A fence, A wall. A border: who are the bad hombres, in the end?
I must confess I would never normally be drawn to a book with this sort of cover – it suggests some book focused towards those enamoured of zombie/werewolf/vampires and the like, but perhaps with a notched up degree of violence, and possibly of appeal to young boys with a yen for shoot-em-up video games.
Nothing like the prejudice of ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ going on here, eh?
Well, this is certainly geared to YA readers, though they might find that the violence and darkness in the pages is a kind of sweetener to encourage facing still darker matters. This book carries weightier themes, is bang-on-topical, and mixes myth, responsibility, gang warfare and class consciousness extremely powerfully. Not to mention friendship, free-will versus destiny, chance and choice..
It was the author that drew me, despite the lurid cover. This is, after all, Marcus Sedgwick, a wonderful author, writing challenging, thoughtful books for a younger audience – and also the odd foray into adult fiction
Saint Death is set on the Mexican side of the border with the US. It’s theme is the exploitation of the poor by capitalism, and how that goes hand in glove with gangland control and exploitation, drug running, violence and prostitution. It is strong meat for an adult reader, never mind a teen
Arturo is probably in his late teens. His mother is dead, his alcoholic, violent father gone from his life. He lives in the shantytown neighbourhood of Anapra, in the city of Juarez, Chihuahua, close to the Rio Grande. He gets by through occasional casual employment in an auto-shop, and steers clear of the gangs. He had a dear, childhood friend, Faustino, an immigrant from an even poorer place. Faustino had not kept so clear of trouble – extreme poverty means even the most righteous might find they surrender to powerful, vicious people, for the chance to put food on a plate. Faustino is now in danger and comes to his childhood friend for salvation
Interspersed within this violent tale is a dark, older religion, a Death-cult figure, Santisima Muerte, ever present, who must be placated, prayed to, sought for protection against her own visitation. There are also reflections, riffs, poems, where Sedgwick, sometimes using the words of others, comments on the wider political, ethical issues. Reminding the reader that though this might be a story, it is, or something similar is, a reality happening daily
This book is about other stories that occur
over there, across the riverThe comfortable way to deal with these
stories is to say they are about them.The way to understand these stories is to say
they are about us”Charles Bowden
There are aspects of it which don’t quite work for me – the Spanish punctuation, and the interjection of frequent snatches of Spanish dialogue. Okay, it gives ‘flavour’ but it seemed a little tricksy. I could imagine the slang would be something which might appeal though, to its target audience
And I do think Sedgwick is extremely skillful at writing something which has page-turning action which might appeal to younger readers, whilst what he is writing is very far from escapism; rather, an invitation to look at how an unfair world works, and then castigates those who it has forced into suffering
We handed the right to kill to that thing we call civilisation. Civilisation does our killing for us, and we can wash our hands of it. This is the management of death. But the blood will not wash off
I received this from Amazon Vine UK
Saint Death Amazon UK
Saint Death Amazon USA
This book won’t be published in the States till April 25th
I look forward to reading this. I have enjoyed other Marcus Sedgwick books and I am drawn by the Mexican setting and mythology (I travelled through Juarez many moons ago). It’s going on my list! Thanks for an enticing review 🙂
You are welcome, underrunner. It is a powerful, and an unsettling, read, plus, at times, beautiful too.
Sounds fascinating. I’ve heard of Sedgwick before but never read him. Have you read any of his adult books?
Yes. A Love Like Blood (I reviewed it on the blog, and Mister Memory, ditto. ALLB was another entry into a trope I generally avoid – the vampire nove l – mainly because it is often a romping ground now for the seriously uninventive! But I will read anything Sedgwick writes, because he always, always, leaves the reader thinking. I have reviewed several Sedgwicks on here, I don’t think I have ever given anything less than a clear 4 star on Amazon, which is why he effortlessly meets my 4 star minimum for inclusion here!
Did you also read Blood Red, Snow White? I have it on my Russian Rev list – it’ll be my first introduction to Sedgewick, and in truth, the subject matter of it appeals much more to me than this one.
Blood Red Snow White was my first ever Sedgwick, and remains my absolute favourite, as everything about the subject matter has resonance for me. I think it is stunning, and I may well re-read it, though I have reviewed it on here, when I was mainly uploading my ‘back catalogue’ from Amazon, in the days when my reviews were short. Even pithy. No doubt were I to review it again, it would be treble the length!
Again I can’t remember but did you say you had read The White Guard (Bulgakov)? If not, I highly recommend it – brilliant stuff, and one of those rare ones that I think might work as well for you as for me! I’ll need to let it settle for a day or two before I write my review…
Yes, I did indeed, as part of my I love Russian literature phase. In fact, on my book case still, waiting for the To Be RE Reads. A wonderful book. So pleased it worked for you, too
Sounds like a powerful and timely read. Great review as always, Lady F!
Thank you Karen. It IS, both powerful, and timely
im afraid the cover and the fact it is targetted at YA readers would be a turn off for me
I think some writers, and Sedgwick is one, write ‘YA’ which is wonderful writing, period. I’ve learned a lot from his YA writing, and am one of those very much looking forward to the new Philip Pullman trilogy
I was surprised to find how much I enjoyed Northern Lights….