After Odilia, 16, and her four younger sisters find a body floating in the river, they drive across the Mexican border to return the drowned man home. Their real mission, though, is to get to Abuelita's house and find their father, who abandoned Mama and his daughters a year earlier. In true mythic style, the girls encounter heroes and monsters on their perilous, sometimes gruesome journey, including attacks by a coven of winged witches and creatures from Mexican folklore. After falling under the enchantment of an evil sorceress and an ancient fortune-teller, they are saved by Llorona, who looks monstrous but is the protector of the Azteca people and shows the five sisters their way. Just as compelling as the vivid fantasy is the realism, especially the standoffs and reconciliations among the caring sisters, and the final shocking truth about their father and themselves is far from a sweet resolution. Readers will be drawn by the contemporary family drama and the magic, and they'll appreciate the author's note that discusses the story's roots in Mexican folklore and The Odyssey.--Rochman, Hazel Copyright 2010 Booklist
Gr 7-9-While swimming in the Rio Grande, the five Garza sisters find a dead man, and, against the better judgment of Odilia, the eldest, decide to return his body to his family in El Sacrificio, Mexico. Their decision is partly altruistic and partly personal, for their paternal grandmother, whom they have rarely seen, lives nearby. Thus begins their journey, guided by supernatural forces, both good and evil, and the ever-present mariposas (butterflies) that guide their way. Succumbing to the false promises of the sorceress Cecelia, the shape-shifting donkey (nagual), and the vampiric chupacabras, they finally reach their destination. Although the man's family does not welcome his corpse, the girls' main purpose is fulfilled, and they reestablish their relationship with their abuela, who helps them return home, wise enough to spurn their rogue-father's false promises and recognize their mother's true love for them. Written in the style of magic realism, this is an enchanting look at Mexican mysticism, coupled with the realistic celebration of the true meaning of family. The sisters' relationships are believably drawn, and the juxtaposition of modern realities and ancient Aztec mythology elucidates the importance of the spiritual side of life in Latin cultures. The plot is well paced, with the illicit nature of the girls' entry into Mexico adding drama to their adventure. While some readers may find the interweaving of the magical elements somewhat unsettling at first, they are sure to be intrigued by both the unusual qualities of the mythical characters and the sense of adventure that lies behind every twist and turn of the girls' revelatory journey. As with McCall's Under the Mesquite (Lee & Low, 2011), this is a peek into Mexican American culture, but its ties to the supernatural add an interesting dimension.-Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, The Naples Players, FL (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
