Pilar Ramirez and the Curse of San Zenon
(Book 2 in the series)
By Julian Randall
Publisher: Henry Holt Books for Young Readers
Imprint of Macmillan
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction
On Sale February 28, 2023
*Review & quotations are based on a proof copy*
Reviewer Marisa Marquez
It has been a year since Pilar fell into the world of Zafa and saved it.
Now she is on her way to the Dominican Republic with her family intending to finish her documentary. Her plans take a drastic turn when Carmen her best friend, ciguapa and prodigal Zafa warrior, comes looking for her with new trouble. El Baca has escaped! With a new adventure ahead Pilar will have to hone her skills as a bruja fast to save her family and the world from an evil that threatens to rise from the dead.
It’s been
nearly a year since I came back from my adventure on
a magical island called Zafa, pero the island still lives
on in my dreams. And my nightmares.
-Randall p. 1
When it comes to Middle Grade Magic this book checks off everything on the list!
- Adventure—Check!
- Hilarious—-Check!
- Amazing Representation of Culture—Check!!
My overall rating is 5 stars.
In book two the story of Pilar continues, told with the same spunk and bilingual prose that readers loved in book 1. Notably the books should be read in order as there are some key events that occur in book one that might leave new readers confused.
Below is the aesthetic I created to reflect the book:
The top three photos are inspired by Pilar’s arrival to the Dominican Republic. When she arrives readers are able to view DR through her eyes as a newcomer; she notes details about the island, the people, and the buildings. Something that I noticed and think that young readers will appreciate are how short and impactful Randalls writing style is. His lines of description are short and to the point while at the same time very lyrical. So lyrical I wanted to highlight almost every line!
Beneath us I could
see Santo Domingo, and even hundreds of feet in the
air I could feel that it was everything I had dreamed and
more, entiendes?-Randall p. 6
The bottom three photos…
The butterfly is symbolic in more than one way. It represents the Galipotes, the four powerful shapeshifting sisters that protect Zafa. It also represents the Mirabal sisters, who are the inspiration for said characters, evident by their names: Patria, Minerva and María Teresa Mirabal and second sister Dedé. The sisters are known as, the Butterflies.
The history reflected through these characters is subtle and so powerful. As an adult reader I can appreciate how the author is able to weave the history of a culture to tell a new story for a younger generation who may not know the history. Little hints like these creates a great source of exposure to young readers who can learn about another culture or about themselves while enjoying a magical book. The images following after, the black sand and the storm, represent Pilar’s bruja powers and the literal storm of chaos that is coming for Pilar and co.
less women who had stood up to Trujillo and his evil
henchmen, shining like saints on bodega candles. All
of their jaws were set like the versions of Carmen and
me carved into the door.” -Randall p 84
The middle row…
I placed these images across from each other to show the battle that is set to occur. Our hero on the left and the villain on our right. Thanks to Unsplash I was able to find some great images to represent Pilar and the translucent new villain! ( I won’t name any names to avoid spoilers.) I love how the model below is pictured within a jungle sort of environment, representative of El Bosque. The model also holds a magnifying glass reflective of everything that Pilar is yet to discover.
A wonderful blend of history and adventure that will keep readers of all ages turning the page.
Thank you to Hear Our Voices Tours, the author and publishers for ARC’s.
Shop for the book here at my bookshop!
