptions of blood and violence
Lobizona is an exciting, beautiful, original Latinx paranormal fantasy about Manu, an Argentine immigrant living undocumented in the United States while trying to figure out the meaning behind her strange star-shaped pupils.
What I love about this story is how it challenges society's binary perspectives and binary-based magic systems. The Argentinian mythology explored in this story states that the seventh consecutive son in a family with be a lobizon and the seventh consecutive daughter will be a bruja. Lobizones hunt and protect while brujas strengthen and nurture, and that's the way it's always been. Until we get to Manu, who is this world's first Lobizona—a female werewolf. Every aspect of her life, from being an undocumented immigrant to being considered a magical "aberration," presents a direct challenge to the system and disrupts these commonly held beliefs of what it means to be "normal" and worthy of existence. In the beginning, this is a source of paralyzing fear for Manu, but as the story progresses, she learns that being different is powerful and something to embrace.
I also really love the parallels between this hidden magical world of Lunaris and Manu's experience living undocumented in Miami. Throughout the story, there's so many examinations of borders—where one thing ends and another begins—whether it's the border between Manu's fear and her agency, the literal borders between the U.S. and Argentina, the border between humanity and magic, the border between El Labertino and Lunaris. These are crossings that Manu has to make one way or another, and they all represent two parts of herself that are equally real and valid. She has a foot on either side of these "borders," and she struggles feeling like she's both too much and not enough for any given world or circumstance. It was also really interesting to see how the lobizones and brujas are almost like immigrants themselves, making passage to Lunaris only during the full moon before being exiled back to their hiding places in the human world.
So in many ways, Manu is twice hunted, twice targeted, twice feared, because of the challenge she presents within both of these worlds. She has to fight tooth and nail for her right to exist and to exist openly, especially because she comes to represent everyone who's ever wrongfully been limited or boxed into labels that don't fit simply because it's more convenient for everyone else. I feel the story is about how if we let ideas, traditions, and laws matter more than actual people, we are creating a world that confines us—we are drawing a border between what is and what could be. Language and societal norms don't exist in a vacuum. They are not stagnant; they're things we engage with, create, and shape for ourselves.
I also just really love Manu as a character, because she describes herself as being an Argentinian with a little bit of Elizabeth Bennet in her, which I really appreciate. She's aware of the rules that dictate her world and her safety within it, she's afraid because she's internalized so much self-hatred, but she is not quiet, she is not fragile, she is not submissive. She is determined, opinionated, and incredibly smart. To see her go on this emotional journey and get to be her true self for the first time in her life is extremely satisfying to witness on the page.
Overall, I really enjoyed getting lost in this world and its beautiful magic, in all the ways it's like our world and the ways its not. I think it very thoughtfully explores the realities of being undocumented in contemporary America while also presenting a lush and magical parallel world that has its own problems. I was deeply invested in the story, and I'm so excited to see what comes next for these characters. If you're looking for a unique Latinx fantasy with a ton of heart and a lot to say, this is definitely the story for you!
CWs: ICE raids, anti-immigration sentiments, descriptions of intense menstruation pain, incurred homophobia (side characters), incurred sexism and gender essentialism, descriptions of blood and violence
Lobizona is an exciting, beautiful, original Latinx paranormal fantasy about Manu, an Argentine immigrant living undocumented in the United States while trying to figure out the meaning behind her strange star-shaped pupils.
What I love about this story is how it challenges society's binary perspectives and binary-based magic systems. The Argentinian mythology explored in this story states that the seventh consecutive son in a family with be a lobizon and the seventh consecutive daughter will be a bruja. Lobizones hunt and protect while brujas strengthen and nurture, and that's the way it's always been. Until we get to Manu, who is this world's first Lobizona—a female werewolf. Every aspect of her life, from being an undocumented immigrant to being considered a magical "aberration," presents a direct challenge to the system and disrupts these commonly held beliefs of what it means to be "normal" and worthy of existence. In the beginning, this is a source of paralyzing fear for Manu, but as the story progresses, she learns that being different is powerful and something to embrace.
I also really love the parallels between this hidden magical world of Lunaris and Manu's experience living undocumented in Miami. Throughout the story, there's so many examinations of borders—where one thing ends and another begins—whether it's the border between Manu's fear and her agency, the literal borders between the U.S. and Argentina, the border between humanity and magic, the border between El Labertino and Lunaris. These are crossings that Manu has to make one way or another, and they all represent two parts of herself that are equally real and valid. She has a foot on either side of these "borders," and she struggles feeling like she's both too much and not enough for any given world or circumstance. It was also really interesting to see how the lobizones and brujas are almost like immigrants themselves, making passage to Lunaris only during the full moon before being exiled back to their hiding places in the human world.
So in many ways, Manu is twice hunted, twice targeted, twice feared, because of the challenge she presents within both of these worlds. She has to fight tooth and nail for her right to exist and to exist openly, especially because she comes to represent everyone who's ever wrongfully been limited or boxed into labels that don't fit simply because it's more convenient for everyone else. I feel the story is about how if we let ideas, traditions, and laws matter more than actual people, we are creating a world that confines us—we are drawing a border between what is and what could be. Language and societal norms don't exist in a vacuum. They are not stagnant; they're things we engage with, create, and shape for ourselves.
I also just really love Manu as a character, because she describes herself as being an Argentinian with a little bit of Elizabeth Bennet in her, which I really appreciate. She's aware of the rules that dictate her world and her safety within it, she's afraid because she's internalized so much self-hatred, but she is not quiet, she is not fragile, she is not submissive. She is determined, opinionated, and incredibly smart. To see her go on this emotional journey and get to be her true self for the first time in her life is extremely satisfying to witness on the page.
Overall, I really enjoyed getting lost in this world and its beautiful magic, in all the ways it's like our world and the ways its not. I think it very thoughtfully explores the realities of being undocumented in contemporary America while also presenting a lush and magical parallel world that has its own problems. I was deeply invested in the story, and I'm so excited to see what comes next for these characters. If you're looking for a unique Latinx fantasy with a ton of heart and a lot to say, this is definitely the story for you!
July 23, 2021
Me resultó un libro mágico y ameno, más no es mi tipo de lectura. Hay un parecido con Crepúsculo y Harry Potter que me repele en las novelas juveniles por lo general. En "Lobizona" sucede lo mismo, pero desde una temática súper seria: los inmigrantes. El comienzo es extraordinario, la autora tiene una prosa preciosa y se maneja muy bien en cuanto a lo realista. También supo hacer una transición interesante hacia la fantasía.
Para ser más clara: el libro está muy bien, pero no es mi estilo de libro. Probablemente si no corriera tanto el eje de los inmigrantes a todo el triangulo amoroso típico del género, me hubiera gustado muchísimo más. Para destacar: me encantó todo el folklor argentino, sin duda ver un poco de nuestra cultura y nuestras tradiciones le sumó muchísimo, fue una experiencia más íntima y agradable. Es una historia muy bien estructurada, y que en términos generales, trata temas importantes (como la inclusión). Aplaudo a Romina, porque si bien no amé este libro, me parece que es una novela bien hecha.
Para ser más clara: el libro está muy bien, pero no es mi estilo de libro. Probablemente si no corriera tanto el eje de los inmigrantes a todo el triangulo amoroso típico del género, me hubiera gustado muchísimo más. Para destacar: me encantó todo el folklor argentino, sin duda ver un poco de nuestra cultura y nuestras tradiciones le sumó muchísimo, fue una experiencia más íntima y agradable. Es una historia muy bien estructurada, y que en términos generales, trata temas importantes (como la inclusión). Aplaudo a Romina, porque si bien no amé este libro, me parece que es una novela bien hecha.
August 21, 2020
Lobizona is magical and engaging and so much fun. A dash of romance, a hefty dose of witches and werewolves, and a deep-set mystery and hidden secrets leads to a novel that speeds by and leaves you wondering, "How soon can I get book 2?"
Manu is such a relatable character--both in the sense that she wants to be able to see more of the world but is forced to be sheltered, and that she's determined and curious and resilient. She ends up going on this journey to a place akin to magic school (yes, I do love this trope) which is a little weird and steeped in gender conventions and unfamiliar customs, which we'll see Garber slowly tear down.
Even though Manu's family are so important to her, a lot of this book takes place away from family who were taken away from ICE and that she left in her search for answers about her family's past. So even though we don't see much of her dynamics with them, they're always on Manu & the reader's mind.
But we get to also see a lot of other personal connections be forged with the other students of the school as Manu ends up learning about this whole other world that's part of her history that she had never known. (No spoilers!) This may also sound familiar to members of the diaspora. It's exciting and a little bit dark and sinister as Manu has to figure out who to trust and how to fake-it-till-she-makes-it.
The culmination of Lobizona is intense and exciting and I guarantee, 100% worth it. I'm excited to see how Garber continues to deconstruct the male/female lobizon/bruja "traditions" of this world and break it apart even more than she did in Lobizona. Would highly recommend.
Manu is such a relatable character--both in the sense that she wants to be able to see more of the world but is forced to be sheltered, and that she's determined and curious and resilient. She ends up going on this journey to a place akin to magic school (yes, I do love this trope) which is a little weird and steeped in gender conventions and unfamiliar customs, which we'll see Garber slowly tear down.
Even though Manu's family are so important to her, a lot of this book takes place away from family who were taken away from ICE and that she left in her search for answers about her family's past. So even though we don't see much of her dynamics with them, they're always on Manu & the reader's mind.
But we get to also see a lot of other personal connections be forged with the other students of the school as Manu ends up learning about this whole other world that's part of her history that she had never known. (No spoilers!) This may also sound familiar to members of the diaspora. It's exciting and a little bit dark and sinister as Manu has to figure out who to trust and how to fake-it-till-she-makes-it.
The culmination of Lobizona is intense and exciting and I guarantee, 100% worth it. I'm excited to see how Garber continues to deconstruct the male/female lobizon/bruja "traditions" of this world and break it apart even more than she did in Lobizona. Would highly recommend.
November 28, 2020
September 02, 2020: Argentinian culture and folklore infused with contemporary and timely themes of immigration, family, and revolution—witches and werewolves in a magical school, finding the strength in oneself, and a constant challenge against sexist hierarchies or stereotypes, in the midst of a turbulent wave raging through a world that clearly mirrors today's society.
April 15, 2020: Super excited to be on a blog tour for this! It has definitely got my attention with the witches and wolves it promises in a Latinx world. Thank you Wednesday Books for the digital review copy via Netgalley!
April 15, 2020: Super excited to be on a blog tour for this! It has definitely got my attention with the witches and wolves it promises in a Latinx world. Thank you Wednesday Books for the digital review copy via Netgalley!
September 9, 2020
TW: Homophobia, bigotry, fear of deportation, ICE, and lots of talk about menstruation. 2.5 stars for me and that's because the cover is beautiful.
Lobizona follows Manu, a 17 year old girl who is undocumented, living in Miami, FL. She lives a small life always looking over her shoulder just in case ICE finds her and her mom. Manu has a problem, every month since she turned 13, her mom has to knock her out because her period is very bad. This is normal to Manu but she begins to questions the little pills that her mom gives her. One day, the lady they live with is attacked. Manu escapes to where her mom works but through a series of events, ICE captures her mom and Manu is left all alone. She runs away by climbing into a car and discovers a school for witches and werewolves except that Manu isn't either. It is there that Manu starts to discover that her dreams have all been leading her to this place and that she is one of a kind.
This book wasn't for me. I had a hard time taking anything seriously or maybe I took everything too seriously? idk anymore. Manu lives in Miami and as a native, I wanted a better representation. The colloquialism that Garber includes are very outdated and I find it weird that Manu isn't aware of any of them considering that she has lived in Miami almost her entire life. The Spanish that is included in the book didn't bother me except that it is Argentinian Spanish and my non-Argentinian Spanish heart wasn't having it. Also, undocumented kids can go to school, so having Manu "homeschooled" was a weird choice. Garber includes an ICE arrest in the beginning and while I appreciate that she took the time to write about something is horrifying and a threat to many people, she did this for what? Latinx individuals just can't have a normal life without immigration involved? I understand the parallels between the school and Manu's Miami life (not fitting in anywhere) but can a girl catch a break?
When Manu finds the school (after jumping into the truck of some guy she thinks might know something) she thinks she might have found the place she fits in. She doesn't. The school is divided into witches or werewolves. Witches are always girls and werewolves are always boys. The witches plant/cultivate the land while the werewolves are the protection. The witches and werewolves can only marry each other and anything is frowned upon. Manu is tentatively accepted into the school where she finally has friends but she knows she isn't a witch. Through a series of events, Manu realizes that she a werewolf. The first of her kind and of course, people have issues with this. I really enjoyed Manu as a werewolf and wished we had seen more of that and this is coming from someone who doesn't like shifters. I especially hate it here since Manu describes it as a twist in her uterus. I am always down for body positivity and normalizing a woman's body but why? Do the guys describe it as twist in their testicles? The school has a soccer like sport and if I hear Messi one more time, I will scream. The sport was cool though. The book does have romance and It wasn't for me, mostly because I hate the nickname he gives Manu and please stop referring to the guy as the "alpha".
I have read magical realism since I was a kid and I was really looking forward to this book because of the gorgeous cover and the magical realism. While I can see why it is considered magical realism, I have a bone to pick. Manu makes reference to Borges and Marquez a lot and I mean a lot. Isabel Allende has entered the chat and would like a word. Also, for the love of everything good, please, please, please stop with the Harry Potter references. We have progressed as a society and no longer need HP in every single modern book. I had an uncorrected manuscript so maybe the issues I had are no more and I hope that the book finds its fandom lol.
Shout out to the person in the book fair who shoved an uncorrected bound manuscript in my hands a few months back.
Lobizona follows Manu, a 17 year old girl who is undocumented, living in Miami, FL. She lives a small life always looking over her shoulder just in case ICE finds her and her mom. Manu has a problem, every month since she turned 13, her mom has to knock her out because her period is very bad. This is normal to Manu but she begins to questions the little pills that her mom gives her. One day, the lady they live with is attacked. Manu escapes to where her mom works but through a series of events, ICE captures her mom and Manu is left all alone. She runs away by climbing into a car and discovers a school for witches and werewolves except that Manu isn't either. It is there that Manu starts to discover that her dreams have all been leading her to this place and that she is one of a kind.
This book wasn't for me. I had a hard time taking anything seriously or maybe I took everything too seriously? idk anymore. Manu lives in Miami and as a native, I wanted a better representation. The colloquialism that Garber includes are very outdated and I find it weird that Manu isn't aware of any of them considering that she has lived in Miami almost her entire life. The Spanish that is included in the book didn't bother me except that it is Argentinian Spanish and my non-Argentinian Spanish heart wasn't having it. Also, undocumented kids can go to school, so having Manu "homeschooled" was a weird choice. Garber includes an ICE arrest in the beginning and while I appreciate that she took the time to write about something is horrifying and a threat to many people, she did this for what? Latinx individuals just can't have a normal life without immigration involved? I understand the parallels between the school and Manu's Miami life (not fitting in anywhere) but can a girl catch a break?
When Manu finds the school (after jumping into the truck of some guy she thinks might know something) she thinks she might have found the place she fits in. She doesn't. The school is divided into witches or werewolves. Witches are always girls and werewolves are always boys. The witches plant/cultivate the land while the werewolves are the protection. The witches and werewolves can only marry each other and anything is frowned upon. Manu is tentatively accepted into the school where she finally has friends but she knows she isn't a witch. Through a series of events, Manu realizes that she a werewolf. The first of her kind and of course, people have issues with this. I really enjoyed Manu as a werewolf and wished we had seen more of that and this is coming from someone who doesn't like shifters. I especially hate it here since Manu describes it as a twist in her uterus. I am always down for body positivity and normalizing a woman's body but why? Do the guys describe it as twist in their testicles? The school has a soccer like sport and if I hear Messi one more time, I will scream. The sport was cool though. The book does have romance and It wasn't for me, mostly because I hate the nickname he gives Manu and please stop referring to the guy as the "alpha".
I have read magical realism since I was a kid and I was really looking forward to this book because of the gorgeous cover and the magical realism. While I can see why it is considered magical realism, I have a bone to pick. Manu makes reference to Borges and Marquez a lot and I mean a lot. Isabel Allende has entered the chat and would like a word. Also, for the love of everything good, please, please, please stop with the Harry Potter references. We have progressed as a society and no longer need HP in every single modern book. I had an uncorrected manuscript so maybe the issues I had are no more and I hope that the book finds its fandom lol.
Shout out to the person in the book fair who shoved an uncorrected bound manuscript in my hands a few months back.
August 6, 2020
4.5 S T A R S
Wow, Lobizona is such an important book. I've never before read the perspective of an undocumented immigrant and their voices need to be heard. They're stories need to be told. Through Manu's eyes we, as readers, are faced with the fears and uncertainties that immigrants live through every day. We are faced with the reality of what it feels like to be told that one is "illegal", unwanted and unprotected.
Manu's story is beautiful and heartbreaking. It's a story about resilience, family, self-acceptance, rebelling against societal norms, and fighting for one's right to exist. Through the eyes of Manu, and surrounded by a world of magic and Argentinian folklore, Lobizona explores some pretty difficult and complex subjects: equity, equality, sexism, sexuality, immigration, and gender identity just to name a few. But the most important thing that Lobizona explores is the boxes that not only society has built around people but that we, as humans, put around each other, and how suffocating they can be. No one is meant to live in a box. How can one grow if they are forever surrounded by four unmoving walls?
Lobizona is a story about uncertainties and hope. It's a story about rebelling against a prejudice system and creating a spot of one's own. It's a story about finding friendships, and love, and magic. It's a story of finding oneself.
And all these things, all these moments of self-acceptance, of epiphanies and rebellions, of finding where one belongs, take place in the most vivid and exciting world. I loved the world of Lobizona so much, and it's now up there with some of my all-time favorites. El Laberinto was a beautiful setting. The way in which the school was written, with the brujas and lobizónes and the different classes, the way in which stories and folklore were woven throughout--it was all so whimsical and so much fun to explore. I seriously could not get enough. I felt the sparks of the love and magic that I felt when I first read Harry Potter. Garber's writing, and use of prose, was beautiful and helped to further enhance that feeling of otherworldliness and magic.
I absolutely a d o r e d Manu. She was such an endearing character and I instantly fell in love with her. I loved being inside her head and discovering this world within a world with her. I loved experiencing her making friends and coming into her own. Manu was alive and so were the other characters. Every single one shone when it was their moment and I loved, loved the cast of secondary characters. Especially a certain lobizón, swoooon.
This would have, hands down, been a five star for me if it weren't for the ending. You know when you're reading a book, and you're loving it and you're like "yes, yes, yes please don't fall apart at the end, we're so close", and yet it does? That's what happened here, not a lot, definitely a little but the end was still... Certain revelations felt really rushed and a little cheesy to me, specifically a certain scene by a lake. I wish the ending had been stronger, but other than that there is so so much to love about this book!
I'm seriously so f r e a k i n g excited for the next book. Like, I need it nowwww. I cannot wait to see what adventures await Manu and her found family, and I'm so excited to delve more into Argentinian folklore and Garber's heritage.
P.S. Be sure to read the author's note at the end!!
Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review
“When someone deviates from an accepted norm, they signal a gap in the system. A hole that hasn’t been plugged. The danger with exposing a foundation’s failings is it opens the door to the possibility that it’s a faulty structure altogether and should be torn down and built anew.”
Wow, Lobizona is such an important book. I've never before read the perspective of an undocumented immigrant and their voices need to be heard. They're stories need to be told. Through Manu's eyes we, as readers, are faced with the fears and uncertainties that immigrants live through every day. We are faced with the reality of what it feels like to be told that one is "illegal", unwanted and unprotected.
Manu's story is beautiful and heartbreaking. It's a story about resilience, family, self-acceptance, rebelling against societal norms, and fighting for one's right to exist. Through the eyes of Manu, and surrounded by a world of magic and Argentinian folklore, Lobizona explores some pretty difficult and complex subjects: equity, equality, sexism, sexuality, immigration, and gender identity just to name a few. But the most important thing that Lobizona explores is the boxes that not only society has built around people but that we, as humans, put around each other, and how suffocating they can be. No one is meant to live in a box. How can one grow if they are forever surrounded by four unmoving walls?
Lobizona is a story about uncertainties and hope. It's a story about rebelling against a prejudice system and creating a spot of one's own. It's a story about finding friendships, and love, and magic. It's a story of finding oneself.
And all these things, all these moments of self-acceptance, of epiphanies and rebellions, of finding where one belongs, take place in the most vivid and exciting world. I loved the world of Lobizona so much, and it's now up there with some of my all-time favorites. El Laberinto was a beautiful setting. The way in which the school was written, with the brujas and lobizónes and the different classes, the way in which stories and folklore were woven throughout--it was all so whimsical and so much fun to explore. I seriously could not get enough. I felt the sparks of the love and magic that I felt when I first read Harry Potter. Garber's writing, and use of prose, was beautiful and helped to further enhance that feeling of otherworldliness and magic.
I absolutely a d o r e d Manu. She was such an endearing character and I instantly fell in love with her. I loved being inside her head and discovering this world within a world with her. I loved experiencing her making friends and coming into her own. Manu was alive and so were the other characters. Every single one shone when it was their moment and I loved, loved the cast of secondary characters. Especially a certain lobizón, swoooon.
This would have, hands down, been a five star for me if it weren't for the ending. You know when you're reading a book, and you're loving it and you're like "yes, yes, yes please don't fall apart at the end, we're so close", and yet it does? That's what happened here, not a lot, definitely a little but the end was still... Certain revelations felt really rushed and a little cheesy to me, specifically a certain scene by a lake. I wish the ending had been stronger, but other than that there is so so much to love about this book!
I'm seriously so f r e a k i n g excited for the next book. Like, I need it nowwww. I cannot wait to see what adventures await Manu and her found family, and I'm so excited to delve more into Argentinian folklore and Garber's heritage.
P.S. Be sure to read the author's note at the end!!
Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review
August 25, 2020
Lobizona by Romani Garber has me feeling all kinds of things. I honestly don't know how I feel. Part of me really liked it, especially after I hit the 48% mark but then the ending happened and I'm confused. Please don't come here to explain to me, I got it, I just don't know. I'm so conflicted. I think the best way to review this book is with a list of what I like and what I did not like.
Things I dislike:
Even though the ending took a big chunk of pages it all felt rushed. Also, what the hell happened? So much happened and so fast that I feel we didn't get enough time to process it.
The synopsis and title spoils it. Also, people reviewing it PLEASE stop spoiling it.
A big part of this is predictable probably because of the tropes used.
The reasoning behind Cata and the guy whose name I already forgot's relationship.
The romance.
I feel like the author tried to add too many social commentaries and didn't give it enough time to develop.
I feel like the characters were one dimensional.
The plot twist seemed to happen out of nowhere. I see you, Fierro.
Things I like:
The immigrant representation
The school
How immersive the story was.
The Latinx representation
Manu's eyes and I mean it in a literal sense.
The cover
Taking my likes and dislikes into consideration I think I would give it 3.5 stars.
Rating: 3.5
Things I dislike:
Even though the ending took a big chunk of pages it all felt rushed. Also, what the hell happened? So much happened and so fast that I feel we didn't get enough time to process it.
The synopsis and title spoils it. Also, people reviewing it PLEASE stop spoiling it.
A big part of this is predictable probably because of the tropes used.
The reasoning behind Cata and the guy whose name I already forgot's relationship.
The romance.
I feel like the author tried to add too many social commentaries and didn't give it enough time to develop.
I feel like the characters were one dimensional.
The plot twist seemed to happen out of nowhere. I see you, Fierro.
Things I like:
The immigrant representation
The school
How immersive the story was.
The Latinx representation
Manu's eyes and I mean it in a literal sense.
The cover
Taking my likes and dislikes into consideration I think I would give it 3.5 stars.
Rating: 3.5
July 30, 2020
This is an eye-opening story about undocumented immigrants and everything they go through : the fear to be deported, how they only want a better life... Poor Manu is confined in a small apartment and can't really go outside, because she's "different".
The book combines magical realism, folklore, werewolves, witches with some teen normalcy that makes everything more plausible. This is one powerful book that I will buy a physical copy of without a doubt. Can't wait to read the second book!!
Many thanks to Wednesday Books for the complimentary e-copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The book combines magical realism, folklore, werewolves, witches with some teen normalcy that makes everything more plausible. This is one powerful book that I will buy a physical copy of without a doubt. Can't wait to read the second book!!
Many thanks to Wednesday Books for the complimentary e-copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
January 13, 2021
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this young adult fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
This book interested me with its use of Argentinian folklore and also its commentary on the U.S. immigration system. Though this book came out last August, only now was I able to find the mood and mental state to read this title. Though I understand the love for this book, it ended up being just an okay read for me. I don't really feel like breaking down the plot as the blurb is pretty clear. But here be some thoughts on the novel.
The Pros:
- Argentinian folklore: The highlight because I love getting more insight into the myths and folklore of South America which gets ignored in the U.S.
- The Reality: I enjoy that the book dealt with the important topic of immigration. I also enjoy when bodily functions of teens (periods) are acknowledged and not treated as shameful.
- The Main Character: I did cheer for Manu to succeed and I enjoyed her overall. I particularly enjoyed that she loved to learn and read. I also loved that she was reading classic Spanish works and about space.
- Manu's Family: I loved how much Manu's mother cared about her. I also loved Perla, Manu's surrogate grandmother, who owned the apartment they lived in. I honestly think that Perla may have been me favorite character.
The Cons:
- The Main Character: It took her way, way too long to figure out what her "problem" was. Everyone should have figured out the "mystery" sooner. The reader knows pretty much right away. Granted the title helped. Plus she is becomes the special snowflake good-at-everything type which is not to me taste.
- The Love Interest: Insta-lust and blandness. The twist involved was also lackluster and kinda annoying.
- The Side Characters: Many of these characters (particularly the men) were weakly portrayed and not fleshed out. So much so, that I got confused as to who was who.
- The Setting: While I liked the magical school concept, the actual training made no real sense and was barely shown. The world building felt very shallow and undeveloped. The rules and systems of both the school and fantasy world itself seemed contradictory at times.
- The Pace and Plot: The pacing was slow and yet the climax and resolution sped by. The pace was especially slow in the part where the group is trying to figure out Manu's magic. I also hated the whole Fierro rebel plot and especially how that resolved. I also didn't enjoy the plot concerning Manu's father. I wanted Manu to care more about what happened to her mother rather than her social life. And while I liked that immigration is discussed, how ICE and school was dealt with seemed rather bizarre in the overall story. Oh and how Manu got to (and stayed in) the school was laughable. And what was the point to the "other Manu?"
- The Spanish: I did not care for the technique the author chose to portray the translations. It kept interrupting the story flow.
I don't feel inclined to read the next book in the series though I am glad more books like this are being published. Arrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you St. Martin's Press!
This book interested me with its use of Argentinian folklore and also its commentary on the U.S. immigration system. Though this book came out last August, only now was I able to find the mood and mental state to read this title. Though I understand the love for this book, it ended up being just an okay read for me. I don't really feel like breaking down the plot as the blurb is pretty clear. But here be some thoughts on the novel.
The Pros:
- Argentinian folklore: The highlight because I love getting more insight into the myths and folklore of South America which gets ignored in the U.S.
- The Reality: I enjoy that the book dealt with the important topic of immigration. I also enjoy when bodily functions of teens (periods) are acknowledged and not treated as shameful.
- The Main Character: I did cheer for Manu to succeed and I enjoyed her overall. I particularly enjoyed that she loved to learn and read. I also loved that she was reading classic Spanish works and about space.
- Manu's Family: I loved how much Manu's mother cared about her. I also loved Perla, Manu's surrogate grandmother, who owned the apartment they lived in. I honestly think that Perla may have been me favorite character.
The Cons:
- The Main Character: It took her way, way too long to figure out what her "problem" was. Everyone should have figured out the "mystery" sooner. The reader knows pretty much right away. Granted the title helped. Plus she is becomes the special snowflake good-at-everything type which is not to me taste.
- The Love Interest: Insta-lust and blandness. The twist involved was also lackluster and kinda annoying.
- The Side Characters: Many of these characters (particularly the men) were weakly portrayed and not fleshed out. So much so, that I got confused as to who was who.
- The Setting: While I liked the magical school concept, the actual training made no real sense and was barely shown. The world building felt very shallow and undeveloped. The rules and systems of both the school and fantasy world itself seemed contradictory at times.
- The Pace and Plot: The pacing was slow and yet the climax and resolution sped by. The pace was especially slow in the part where the group is trying to figure out Manu's magic. I also hated the whole Fierro rebel plot and especially how that resolved. I also didn't enjoy the plot concerning Manu's father. I wanted Manu to care more about what happened to her mother rather than her social life. And while I liked that immigration is discussed, how ICE and school was dealt with seemed rather bizarre in the overall story. Oh and how Manu got to (and stayed in) the school was laughable. And what was the point to the "other Manu?"
- The Spanish: I did not care for the technique the author chose to portray the translations. It kept interrupting the story flow.
I don't feel inclined to read the next book in the series though I am glad more books like this are being published. Arrr!
So lastly . . .
Thank you St. Martin's Press!
July 27, 2021
3/5 stars
Is this book perfect? No, it's got some flaws. But, it is still a genuinely good book.
Lobizona follows Manuela "Manu" Azul, a teenager girl who, ever since she turned 13, has had painful periods which requires her mother to give her a drug called Septis to overcome that pain. She and her mother are undocumented immigrants from Argentina living in Miami, and Manu has always wondered about her father--and her uncanny golden eyes. One day, the woman Manu and her mother live with gets attacked and her mother gets detained by ICE. When they tell her to find the woman's friend, Manu instead follows a man who has been staking outside of her apartment complex. She gets in his truck and he takes her to the Everglades. There, she discovers a school of brujas and lobizones and learns more about her past and strength, and that she is neither bruja nor lobizón but a lobizona--something not supposed to exist.
This book started off very strong, dipped down for a bit, then went right back to being stronger. Romina Garber does a great job of building up the mystery of Manu's past and the magical world she encounters. Sometimes things got a little cliché but many of those things got quickly subverted. Really, what harmed this book the most were the Harry Potter references. They were not constant but oh God did they make me roll my eyes.
I really liked the magic system of brujas and lobizones that Garber crafted. It is clearly gender-based but there is long running critique of how the world of the Septimus still has many archaic structures about it. Sometimes those critiques came off a bit jackhammered though. I also enjoyed Manu as a character; yes, she wanted to rebel against things find a place in the world, but she was also conflicted. She has learned to remain invisible to stay safe and the tension of wanting to to leave that comfort is well described in Manu's thoughts and actions.
I feel conflicted on the romance. It isn't problematic but I feel kind of frustrated. From the beginning, I knew something was going on between Manu's roommates Cata and Saysa despite the former claiming she was with Tiago. Tiago and Manu desired each other so much that one the one hand I was like "Manu, don't go for another girl's boyfriend" and on the other hand I was like "Can we just get to the Cata and Saysa reveal already?" I understand that Tiago, Cata, and Saysa all knew about the relationship and were doing a cover because the Septimus enforce different-sex relationships due to limited fertility among brujas, but still. I saw it coming a hundred miles away and was like please just end this. Whatever. It wasn't bad I guess.
Another thing is that Garber had some really good plot-twists thrown in there. So despite everything, I still say this is a good book and I will read the sequel.
Is this book perfect? No, it's got some flaws. But, it is still a genuinely good book.
Lobizona follows Manuela "Manu" Azul, a teenager girl who, ever since she turned 13, has had painful periods which requires her mother to give her a drug called Septis to overcome that pain. She and her mother are undocumented immigrants from Argentina living in Miami, and Manu has always wondered about her father--and her uncanny golden eyes. One day, the woman Manu and her mother live with gets attacked and her mother gets detained by ICE. When they tell her to find the woman's friend, Manu instead follows a man who has been staking outside of her apartment complex. She gets in his truck and he takes her to the Everglades. There, she discovers a school of brujas and lobizones and learns more about her past and strength, and that she is neither bruja nor lobizón but a lobizona--something not supposed to exist.
This book started off very strong, dipped down for a bit, then went right back to being stronger. Romina Garber does a great job of building up the mystery of Manu's past and the magical world she encounters. Sometimes things got a little cliché but many of those things got quickly subverted. Really, what harmed this book the most were the Harry Potter references. They were not constant but oh God did they make me roll my eyes.
I really liked the magic system of brujas and lobizones that Garber crafted. It is clearly gender-based but there is long running critique of how the world of the Septimus still has many archaic structures about it. Sometimes those critiques came off a bit jackhammered though. I also enjoyed Manu as a character; yes, she wanted to rebel against things find a place in the world, but she was also conflicted. She has learned to remain invisible to stay safe and the tension of wanting to to leave that comfort is well described in Manu's thoughts and actions.
I feel conflicted on the romance. It isn't problematic but I feel kind of frustrated. From the beginning, I knew something was going on between Manu's roommates Cata and Saysa despite the former claiming she was with Tiago. Tiago and Manu desired each other so much that one the one hand I was like "Manu, don't go for another girl's boyfriend" and on the other hand I was like "Can we just get to the Cata and Saysa reveal already?" I understand that Tiago, Cata, and Saysa all knew about the relationship and were doing a cover because the Septimus enforce different-sex relationships due to limited fertility among brujas, but still. I saw it coming a hundred miles away and was like please just end this. Whatever. It wasn't bad I guess.
Another thing is that Garber had some really good plot-twists thrown in there. So despite everything, I still say this is a good book and I will read the sequel.
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