Review by Booklist Review
Amparo is a troubled teen who desperately wants to become a better person, and they strike a deal with a talking cat. Unfortunately, the magical cat steals Amparo's name and identity, promising to become the better person Amparo wanted to be. This dooms Amparo's soul to Bright World, a terrifying, beautiful land of demonic creatures where humans are food and memories are currency. Amparo becomes "Paola," an indentured servant in a café who is later rescued by El Ciervo and dubbed "Fawn." Fawn fights desperately for survival in this brutal world, while trying to escape back to the real world and reclaim their life. Meanwhile, the Cat-Amparo is popular, gets the beautiful and smart Iolanthe to become their girlfriend, and does a decent job at being a better person. The imaginative and deeply developed Bright World leans heavily on Latin influences, and the story includes several panels of dialogue in Spanish. This rich, fantastical story is brought to life with Stanley's vibrant colors and wonderfully bold lines in artwork that is a joy to look at. The cruelty of Bright World will keep readers fully invested in Fawn's struggle to survive and retain their identity, and the specifics of their nonbinary gender identity, a topic of conversation among several characters, are handled with respect and fidelity. This story beautifully represents Latinx and LGBTQ+ characters.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 8 Up--Stanley offers a thoughtful spin on the "Be careful what you wish for" trope. Amparo, who is nonbinary, has a crush on their classmate Iolanthe but knows the two would make an unlikely couple--while Amparo gets into fights and is facing suspension for pulling the fire alarm, quiet Iolanthe is devoted to her grades. One night a hairless cat enters Amparo's room and offers to grant their wish to be a better person--one who will be a good match for Iolanthe and less trouble for their frustrated family, who have made sacrifices for Amparo's education. But the duplicitous cat takes over Amparo's body, then banishes Amparo to Bright World. While cat-Amparo adheres to the rules and romances Iolanthe, real Amparo struggles to survive. Bright World is lush, filled with beautiful plants and unusual human-animal hybrids, but for people, it is dangerous--inhabitants consume human memories, turning humans into empty servants, and often feed on their bodies. While Iolanthe suspects something is off about the new and supposedly improved Amparo, the real Amparo attempts to hustle back home. Stellar, expressive art, featuring angular, dramatic linework, and an engaging narrative with solid nonbinary representation and well-developed characters bring this fantastical story to life. Scenes of Bright World burst with rich colors; those set in the so-called real world (or topside) are equally appealing despite a more limited palette. Both Amparo and Iolanthe are Latinx, and the use of Spanish dialogue brings us deeper into their worlds. VERDICT This fantastical, stunning tale shines in both story and artwork; a must for libraries serving teens.--Carla Riemer, Berkeley, CA
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
In an attempt at self-improvement, Amparo makes a deal with a talking cat. After being suspended for pulling the fire alarm at school, Amparo Uribe struck out with their crush, Iolanthe. When a mysterious talking cat appears in their bedroom window promising magical assistance, they make a deal. In exchange for a drop of Amparo's blood and their name, the cat promises to make them a better person. But instead of assisting Amparo the way they expected, the cat becomes Amparo, and Amparo is sucked into the Bright World. Amparo tries to avoid being eaten by a number of creatures (including their new master), hold tight to their memories (which are of high value in the Bright World), and figure out how to get home. The worldbuilding is magnificent; the Bright World is appropriately rich in color and full of macabre and creative details. The characters are fully developed and intriguing, some complex and full of secrets, others that appear to be the creatures of nightmares. Readers also get glimpses of Queens, where the cat has almost everyone fooled that they are the improved version of Amparo. The pacing is well done, with the mysteries of Bright World slowly revealing themselves, and the cliffhanger ending will leave readers clamoring for the sequel. Amparo is nonbinary, queer, and is cued as Latinx; Iolanthe reads as Black. A noir fantasy--part adventure, part love story, all the way spectacularly creepy. (Graphic fiction. 14-adult) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
