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caseythereader's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deportation, Abandonment, Confinement, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Cursing
carolined314's review against another edition
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
bebidocrimes's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
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
4.0
Enchanting and well developed, I loved every page. Manu is such an interesting character, and I love the idea of a space-loving werewolf going to the moon. I would also like to make out with a boy in his secret illegal library. Javier was a red herring, I thought the queer rep would just be him as a closeted side character, but NOPE. I love how many layers of metaphors you can fit in a werewolf. This could have been just an incredible fantasy story that happened to feature a magical school, but it had to go and reference Harry Potter over and over again. Girlie, you're better than that in every way. Big sad my library doesn't have the sequel because I'm trying not to buy more books rn.
Content Warnings
Minor: Cursing, Body horror, Confinement, Deportation, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, and Violence
thejuliebookshelf's review against another edition
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
ellythequeen's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
fast-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? No
5.0
This book understood the assignment!!! Could not have been better, lovable characters, enticing plot, amazing setting, writing style is like nothing I've ever read!!! Has great messages around feminism and equality! Why are you still reading this review? Go read this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Misogyny, Confinement, and Bullying
Moderate: Homophobia, Sexual assault, Drug use, Sexual harassment, and Sexual content
melinabarbuto's review against another edition
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
foreverinastory's review
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
meaghanelizabook's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Xenophobia, Sexism, and Violence
Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Homophobia, and Kidnapping
Minor: Police brutality, Sexual assault, and Grief
bookishandlegal's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
People are not illegal! That’s definitely an overarching theme of the book and I love that it worked on the actual, present day US immigration level as well as the fantasy level in the book. The world building was great and the story meshed our actual world with the fantasy world really nicely. The pace of the book was good and the relationships that were built throughout felt realistic and relatable. The ending felt a tad rushed, but big questions were mostly answered and the book left off in a great spot to start the second one. This book is stunning and any fantasy reader (or not tbh) should read it. I absolutely cannot wait until the second book in this series comes out later this year.
CW: ICE raid/detention, misogyny/sexism, casual mentions of Harry Potter books/world throughout
CW: ICE raid/detention, misogyny/sexism, casual mentions of Harry Potter books/world throughout
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement and Misogyny
Minor: Homophobia
Casual mentions of HP world/series throughout the book.sarah984's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This book was okay, but it disappointed me a bit. I appreciated a different perspective with a main character who is an undocumented immigrant and the use of Argentinian culture in the werewolf society, and the story was relatively fast-paced once Manu got to the school. Having her find out that her existence in werewolf society as well paralleled with her mundane life in an interesting way (even if it doesn't make much sense for a society that places so much emphasis on reproduction to label any child illegal). All of the scenes involving ICE and the Cazadores (essentially serving the function of werewolf ICE) were appropriately tense and upsetting.
The characters were mostly fun, though the love interest was like a block of wood and some of the background students didn't get much development. The insta-love and pointless love triangle annoyed me.
I can see that the author was going for a feminist message but since their powers are innate it doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Even if Manu gets to play werewolf football that won't pave the way for other girls because they're still not werewolves. The constant description of her power coming from her uterus was off-putting. Did the boys’ werewolf power come from their reproductive organs as well?
It was really weird to me that Manu was cooped up the way she was at the beginning, as many undocumented children go to school. The twist involving Manu’s father was pretty silly, and there were a few dropped plot threads (particularly regarding an identical girl who lived across the street) that I'm hoping get picked up in the next book.
The characters were mostly fun, though the love interest was like a block of wood and some of the background students didn't get much development. The insta-love and pointless love triangle annoyed me.
I can see that the author was going for a feminist message but since their powers are innate it doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Even if Manu gets to play werewolf football that won't pave the way for other girls because they're still not werewolves. The constant description of her power coming from her uterus was off-putting. Did the boys’ werewolf power come from their reproductive organs as well?
It was really weird to me that Manu was cooped up the way she was at the beginning, as many undocumented children go to school. The twist involving Manu’s father was pretty silly, and there were a few dropped plot threads (particularly regarding an identical girl who lived across the street) that I'm hoping get picked up in the next book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Homophobia, Confinement, Misogyny, Police brutality, and Racism
Minor: Rape and Sexual content
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