08/07/2017
In this lushly written tale set in 1962 Colorado, Stiefvater explores the complex and interconnected nature of desires, fears, and miracles via a Mexican-American family known for producing saints. Pilgrims come to the desert of Bicho Raro seeking cures to their woes, but the miracles they receive from the Soria saints are seldom what they expect. One winds up covered in moss, another only able to repeat what is said to her; these miracles are a “two-step process,” and it’s up to the pilgrims to unlock the meanings behind these transformations. When Daniel, the current saint, violates the Sorias’ greatest taboo, his family, including intellectual Beatriz and pirate radio deejay Joaquin, and the pilgrims of Bicho Raro must drive off the darkness that emerges. The language of legend and magical realism suffuse this sprawling and intimate novel; while the book’s tone is all its own and Stiefvater remains a summarily confident wordsmith, the setup, which sees a volatile family wrestling with unpredictable magic and forbidden romances, echoes her Raven Cycle books fairly closely. Dense, tricky, and thought-provoking. Ages 14–up. Agent: Laura Rennert, Andrea Brown Literary. (Oct.)
09/01/2017
Gr 8 Up—Pilgrims travel to Bicho Raro, Colorado, for a miracle from the Sorias, a Mexican American family of saints who can "cure" people of their darkness. When the pilgrims' darkness manifests, they have to overcome it on their own. If the Sorias interfere, their own inner darkness takes over. In 1962, Bicho Raro is overrun by pilgrims who haven't been able to complete the miracle, and the current saint, David, has fallen in love with one of the pilgrims. He helps her and his darkness manifests. His younger cousins, Beatriz and Joaquin, are afraid to interfere because of the curse. But two visitors, including a handsome teen who catches Beatriz's interest, might be the key to helping the Sorias. The desert setting, intricate family dynamics, and the power of love and music resonate in this lush but often overwrought tale. Subplots distract from the core story and character development is often weighed down by the convoluted language. The rules of the family curse are laid down just to be broken and remade for the convenience of the plot. The influence of Latin American storytelling is woven throughout, and the family's ranch's name can be translated in Mexican Spanish as "Strange or Rare Insect." But it also has a more explicit translation in other countries. Also, the family is saved by the machinations of the ingenious (and possibly neuro-atypical) Beatriz, but she's inspired to do so because of her white love interest. VERDICT This title will be popular with the author's fans, but for readers interested in well-crafted YA magical realism, turn to Laura Ruby and Anna-Marie McLemore instead.—Shelley M. Diaz, School Library Journal
2017-08-02
The line between truth and legend is obscured in the high desert of the San Luis Valley, a world of tall tales and miracles that draws literary pilgrims.In 1962 the teenage Soria cousins of Bicho Raro, descended from Los Santos de Abejones of Oaxaca, Mexico, continue the family legacy of miracle working. However, pilgrims seeking a miracle here find their inner darknesses brought to life, tangible metaphors for their psychic pain. When the eldest cousin and acting Saint, Daniel, interferes with a miracle in progress, the darkness falls upon him as well, and he flees into the night. Barred by their fearful parents from seeking him directly, the remaining cousins decide to reach out in the only way they know how—through their pirate radio station. Coolly intellectual Beatriz and passionate Joaquin join forces with white-bread Pete Wyatt, a salt-of-the-earth transplant from Oklahoma, using the technical marvel of AM radio to perform a practical miracle and hopefully bring Daniel home. In the process, the family rediscovers that the best way to fight the darkness is with someone you love by your side. Stiefvater weaves a rich history for this mythical homestead. Though not an own-voices narrator, she well-captures the rural, mountain West and the Latinx culture that provides the foundation for the Sorias' twilight world. True history blends with traditional and fanciful folklore as fallen saints find salvation in the lyrical power of family, community, and rock-'n'-roll. (Fabulism. 14-adult)
Praise for All the Crooked Saints:2017 Fall Kids Indie Next ListPublishers Weekly's Most Anticipated YA Books of Fall 2017Amazon Best Book of the Month (September YA)* "Stiefvater's lyrical, sure-footed, and often humorous prose guides readers through . . . this atmospheric tale of magic and romance." — Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review"Stiefvater weaves a rich history for this mythical homestead." — Kirkus Reviews"The desert setting, intricate family dynamics, and the power of love and music resonate." — School Library Journal"An amazing character study told in a bursting, lyrical style that captures your sense of wonder and leaves practicality at the door. . . A novel that feels universal and intensely personal all at once." — The FandomPraise for The Raven King:* "Expect this truly one-of-a-kind series to come to a thundering close." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review* "We have not yet finished loving these characters and exploring their world." — The Bulletin, starred review* "Stiefvater's razor-sharp characterizations, drily witty dialogue, and knack for unexpected metaphors and turns of phrase make for sumptuous, thrilling reading . . . . Readers will snap up the final installment the second it's available." — Publishers Weekly, starred review* "The prose is crisp and dazzling and the dialogue positively crackles." — School Library Journal, starred reviewPraise for The Dream Thieves:* "Richly written and filled with figurative language . . . this story of secrets and dreams, of brothers and of all-too-real magic is an absolute marvel of imagination and an irresistible invitation to wonder." — Booklist, starred review* "Mind-blowingly spectacular . . . Stiefvater's careful exploration of class and wealth and their limitations and opportunities astounds with its sensitivity and sophistication. The pace is electric, the prose marvelously sure-footed and strong, but it's the complicated characters . . . that meld magic and reality into an engrossing, believable whole." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review* "A paranormal thriller . . . this installment [is] more tense and foreboding than its predecessor — and every bit as gripping." — Publishers Weekly, starred review* "A complex web of magical intrigue and heartstopping action." — The Bulletin, starred review* "Readers who want a moody chill and appreciate an atmospheric turn of phrase will want to spend more time in Henrietta." — School Library Journal, starred reviewPraise for The Raven Boys:"Stiefvater is a master storyteller." — USA Today"A dizzying paranormal romance tinged with murder and Welsh mythology." — The Los Angeles Times* "Simultaneously complex and simple, compulsively readable, marvelously wrought." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review* "A tour de force . . . such a memorable read." — Publishers Weekly, starred review* "One unexpected and wonderful surprise after another . . . a marvel of imagination." — Booklist, starred review* "The Raven Boys is an incredibly rich and unique tale, a supernatural thriller of a different flavor . . . . Fans have been salivating for Stiefvater's next release and The Raven Boys delivers." — School Library Journal, starred review"Equal parts thriller and mystery, with a measured dash of romance sprinkled on top . . . Maggie has woven such a unique, intriguing narrative that I struggled for comparisons." — MTV.comA Publishers Weekly Best Book of the YearThe Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 2012 Blue Ribbons list
