Dark gothic fantasy, part journey into the bizarre, this delicious blending of tall tales and Latin American surrealism will haunt you as you devour it!
Rating: ★★★★☆
Genre: YA/Gothic Fantasy/Folk Horror
“Sowing seeds of sin, he grows apples of ash.”
1836 Wisconson, Deep in the Wilderness
Young Catalina and her little brother, Jose Luis, live with their Pa, deep in the forest in a dilapidated cabin. They live a humble and simple little life, but Pa warns them to always be aware. Considered to be a dangerous creature, the Man of Sap, that roams the forest realms, plants his apple seeds, growing trees across the lands. But there is something different about these apples and the trees they grow upon. The trees whisper to the souls of anyone nearby to come and eat upon its glorious fruit.
This whole story weaves together a tale of family bonds, lost love, and the battle of good versus evil. Temptations abound when wants are desired more than ones needs.
Told through two points of view, we are given the story of the Man of Sap, his tale is treachorous and heartbreaking. His character had me feeling so many emotions. The story through the eyes of Catalina brings to life the bonds of family, devotion, and new love.
The atmospheric setting is detailed, providing a sense of the dark and foreboding that lingers within the forest realm, as the creature roams. Planting, watching, and waiting.
The prose was captivating and has a beautiful quality that lingers long after reading. Sometimes needing to read passages again, to get lost in the world of words.
“Life was cruel, certainly. It was filled with bright, ravaging horrors that stun you like a sun flare and secret, quiet wounds that fold against your ribs. It took loved ones from your arms so you breathed hurt like air. But it was also full of mysteries. And there was room in mysteries. Room for things to be different. For them, despite the pain, to be all right.”
“Te amo más que nada.”
Haunting and mesmerizing, I would recommend this gothic, dark folklore to any fan of the genre. Be prepared to let it take you away to a new world.
(Grab an apple for a snack, thank me later.)
- ★ “Mesmerizingly told through the eyes of both Catalina and the monster, the book invites readers to travel with characters who are reckoning with greed, fear, and love as they consider what makes a monster—and whether monsters can be redeemed. Highly imaginative and powerfully affecting.”—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
Published by Peachtree Teen
Coming October 2023
