Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova
Review by Lauren
source: copy from BEA ’16; all opinions are my own
Official Summary:
Nothing says Happy Birthday like summoning the spirits of your dead relatives.
Alex is a bruja, the most powerful witch in a generation…and she hates magic. At her Deathday celebration, Alex performs a spell to rid herself of her power. But it backfires. Her whole family vanishes into thin air, leaving her alone with Nova, a brujo boy she can’t trust. A boy whose intentions are as dark as the strange marks on his skin.
The only way to get her family back is to travel with Nova to Los Lagos, a land in-between, as dark as Limbo and as strange as Wonderland…
Review:
| I loved Labyrinth Lost, which is a bit surprising as I don’t normally seek out fantasy novels. Regardless, this one was fantastic and I highly recommend it. I’m actually glad this one is a sequel because I need more. However, I will say now that Labyrinth Lost is a full novel, so despite a few questions at the end that make you want to read the next book, this is a satisfying read all on its own.
Now, as for the actual story, I liked the world that Cordova created called Los Lagos, where the main character, Alex has to travel to save her family. She is a bruja, which is a witch of sorts, except the power is something that travels through her family. Everyone in her family loves their magic, but Alex has always tried to run away from hers, hiding something awful about it. Her trip to Los Lagos is actually because she tries to banish her power and something backfires, putting her whole family in danger. Los Lagos is a full imagined world, and I loved the various locations and details that Cordova used to help readers visualize. One of the things that I really loved about the series are the varying characters. Everyone is so interesting and diverse. I LOVED the diversity, whether it was age, ethnicity/race, sexuality. It was all there and done so well! Alex is the main character and she is definitely a layered character that one can easily relate too. She fears and hates her power, but she fiercely loves her family and would do anything for them. Then there is Nova, who Alex doesn’t know that well, but he agrees to help her through Los Lagos. Finally, we have Alex’s best and only friend, Rishi, who has a much larger part in the book than I first realized. It’s easy to see that Alex has a crush on Rishi, though it’s not named right away. I loved that it just was though. Nobody, not even Alex, made it into a big deal. Again, this was great and I eagerly wait for the sequel! |
This sounds incredibly interesting! Rarely does a book make me long for a sequel, so the fact that this one has made you covet one makes me think I need to check it out ASAP!
xx
A book I've seen featured on many blogs recently, all with wonderful reviews. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
I love that cover so much! I have to make time to read it.
Karen @For What It's Worth
I didn't realize this was such a diverse read, yay for that!
I liked this one, not as much as you.I was frustrated by the romance, it felt too open and like a love triangle. I wasn't thrilled with the cliffhanger type ending either. I did appreciate the world building, though.
Great review, Lauren! This doesn't seem like a book I would typically pick up but I am seeing so many great things about it! Alex sounds like a really complex, well written character. I might have to take a closer look at this one.
I keep reading everywhere that we need more diversity in our books but I really think part of it is getting the word out about awesome books like these! I love this type of world but I just didn't have time for this book 🙁 I'm so happy you really liked it, being a fantasy and all. 🙂 Great review!!
The cover art for Labyrinth Lost is so pretty, but I'm more intrigued with the diversity it seems to deliver. I'm not one for fantasy either, Lauren, but you sure make this one sound convincing!