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carolined314's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
While featuring a lot of (justified) fear around being undocumented and deported, this book also has a ton of complex fantasy world and some fascinating character development. Great fun.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Lesbophobia, Abandonment, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Sexism, Deportation, and Sexual assault
Minor: Violence
namielle's review against another edition
DNF @ 39%
This book was well written, but it’s just not for me.
PLOT SPOILERS:
Content Warnings
Moderate: Xenophobia
ninamanon's review
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Very unique idea. Loved the first part and the magic system. I started losing some interest once Manu arrived in “the secret world”. For me personally, too many characters were introduced at once. I kept confusing them and didn’t get the chance to get to know any of them better. Even at the end of the book, the other characters still felt one dimensional. Also, Tiago annoyed me haha. I’m not sure what was to like about him.
The magic system and the world are beautiful though! Really loved that.
I really felt the loneliness and hopelessness of being considered “illegal”.
The magic system and the world are beautiful though! Really loved that.
I really felt the loneliness and hopelessness of being considered “illegal”.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia
Moderate: Violence, Homophobia, Death of parent, Drug use, and Misogyny
rorikae's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
'Lobizona' by Romina Garber is a coming of age novel about a young girl learning about her family and her own abilities.
Manu and her mother are undocumented, laying low to protect themselves from Manu's father's crime family. But when Manu stumbles into the truth about her mother's job, she's also thrust into the truth about her father that will show her a side of herself that she never knew existed.
Garber builds upon folklore to create a magical realist coming of age story. The story starts in one area, following Manu and her mother, but it quickly becomes more than that as Garber explores family history, growing up, and what it means to be undocumented in the United States. Manu is an engaging and at times frustrating character, who is easy to care for. Her search for her father and to learn more about his past adds just enough mystery to create an engaging through line in the story. Adding in a full cast of characters that are distinct in both their frustrating characteristics and their lovable ones, a setting change that provides new opportunities for Manu, and a hint of magic make this story heartfelt, adventurous, and thought provoking.
As this is one half of a duology, Garber leaves the end of the story at a high point of action and a turning point for Manu. I'm interested to see what happens next and to learn more about the world that Garber has created.
Manu and her mother are undocumented, laying low to protect themselves from Manu's father's crime family. But when Manu stumbles into the truth about her mother's job, she's also thrust into the truth about her father that will show her a side of herself that she never knew existed.
Garber builds upon folklore to create a magical realist coming of age story. The story starts in one area, following Manu and her mother, but it quickly becomes more than that as Garber explores family history, growing up, and what it means to be undocumented in the United States. Manu is an engaging and at times frustrating character, who is easy to care for. Her search for her father and to learn more about his past adds just enough mystery to create an engaging through line in the story. Adding in a full cast of characters that are distinct in both their frustrating characteristics and their lovable ones, a setting change that provides new opportunities for Manu, and a hint of magic make this story heartfelt, adventurous, and thought provoking.
As this is one half of a duology, Garber leaves the end of the story at a high point of action and a turning point for Manu. I'm interested to see what happens next and to learn more about the world that Garber has created.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Xenophobia, and Racism
Moderate: Forced institutionalization and Violence
thejuliebookshelf's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
LOBIZONA can be summed up in one word: lush. The writing is beautiful, the worldbuilding is detailed, the plot is engaging, and the Argentine folklore is rich.
Garber has written excellent YA fantasy. This story discusses issues of sexism, binaries, gender roles and expectations, culture, and being undocumented with nuance, empathy, and anger. You’re definitely going to want to check the content warnings for this book.
I enjoy reading books with untranslated Spanish dialogue, phrases, or sentences. LOBIZONA was particularly fun for me, because it made me realize that I was unfamiliar with Argentine Spanish, and I went down a huge internet rabbit hole after reading the first chapter.
The most important stuff for plot or character development is translated, and non-Spanish speakers can easily use Google Translate for the rest. If this makes you frustrated, remember that language is an essential part of identity and culture – the Spanish is intrinsic to the novel and LOBIZONA would feel incomplete without it!
I’m not going to say too much else for fear of spoiling, as the synopsis for this book is quite vague. But know that I really loved this book and immediately purchased the duology.
Garber has written excellent YA fantasy. This story discusses issues of sexism, binaries, gender roles and expectations, culture, and being undocumented with nuance, empathy, and anger. You’re definitely going to want to check the content warnings for this book.
I enjoy reading books with untranslated Spanish dialogue, phrases, or sentences. LOBIZONA was particularly fun for me, because it made me realize that I was unfamiliar with Argentine Spanish, and I went down a huge internet rabbit hole after reading the first chapter.
The most important stuff for plot or character development is translated, and non-Spanish speakers can easily use Google Translate for the rest. If this makes you frustrated, remember that language is an essential part of identity and culture – the Spanish is intrinsic to the novel and LOBIZONA would feel incomplete without it!
I’m not going to say too much else for fear of spoiling, as the synopsis for this book is quite vague. But know that I really loved this book and immediately purchased the duology.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Deportation, Sexism, and Violence
Moderate: Homophobia, Police brutality, and Xenophobia
author2223's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Xenophobia, and Police brutality
Moderate: Racism
lupitabaeyongo's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia and Homophobia
melinabarbuto's review
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Xenophobia, and Stalking
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Police brutality, Homophobia, and Drug use
rachelgronbach's review
adventurous
dark
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Police brutality, Racism, and Xenophobia
foreverinastory's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Loved this so much!!
Rep: Undocumented Argentinian female MC, Latine male love interest, Latine WLW couple, Latine cast.
CWs: Abandonment, blood, body shaming (for unusual eye color), confinement, drug use (sedatives), homophobia/homomisia, injury/injury detail, lesbophobia/lesbomisia, misogyny, outing, racism, sexism, transphobia/transmisia, violence, xenophobia.
Rep: Undocumented Argentinian female MC, Latine male love interest, Latine WLW couple, Latine cast.
CWs: Abandonment, blood, body shaming (for unusual eye color), confinement, drug use (sedatives), homophobia/homomisia, injury/injury detail, lesbophobia/lesbomisia, misogyny, outing, racism, sexism, transphobia/transmisia, violence, xenophobia.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Body shaming, Confinement, Drug use, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Outing, Racism, Sexism, Transphobia, Violence, and Xenophobia