Author: Aiden Thomas
Publisher: Swoon Reads
One of the best YA I've read recently: the three main characters are lovely and their personalities are distinct and developed, the mystery plot is executed brilliantly, great LGBTQA+ representation, and, one of my favorite elements, there's heavy presence of Latinx culture all throughout the novel.
As a Brasilian, I've always been interested in learning more about the cultural diversity within Latin countries, and reading about the preparations and traditions for El Dia de Los Muertos was one of the highlights for me. It was such a joy to see family dynamics more similar to my own, including the multi-generational household, cuisine, and sadly, very strict gender roles. Another big plus for me was that the fantasy is also constructed around Santa Muerte, which is something that I have never seen in any other books, especially not YA. So consider this a review and a cry for help, if you know of any novels (YA or not) that feature Latinx culture please let me know.
Thomas showcases trans characters, queer characters, BIPOC, teens suffering in abusive households or that have been thrown out by their parents, orphaned characters, etc. He makes sure they all have distinct voices and personalities that, although impacted by their traumas, are not restricted to those traumas. More often than not YA is populated mainly by straight white cookie cuter individuals so finally having a stellar novel filled with real people is a huge win. Another thing that, ironically, YA tends to lack is teenagers that ACTUALLY ACT THEIR AGE, in this book the protagonists' decisions, reactions, and emotions are those of real 15-year-olds: mainly rash, impulsive, and intense.
The mystery's conclusion felt a little rushed, being resolved in the last 30 pages of the almost 400-page novel, but nothing that ruins the overall enjoyment. I did predict the culprit pretty early on, however, it is one of the rare cases when this happened not because the resolution was predictable/lazy, but because Thomas laid out the groundwork of clues very early on.
There were only two elements that bothered me in Cemetery Boys, the book happens in too short of a period (2/3 days) and, because of that, the romance between Yadriel and Julian is not that believable. Even when you take into account the fact that teenagers tend to have more intense emotions and can develop feelings for someone quite quickly, two days is just not enough time to fall that much in love with someone else. It would have been better if the events were spaced out to occur over two weeks, however, one of the main plot points regarding the murder mystery would be ruined.
Overall, a 10/10 read that I would recommend to all who love YA, murder/mystery, or LGBTQA+ books.
For Trigger Warnings click here.
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