Cece Rios and the Desert or Souls by Kaela Rivera

This book is a finalist for the 2021 Cybils Award in Elementary and Middle Grade Speculative Fiction.

What worked:

The story is embedded in Mexican culture, as it utilizes Spanish vocabulary to share native folklore. Readers can learn about the people without having cultural facts thrown in their faces. Tierra Del Sol is on the frontlines of a war between humans and creatures called criaturas. The creature can be controlled if a human snatches the soul necklace hanging around its neck, but the person is supposed to return the soul to nature. Brujos are snubbed by other humans, because they started the war by keeping captured souls. The criaturas have native names, and Cece gets help from Coyote, the Great Namer, with rescuing her sister Juana from a dark criatura called El Sombreron. However, no human has ever entered the Devil’s Alley and returned alive.

A conflict within Cece rages as she must become a brujo to save her sister while retaining her kind heart. Brujos are not known for their kindness, as controlling criaturas requires coldness and inflicting pain. Cece is very aware of how her family and village despise brujos, since her aunt became one. Cece must keep her plans secret from other humans, and her newly shaved head makes that difficult. Telling the story from her point of view is the most effective writing strategy, so readers are aware of her conflicting feelings. Luckily, she finds unexpected assistance from Coyote, and their relationship is the highlight of the story.

The magical elements in the story elevate the suspense and keep things mystical. El Sombreron captures Juana by playing enchanting music on his guitar, and Cece is “cursed” early in the book. Cece’s people draw power from the sun, but Cece’s inner fire is replaced by a connection to water. Hints are dropped along the way that imply she has unusual abilities, and the curse may not be as bad as she thinks. The criaturas display enhanced abilities of different creatures such as the scorpion, ocelot, and Chupacabra. They’re stronger, faster, and can jump higher than natural animals, and they’re able to communicate with humans, although their comments are often insults or threats.

What didn’t work as well:

I’m not sure about the plot’s resolution. Without creating a spoiler, most of the conflict is resolved, but an underlying major problem is left behind. It seems like Cece should take care of it, but perhaps there’s a sequel on the way. The book’s resolution will still leave readers satisfied and happy.

The Final Verdict:

Kindness can overcome anger and hate. The book tells an engaging and entertaining story based on Mexican folklore that creates drama and suspense. I highly recommend you read about Cece’s emotional quest to rescue her older sister. This book is a finalist for the 2021 Cybils Book Award in elementary and middle grade speculative fiction.