I was introduced to V.Castro and her work when I read and reviewed Queen of the Cicadas. Published by Flame Tree Press, which is among my favourite publishing houses. Every book I have read that was published by them has been excellent. Queen of the Cicadas gave me a new author to love.
From the lauded author of The Queen of the Cicadas (which picked up starred reviews from PW, Kirkus and Booklist who called her “a dynamic and innovative voice”) comes a short story collection of nightmares, dreams, desire and visions focused on the Chicana experience.
V.Castro weaves urban legend, folklore, life experience and heartache in this personal journey beginning in south Texas: a bar where a devil dances the night away; a street fight in a neighborhood that may not have been a fight after all; a vengeful chola at the beginning of the apocalypse; mind swapping in the not so far future; satan who falls and finds herself in a brothel in Amsterdam; the keys to Mictlan given to a woman after she dies during a pandemic.
The collection finishes with two longer tales: The Final Porn Star is a twist on the final girl trope and slasher, with a creature from Mexican folklore; and Truck Stop is an erotic horror romance with two hearts: a video store and a truck stop.
Mestiza Blood is a collection of short stories that just prove what a talented author V.Castro is. These stories range from horror to science fiction, and I think that while maybe not everyone will love every story, there is still enough variety for there to be something in there for everyone.
The author has excelled in their world building throughout these stories. Although only short, I found them captivating and wondering if the author was planning on extending any of these stories. I found them raw, engaging, and very intriguing.
Just to be clear, these stories don’t shy away from the gore, heartache, and the erotica. Everything about this collection hammer the messages V. Castro wants you to get home. The characters are razor sharp and as great as the world building. My favourites are the longer stories, The Final Porn Star and Truck Stop. I did enjoy book on the whole.
This author’s originality stands out among an awful lot of writers for me. The interweaving of folklore, urban legend, and heartache really works. I was so curious to see how this collection would work for readers. I shall say it definitely worked for me. Strong female characters who will attempt to do whatever is needed in order to survive and aren’t afraid to do it with no apologies for it either.
Thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Tours and Flame Tree Press, for the copy of the book.
Author Bio
V. Castro is a Mexican American author from San Antonio, Texas, now residing in the UK. She is a full-time mother, a Latinx literary advocate, and co-founder of Fright Girl Summer, a platform to amplify marginalized voices.
She writes Latinx novels of horror, erotic horror, and science fiction, including her most recent, ‘Goddess Of Filth’ and The Queen of the Cicadas.
Links
Twitter @vlatinalondon
sharonbeyondthebooks.uk 