Mestiza Blood Paperback by V. Castro Publisher : FLAME TREE PRESS (18 Jan. 2022) Language : English Paperback : 208 pages ISBN-10 : 1787586162 ISBN-13 : 978-1787586161 A book review by Ben Walker V. Castro's writing has the power to go for your throat, your heart, and your brains. She pits memorable characters against evils both supernatural and man-made, giving a voice to those who deserve to be heard, as well as having monsters whisper in your ear, with sex and death sometimes dancing dangerously close to one another. This collection of 14 short stories offers all of the above in abundance, and it's an absolutely fantastic read. Each story pulls you in close to situations which are uncomfortable and horrifying mostly because they reflect real life. People are mistreated in the same ways the characters in the book are, through racism, ignorance and so on. The horror angle here offers empowerment to the downtrodden instead of terrorising them, which is a refreshing change. Whether it's the unfortunate dead rising up to take back the world, or monsters living among humans using their powers to overthrow, overwhelm or overtly kill various oppressors, you're never left rooting for the bad guy. Much like Castro's 2021 novel, Queen of the Cicadas, there are plenty of satisfying scenes where shitheads get their just desserts, which is something I'll never tire of reading about. It's not all vengeance and violence though – well, there's actually a lot of vengeance, but it's not all delivered in bloody or brutal ways. Sometimes it's more subtle, but in no way less gratifying to read: like in Mal De Ojo, where curses and unkindness lead to an ending sure to leave you grinning, or The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, where Christmas is threatened by a conniving demon. Many a tale shows you Chicana history colliding with modern day experiences; urban legends and eye-opening facts bursting from the page thanks to the evocative, passionate and intelligent descriptive language. And even though a lot of the stories are similar in terms of theme or lessons learned, there's enough variety to keep you coming back for more. Serving as both a perfect introduction to Castro's style, and a delectable smorgasbord of treats for existing fans, Mestiza Blood is another great release from Flame Tree Press as well as a triumphant first collection of stories from this brilliant author. Thoroughly recommended. Mestiza Blood |
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