Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 4--7--Things have been tough for 12-year-old Gen Farías since his father lost his job, his best friend was killed in a home robbery, and his big brother Lorenzo's futbol dreams died with a knee injury. Nowadays, Lorenzo is moody and spends time with a rough crowd. When he sneaks out Halloween night, it sets into motion a series of shocking events where he is implicated in a boy's murder and arrested. Wracked with grief and shame, Gen's mother condemns Lorenzo and moves the family from Rosario, Argentina, to Los Astros, an idyllic mountain village where everything is lush, beautiful--and too good to be true. Gen befriends Elena and Caito, two local children who fill him in on the vengeful River God and the dark annual rituals that simmer beneath the town's flawless veneer. Méndez has crafted a sympathetic, lovable character in Gen that readers will root for as he is pulled in every direction by his guilt while his family is adrift in their own struggles. Horror fans may find big scares hard to come by, but a sense of unease permeates the first two-thirds of the book which focuses on exploring complex interpersonal dynamics and establishing the mystery. The action picks up in the last third, as Gen and his friends learn that legends can be dangerously wrong. Themes of generational trauma and grappling with past mistakes resonate--sometimes, saying sorry and making things right can be enough. As with the prior series titles, a prologue and epilogue frame the story as a witch's spooky tale, told to a trapped camper in Cabin 23. VERDICT A poignant, recommended story for fans of character-driven fiction with a touch of supernatural thrill.--Ashleigh Williams
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Review by Horn Book Review
Like its two predecessors (by series creators Justina Ireland and Hanna Alkaf, respectively), this book is written as a story told by a witch to a lost summer camper. After a tragedy that results in the imprisonment of his older brother, twelve-year-old Gen and his parents move to a perfect-seeming town in Argentina. With some new friends, Gen eventually uncovers the truth about the town, involving missing children, alien "visitors," and an ancient bargain. A creepy, dark, and readable series entry that will have readers eager for more. (c) Copyright 2025. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Fearing expulsion from summer camp after a misdeed, Tommy races into the woods and meets the infamous witch of Cabin 23. A seasoned storyteller, the witch spins a macabre tale about Gen Farías, a 12-year-old Argentinian boy whose beloved older brother, Lorenzo, confesses to killing a boy on Halloween night. Gen is wracked by guilt and grief: Why didn't he tell his parents Lorenzo was sneaking out? Then a horned shadow begins appearing outside his bedroom window every night. Hoping to escape the stigma of Lorenzo's crime following his sentencing, Gen and his parents relocate to Los Astros, an idyllic mountain town in Las Sierras de Córdoba. The shadow follows Gen, but he makes two new friends, Elena and Caíto, Indigenous youngsters who tell him about a deal struck between the River God and their people, the Hêina, that's gone awry over the years. Since then, a child has been taken each year. As the friends race to uncover the distorted history of their town, Gen learns to make peace with the secrets and shadows plaguing him and his family. The third entry in this bewitching multi-author anthology series maintains the chills and thrills of its predecessors, expertly exploring how familial wounds can fester if left unspoken. Sympathetic characters and intriguing plot twists make for memorable reading. Spookily good.(Horror. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
