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Relit: 16 Latinx Remixes of Classic Stories
These sixteen stories by award-winning and bestselling YA authors center a Latinx point of view in an empowering anthology that reimagines classics through fantasy, science fiction, and with a dash of magic, for fans of A PHOENIX FIRST MUST BURN and RECLAIM THE STARS
In classic stories remixed, Latinx characters take center stage
Pride and Prejudice is launched into outer space, Frankenstein is plunged into the depths of the ocean, and The Great Gatsby floats to an island off the coast of Costa Rica.
A shape-shifter gives up her life to save the boy she loves from an evil bruja. La Ciguapa covets a little mermaid’s heart of gold. Two star-crossed teens fall in love while the planet burns around them.
Whether characters fall in love, battle foes, or grow through grief, each story will empower readers to see themselves as the heroes of the stories that make our world.
Featuring original stories
In classic stories remixed, Latinx characters take center stage
Pride and Prejudice is launched into outer space, Frankenstein is plunged into the depths of the ocean, and The Great Gatsby floats to an island off the coast of Costa Rica.
A shape-shifter gives up her life to save the boy she loves from an evil bruja. La Ciguapa covets a little mermaid’s heart of gold. Two star-crossed teens fall in love while the planet burns around them.
Whether characters fall in love, battle foes, or grow through grief, each story will empower readers to see themselves as the heroes of the stories that make our world.
Featuring original stories
352 pages, Hardcover
First published February 6, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
February 4, 2024
In a Nutshell: A well-written YA anthology that takes sixteen classic stories/fairy tales and gives them a Latinx spin. Excellent as a retelling collection. Quite good as a YA work. Recommended!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My friends know that I don’t have any fondness for YA fiction. Its characters are usually so self-centred and whiny that I can’t stop rolling my eyes at them. However, the YA anthology subcategory has brought out story collections with some unusual and inclusive themes over the last couple of years. This anthology too appealed to me by virtue of its central intent and hence I grabbed it, despite the YA tag.
Luckily, the *risk* was much worth it. 😉
This collection of sixteen stories takes classic short stories, poems and fairy tales, and reimagines them in a new setting with Latinx characters at the helm. The original stories span a variety of styles: Frankenstein, Goldilocks, Pride & Prejudice, Theseus and the Minotaur, The Great Gatsby…! What a marvellous range! The spun-off tales also cover a variety of genres: dystopia, magical realism, science fiction, horror, mythology,…
It isn’t necessary for you to know the original classics. Each of these tales stands on its own merit as an independent story. However, I always love knowing the source of the retelling so that I can judge the modified version better. After all, if a story is promoted as a remix, the approach of reading it as a fresh tale instead of as a fresh take on an existing story won’t yield best results. I had already read fourteen of the original stories in this set, so I quickly read the remaining two (‘Bartleby the Scrivener’ by Herman Melville and ‘The Raven’ by Edgar Allan Poe) and went into this anthology fully prepared.
Here’s why the anthology really clicked for me:
🌹 The source material is mostly popular, and I enjoyed seeing some old favourites in the mix. (On second thought, I knew most of the original stories. I don’t know how many YAs would be familiar with these, especially the classics! Oh well!)
🌹 Right under the title of each story, there is a mention of the classic it retells. I wish every retelling anthology would follow this. It is so much more entertaining when we know the base plot and can hence experience a retelling as a ‘retelling’ instead of as wasting time trying to figure out the original story. (Which doesn’t even yield results when we aren't familiar with the original!)
🌹 The stories justify the word ‘retelling’ in every sense. This is not the kind of anthology where the original story structure is cloned in the retelling with just a minor change of setting, or where the retelling has been so twisted that you can’t see any sign of the foundational plot. Instead, in this anthology, a clear mark of the original tale is visible in the retelling, but there is also enough of novelty to make it seem like a fresh story. This is how retellings should be written. Kudos to most of the authors for handling their work well!
🌹 A majority of the stories are not typical YA in style. I, for one, was very relieved about this: no idiotic adults, no whining, no insta feelings, no shallow characters. Though the stories have YA characters, the style is not pure YA except for a couple of stories.
🌹 The Latinx representation is apt in many of the stories. A few just stop at giving their characters a Latinx background, but the rest incorporate specific traditions into the story. The representation spans diverse Latinx cultures.
🌹 The authors are also from varied Latinx backgrounds, making this a 100% OwnVoices anthology. Love it!
One negative is that a few of the stories stray into content that I personally don’t like seeing in YA works: cuss words, drug use, underage drinking, and hints of sex.
As always, I rated the stories individually. Needless to say, my favourites were those stories that weren't overly YA in style and did complete justice to either the retelling task or the Latinx representation, sometimes both.
These are my favourites:
All in all, definitely an anthology worth trying. I must confess that I enjoyed it better because it was NOT a typical YA work. Actual YA readers might feel differently. Moreover, I always enjoy retellings that pay the perfect homage to their source material instead of being retellings merely in name. In that sense, this one was a winner.
A shoutout to the cover designer – What an excellent artwork that is perfect for every feature of this work!
3.7 stars, based on the average of my ratings for each story.
My thanks to Inkyard Press and NetGalley for the DRC of “Relit: 16 Latinx Remixes of Classic Stories”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My friends know that I don’t have any fondness for YA fiction. Its characters are usually so self-centred and whiny that I can’t stop rolling my eyes at them. However, the YA anthology subcategory has brought out story collections with some unusual and inclusive themes over the last couple of years. This anthology too appealed to me by virtue of its central intent and hence I grabbed it, despite the YA tag.
Luckily, the *risk* was much worth it. 😉
This collection of sixteen stories takes classic short stories, poems and fairy tales, and reimagines them in a new setting with Latinx characters at the helm. The original stories span a variety of styles: Frankenstein, Goldilocks, Pride & Prejudice, Theseus and the Minotaur, The Great Gatsby…! What a marvellous range! The spun-off tales also cover a variety of genres: dystopia, magical realism, science fiction, horror, mythology,…
It isn’t necessary for you to know the original classics. Each of these tales stands on its own merit as an independent story. However, I always love knowing the source of the retelling so that I can judge the modified version better. After all, if a story is promoted as a remix, the approach of reading it as a fresh tale instead of as a fresh take on an existing story won’t yield best results. I had already read fourteen of the original stories in this set, so I quickly read the remaining two (‘Bartleby the Scrivener’ by Herman Melville and ‘The Raven’ by Edgar Allan Poe) and went into this anthology fully prepared.
Here’s why the anthology really clicked for me:
🌹 The source material is mostly popular, and I enjoyed seeing some old favourites in the mix. (On second thought, I knew most of the original stories. I don’t know how many YAs would be familiar with these, especially the classics! Oh well!)
🌹 Right under the title of each story, there is a mention of the classic it retells. I wish every retelling anthology would follow this. It is so much more entertaining when we know the base plot and can hence experience a retelling as a ‘retelling’ instead of as wasting time trying to figure out the original story. (Which doesn’t even yield results when we aren't familiar with the original!)
🌹 The stories justify the word ‘retelling’ in every sense. This is not the kind of anthology where the original story structure is cloned in the retelling with just a minor change of setting, or where the retelling has been so twisted that you can’t see any sign of the foundational plot. Instead, in this anthology, a clear mark of the original tale is visible in the retelling, but there is also enough of novelty to make it seem like a fresh story. This is how retellings should be written. Kudos to most of the authors for handling their work well!
🌹 A majority of the stories are not typical YA in style. I, for one, was very relieved about this: no idiotic adults, no whining, no insta feelings, no shallow characters. Though the stories have YA characters, the style is not pure YA except for a couple of stories.
🌹 The Latinx representation is apt in many of the stories. A few just stop at giving their characters a Latinx background, but the rest incorporate specific traditions into the story. The representation spans diverse Latinx cultures.
🌹 The authors are also from varied Latinx backgrounds, making this a 100% OwnVoices anthology. Love it!
One negative is that a few of the stories stray into content that I personally don’t like seeing in YA works: cuss words, drug use, underage drinking, and hints of sex.
As always, I rated the stories individually. Needless to say, my favourites were those stories that weren't overly YA in style and did complete justice to either the retelling task or the Latinx representation, sometimes both.
These are my favourites:
🔥 Shame and Social Media - Anna Meriano: ‘Pride and Prejudice’ with pace and wit and a social cause and outer space. What's not to like? - 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
🔥 Break in Case of Persephone - Olivia Abtahi: ‘Persephone and Hades’ with the pomegranate but without the kidnapping. Loved the combination of detective fiction and Greek mythology! - 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
🔥 Thornfield - Monica Sanz: ‘Jane Eyre’ with a witchy twist. Though I could guess the ending, it was still amazing to read. - 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
🔥 La Cotorra Y El Flamboyán - Amparo Ortiz: One of my all-time favourite short stories, Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Nightingale and the Rose’ gets a fresh breath of life in this retelling. Knowing the original helped me realise where the story was going much in advance. But it still didn't prepare me for the ending. I actually went 'Oh, sh*t!' when I read the finale. Reader, I never go 'Oh, sh*t!' while reading fiction. - 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
🔥 Isla Bella - Ari Tison: Quite ironic that a novel that I found mostly boring – F. Scott Fitzgerald’s ‘The Great Gatsby’ inspired a spinoff that was mindblowing. I adored the indigenous rep in this story, which I probably why I went generous with my rating, though the story itself had more YA masala than I prefer. - 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
🔥 Evermore - NoNieqa Ramos: I read ‘The Raven’ specifically for this story, and it sure was worth it! Good as a retelling and fabulous with the gender identity theme. - 🌟🌟🌟🌟
🔥 Celia's Song - Jasminne Mendez: I enjoyed the strong Latinx flavour in this retelling of ‘The Little Mermaid.’ - 🌟🌟🌟🌟
All in all, definitely an anthology worth trying. I must confess that I enjoyed it better because it was NOT a typical YA work. Actual YA readers might feel differently. Moreover, I always enjoy retellings that pay the perfect homage to their source material instead of being retellings merely in name. In that sense, this one was a winner.
A shoutout to the cover designer – What an excellent artwork that is perfect for every feature of this work!
3.7 stars, based on the average of my ratings for each story.
My thanks to Inkyard Press and NetGalley for the DRC of “Relit: 16 Latinx Remixes of Classic Stories”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
February 26, 2024
I love the idea of latinx remixes of classic stories and myths, but unfortunately most of the stories were just ok in my opinion. I would still recommend it as a YA anthology though, because it covers lots of different topics and offers interesting perspectives. I guess there is something for everyone between space ships, sea ships, vampires, witches, mermaids, fox boys and more.
My favourite stories were by Amparo Ortiz (a remix of 'The Rose and the Nightingale') and Monica Sanz (a remix of 'Jane Eyre').
My favourite stories were by Amparo Ortiz (a remix of 'The Rose and the Nightingale') and Monica Sanz (a remix of 'Jane Eyre').
Read
January 31, 2024Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult Science Fiction, Short Stories, Collections & Anthologies
August 6, 2023
I am editing this AMAZING anthology filled with incredibly talented Latine writers taking on some of the most well-known Classics from Frankenstein to Beauty & the Beast. You won't want to miss this one!
May 6, 2024
I’m such a bad reader, because I forgot to give reading updates while I was reading this one! But later when I’m not tired I’ll give u guys my thoughts on this short story collection!! Really enjoyed it gave it 3.5 stars but 4 on goodreads cause they can’t do half stars yet
Read
April 3, 2024Only skimmed a few of the stories. Some clever ideas, but way too much content.
December 9, 2023
Sixteen stories by Latinx authors that remix classic literature featuring Latinx characters and experiences.
🌊
Outer space, mermaids, battles, Frankenstein, The Great Gatsby in Costa Rica, Goldilocks, Jane Eyre, Theseus and the Minotaur, Persephone & Hades, Beauty and the Beast and more!
🪐
This anthology was full of rich, culturally-driven stories with authentic points of view. Some horror, scifi, fantasy, mythology and more. Some of the stories even had me giggling. There’s something for everyone in this one. I cannot wait to get this in my middle school library when it releases February 6!
CW: death, violence, classism
🌊
Outer space, mermaids, battles, Frankenstein, The Great Gatsby in Costa Rica, Goldilocks, Jane Eyre, Theseus and the Minotaur, Persephone & Hades, Beauty and the Beast and more!
🪐
This anthology was full of rich, culturally-driven stories with authentic points of view. Some horror, scifi, fantasy, mythology and more. Some of the stories even had me giggling. There’s something for everyone in this one. I cannot wait to get this in my middle school library when it releases February 6!
CW: death, violence, classism
January 19, 2024
3 Stars
Middle-of-the-road is kind of my standard review for anthologies. I really love short story collections, but with so many authors wrapped up into one book, there are a lot of feelings... One of the things I adore about this book is how clearly the authors all took inspiration from their classic. A lot of "remixes" aren't really remixes at all, but these stories all pay an incredible homage to their originals... all while being wildly out there. This book is full of some crazy sci-fi and fantasy concepts, and the classics aren't all tried-and-true, either. There are some pretty obscure classics being respun here, and I really appreciate that. Not all of these stories worked for me. But the ones that got it right, really knocked it out of the park.
Anyway, there's more to be said here, and that all will be included in my full review at Gateway Reviews, publishing February 23, 2024. Check it out when it goes live!
Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
Middle-of-the-road is kind of my standard review for anthologies. I really love short story collections, but with so many authors wrapped up into one book, there are a lot of feelings... One of the things I adore about this book is how clearly the authors all took inspiration from their classic. A lot of "remixes" aren't really remixes at all, but these stories all pay an incredible homage to their originals... all while being wildly out there. This book is full of some crazy sci-fi and fantasy concepts, and the classics aren't all tried-and-true, either. There are some pretty obscure classics being respun here, and I really appreciate that. Not all of these stories worked for me. But the ones that got it right, really knocked it out of the park.
Anyway, there's more to be said here, and that all will be included in my full review at Gateway Reviews, publishing February 23, 2024. Check it out when it goes live!
Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
August 27, 2023
Uplifting, magical, awesome. Three words to describe a book full of stories that made me feel connected to the writers and their cultures. My son is from Central America and I'm always looking for books I think he'd enjoy. I'm going to be buying a copy when available! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
February 9, 2024
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy for an honest review.
3.5 stars
My favourite stories were:
La Cotorra Y El Flamboyán - Amparo Ortiz (A re-telling of The Nightingale and the Rose - Oscar Wilde)
Isla Bella - Ari Tison (A re-telling of The Great Gatsby)
Evermore - NoNieqa Ramos (A re-telling of The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe)
3.5 stars
My favourite stories were:
La Cotorra Y El Flamboyán - Amparo Ortiz (A re-telling of The Nightingale and the Rose - Oscar Wilde)
Isla Bella - Ari Tison (A re-telling of The Great Gatsby)
Evermore - NoNieqa Ramos (A re-telling of The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe)
March 27, 2024
Relit is a very cool collection of retellings with LatinX voices and stories. Lots of these stand out but I really enjoyed the Pride and Prejudice retelling and the Beauty and the Beast retelling. I'll definitely be looking into more of these authors work in the future.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.
March 20, 2024
*4 Stars*
Summary: The first anthology I’ve read that I actually liked most of the stories in! So refreshing to read about these classics remade with Latino/Hispanic characters. I enjoyed about 11 of the stories here, and definitely plan on getting my hands on a physical copy. There are a lot of unique takes and remixes on the sources, more about each specifically below!
Shame and Social Media (Pride and Prejudice):
4.5 stars
Off to a good start! I don’t know if it’s because I know and love the P&P story but this remix was super cute! This was written through transcripts of vlogs and takes place in a sci-fi future where people live in a massive ship on their way to a new planet. I would love a full length novel written in prose about this, maybe even just a novella! That way we could get to learn more about Darcy, since this relies heavily on the source text, I think. Still super cute with great topics discussed.
Break in Case of Persephone (Myth of Hades and Persephone):
2.5 stars
This story was really rather mid, unfortunately. The world building was very confusing, and there really wasn’t any explanation to it which didn’t help. It was some weird combination of sci-fi tech with mythology…? It didn’t work in the way this was written, in my opinion. There was a lot of lore that was needed and didn't get explained. Apparently Persephone and Demeter are reincarnations? Or descendants? Or magic users? I've got no clue! How did the curse of the pomegranate even happen? I also thought that the character development was a bit rushed, for both of the MCs and their relationship.
Thornfield (Jane Eyre):
5 stars
I’ve never read Jane Eyre, but I absolutely loved this story, so I’ll have to pick it up! The magic system was great, as were the characters and the world they live in. It all felt very real, and I would love to read what happens next to these characters. In such a short amount of time the author had me caring about them, worrying for their lives, and creeped out by the world!
La Cotorra y el Flamboyán (The Nightingale and the Rose):
4 stars
Another source I’m not familiar with, but I liked this one! It didn’t have a happy ending which I’m 100% mad about lol, but they do include hope for the future of the characters. This one had a neat magic system, with shapeshifters and evil witches and even a Snow White-esque theme to it. I would also love for this story to continue!
Goldi and the Three Bodies (Goldilocks and the Three Bears):
1 star
The first big disappointment lol. It’s not badly written, but it most definitely just isn’t my taste. It’s a vampire story, and the escalation of violence was so quick I almost had whiplash. We’re not meant to like the MC (I think), which is fine, but I want her to get her comeuppance, and she doesn’t in the timeline of the story, so. I would definitely read a spinoff book about her friend learning she’s a vampire and having to fight and take her down. Sign me up for that story!
This Mortal Coil (Hamlet):
1 star
Yeah, I don’t know what happened here. The story felt very macho-man, poorly written, and very info-dumpy, especially for a short story. There was a lot of telling over showing, making everything that happened super dull and boring to read about, even when they were talking about adultery and murder and political conspiracies and pregnancies like ugh I just could not care, because apparently the MC couldn’t either! There were no emotions on the page at all, and oh my gosh — this takes place in a futuristic society living on Mars. Hebrew and English are still languages in this time period, but not… Spanish? Every time the characters would speak “Spanish” it was written in a whitewashed way, like “grasyas” instead of gracias and “te kyero miho” instead of te quiero mijo, or “yo tammen” instead of yo tambien. I literally could not fathom WHY the author chose to write it this way, I ground my teeth every time it happened. Which was a lot. And I’ve had experience transforming Spanish into a fantasy dialect, it’s 100% possible to do so while keeping the soul of the language!!! Also, the character randomly had a pompadour pftttt. And just the cherry on top was that you could just tell this was written by a man. I’ll leave it with this quote:
”The weeks went by. School, work, sex. Humans fall so easily into routine, which blots out emotional spikes and mysteries. Occasionally, I would make a half hearted attempt at understanding the strange rectangle of plastic my father left me, but my time was occupied by love, final exams, the need to fool those I mistrusted.” CONTEXT: His father died a month ago and he suspects his uncle. Is he going to do anything about it? No, he’s just going to have sex, because apparently humans just fall into that routine.
#Ace
June and the Fox Boy (Beauty and the Beast):
5 stars
I really needed this after the previous one lol. It read like a Disney movie, it was so cute and pure, such a great take on the source. It is a bit rushed, but I can chalk that up to it being a short story (but give me the full book now please!!) This one really made me feel how special it is to read about main characters who are POC, and not only POC, but Latino! So refreshing and so sorely needed. The magic system in this was cool, and the fox transformation was a neat idea.
Prefiero No (Bartleby, the Scrivener):
4 stars
Another where I wasn’t familiar with the source! This story did start a bit slow for me, and I was wondering for a while where it was going. There were a few overdramatic/unrealistic things in the beginning in regards to people making fun of the MC’s art, but then the story took a dark/melancholic turn, and when I found out the plot twist it picked up from there. It was beautifully written and super sweet.
Trespassers Will Be… (Theseus and the Minotaur):
2.5 stars
This one was weird. The inner narration quickly became repetitive with the MC letting us know over and over again what the situation was. Like okay, we get it. It was also annoying because you could clearly tell this was written by someone who doesn’t know what teens are like right now — seeing as how the kid was getting bullied for liking Guardians of the Galaxy and Stranger Things… and he called both of them “not mainstream…?” Okay… I was initially excited about this story because I thought we’d finally get a sympathetic take on the minotaur (justice for the mino!) but they just made him a racist and abusive white man lmaoo. The story also ends pretty anti-climactically with no questions answered or solved so, there’s that.
Isla Bella (The Great Gatsby):
5 stars
The concept was really well realized, I felt like I was actually on the islands with the characters! It gave me Jurassic Park meets The Great Gatsby and, strangely, Dark Shadows lol. It was very haunting and celebratory of indigenous voices. There was a point though where they compared the Gatbsy figure to Columbus and the colonizers, saying she was no better than them, but… This woman bought and developed land, yes, but she wasn’t raping and murdering people and committing genocide. It was just a bit weird to compare what Columbus did with this character. Aside from that, I really loved this story!
Evermore (The Raven):
1 star
I absolutely hated this one. It dragged. It made me seriously not want to pick up the book just to not have this story on my shelf lol. Just refer to my updates on this one because it was a lot (about 64-71%). It was boring, tried to do too many things that I lost track of, and followed a similar structure to the first story, but through “mind maps” of characters that were just poems… The story was very negative and backward, weirdly, since it takes place 70 years in the future. The main character was also willing to manipulate her mom (who has Alzheimers) and abuse her with overmedication (that actually burned her) and yeah, I couldn’t take this one. Lots of trigger warnings for this one, I think, as the characters kept thinking their problems could be solved with suicide. I can’t believe a story told in verse dragged so long.
Celia’s Song (The Little Mermaid):
5 stars
Another one I sorely needed. This was a really unique take on the story and I loved the magic and the vibes. This one managed to make you care more for the sisters than most adaptations. I loved the sea witch and the concept of a golden heart and emotions that controlled the weather. No romance in this one, just sisterly love!
Esmeralda (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight):
4.5 stars
I’m going to have to look up the source for this because I was super confused by the ending lol. Also, the character is never described until halfway through which made them hard to picture, but the world and environment descriptions were super lush, so there was no trouble there. This was really, truly beautifully written, but it might need repeat reads to truly understand for me. Loved it!
Twenty Thousand Leagues Away from Me (Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea):
5 stars
Loved this one! It was way better than the last retelling of this story I read lol. This is another future, post-apocalyptic world where the sun burns and the water overtook much of the coasts. It was very realistically done, and I loved the main character and his bond with his adoptive parents and the baby whale.
Heart of the Sea (Frankenstein):
5 stars
Similar to the previous one, this took place in a post-apocalyptic future in which NYC has been completely submerged underwater. The inner monologue of the “monster” which is a cyborg-mermaid in this one, was beautiful and melancholic. I loved the description of the undersea world. The Frankenstein character is depicted as the bad guy in this, but I feel like this version of him deserved at least a tiny bit of sympathy. He was a boy alone at the end of the world and tried to make companions, even if he wanted them to work for him. I feel like a full novel could really delve into both the characters’ psyches and complicated relationship together.
Tesoro (The Old Man and the Sea):
4.5 stars
This was another really interesting take, and another post-apocalyptic world that was set in the desert of Las Vegas instead, where the water has dried up. I’d love to spend more time in this world, too. I thought all of the characters felt real and really respected the main character’s grit.
Overall, I really enjoyed this collection! I loved so many of the stories that the ones that I didn’t don’t outweigh it. I really recommend this to anyone who needs more Latino characters and stories in their reading :)
Summary: The first anthology I’ve read that I actually liked most of the stories in! So refreshing to read about these classics remade with Latino/Hispanic characters. I enjoyed about 11 of the stories here, and definitely plan on getting my hands on a physical copy. There are a lot of unique takes and remixes on the sources, more about each specifically below!
Shame and Social Media (Pride and Prejudice):
4.5 stars
Off to a good start! I don’t know if it’s because I know and love the P&P story but this remix was super cute! This was written through transcripts of vlogs and takes place in a sci-fi future where people live in a massive ship on their way to a new planet. I would love a full length novel written in prose about this, maybe even just a novella! That way we could get to learn more about Darcy, since this relies heavily on the source text, I think. Still super cute with great topics discussed.
Break in Case of Persephone (Myth of Hades and Persephone):
2.5 stars
This story was really rather mid, unfortunately. The world building was very confusing, and there really wasn’t any explanation to it which didn’t help. It was some weird combination of sci-fi tech with mythology…? It didn’t work in the way this was written, in my opinion. There was a lot of lore that was needed and didn't get explained. Apparently Persephone and Demeter are reincarnations? Or descendants? Or magic users? I've got no clue! How did the curse of the pomegranate even happen? I also thought that the character development was a bit rushed, for both of the MCs and their relationship.
Thornfield (Jane Eyre):
5 stars
I’ve never read Jane Eyre, but I absolutely loved this story, so I’ll have to pick it up! The magic system was great, as were the characters and the world they live in. It all felt very real, and I would love to read what happens next to these characters. In such a short amount of time the author had me caring about them, worrying for their lives, and creeped out by the world!
La Cotorra y el Flamboyán (The Nightingale and the Rose):
4 stars
Another source I’m not familiar with, but I liked this one! It didn’t have a happy ending which I’m 100% mad about lol, but they do include hope for the future of the characters. This one had a neat magic system, with shapeshifters and evil witches and even a Snow White-esque theme to it. I would also love for this story to continue!
Goldi and the Three Bodies (Goldilocks and the Three Bears):
1 star
The first big disappointment lol. It’s not badly written, but it most definitely just isn’t my taste. It’s a vampire story, and the escalation of violence was so quick I almost had whiplash. We’re not meant to like the MC (I think), which is fine, but I want her to get her comeuppance, and she doesn’t in the timeline of the story, so. I would definitely read a spinoff book about her friend learning she’s a vampire and having to fight and take her down. Sign me up for that story!
This Mortal Coil (Hamlet):
1 star
Yeah, I don’t know what happened here. The story felt very macho-man, poorly written, and very info-dumpy, especially for a short story. There was a lot of telling over showing, making everything that happened super dull and boring to read about, even when they were talking about adultery and murder and political conspiracies and pregnancies like ugh I just could not care, because apparently the MC couldn’t either! There were no emotions on the page at all, and oh my gosh — this takes place in a futuristic society living on Mars. Hebrew and English are still languages in this time period, but not… Spanish? Every time the characters would speak “Spanish” it was written in a whitewashed way, like “grasyas” instead of gracias and “te kyero miho” instead of te quiero mijo, or “yo tammen” instead of yo tambien. I literally could not fathom WHY the author chose to write it this way, I ground my teeth every time it happened. Which was a lot. And I’ve had experience transforming Spanish into a fantasy dialect, it’s 100% possible to do so while keeping the soul of the language!!! Also, the character randomly had a pompadour pftttt. And just the cherry on top was that you could just tell this was written by a man. I’ll leave it with this quote:
”The weeks went by. School, work, sex. Humans fall so easily into routine, which blots out emotional spikes and mysteries. Occasionally, I would make a half hearted attempt at understanding the strange rectangle of plastic my father left me, but my time was occupied by love, final exams, the need to fool those I mistrusted.” CONTEXT: His father died a month ago and he suspects his uncle. Is he going to do anything about it? No, he’s just going to have sex, because apparently humans just fall into that routine.
#Ace
June and the Fox Boy (Beauty and the Beast):
5 stars
I really needed this after the previous one lol. It read like a Disney movie, it was so cute and pure, such a great take on the source. It is a bit rushed, but I can chalk that up to it being a short story (but give me the full book now please!!) This one really made me feel how special it is to read about main characters who are POC, and not only POC, but Latino! So refreshing and so sorely needed. The magic system in this was cool, and the fox transformation was a neat idea.
Prefiero No (Bartleby, the Scrivener):
4 stars
Another where I wasn’t familiar with the source! This story did start a bit slow for me, and I was wondering for a while where it was going. There were a few overdramatic/unrealistic things in the beginning in regards to people making fun of the MC’s art, but then the story took a dark/melancholic turn, and when I found out the plot twist it picked up from there. It was beautifully written and super sweet.
Trespassers Will Be… (Theseus and the Minotaur):
2.5 stars
This one was weird. The inner narration quickly became repetitive with the MC letting us know over and over again what the situation was. Like okay, we get it. It was also annoying because you could clearly tell this was written by someone who doesn’t know what teens are like right now — seeing as how the kid was getting bullied for liking Guardians of the Galaxy and Stranger Things… and he called both of them “not mainstream…?” Okay… I was initially excited about this story because I thought we’d finally get a sympathetic take on the minotaur (justice for the mino!) but they just made him a racist and abusive white man lmaoo. The story also ends pretty anti-climactically with no questions answered or solved so, there’s that.
Isla Bella (The Great Gatsby):
5 stars
The concept was really well realized, I felt like I was actually on the islands with the characters! It gave me Jurassic Park meets The Great Gatsby and, strangely, Dark Shadows lol. It was very haunting and celebratory of indigenous voices. There was a point though where they compared the Gatbsy figure to Columbus and the colonizers, saying she was no better than them, but… This woman bought and developed land, yes, but she wasn’t raping and murdering people and committing genocide. It was just a bit weird to compare what Columbus did with this character. Aside from that, I really loved this story!
Evermore (The Raven):
1 star
I absolutely hated this one. It dragged. It made me seriously not want to pick up the book just to not have this story on my shelf lol. Just refer to my updates on this one because it was a lot (about 64-71%). It was boring, tried to do too many things that I lost track of, and followed a similar structure to the first story, but through “mind maps” of characters that were just poems… The story was very negative and backward, weirdly, since it takes place 70 years in the future. The main character was also willing to manipulate her mom (who has Alzheimers) and abuse her with overmedication (that actually burned her) and yeah, I couldn’t take this one. Lots of trigger warnings for this one, I think, as the characters kept thinking their problems could be solved with suicide. I can’t believe a story told in verse dragged so long.
Celia’s Song (The Little Mermaid):
5 stars
Another one I sorely needed. This was a really unique take on the story and I loved the magic and the vibes. This one managed to make you care more for the sisters than most adaptations. I loved the sea witch and the concept of a golden heart and emotions that controlled the weather. No romance in this one, just sisterly love!
Esmeralda (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight):
4.5 stars
I’m going to have to look up the source for this because I was super confused by the ending lol. Also, the character is never described until halfway through which made them hard to picture, but the world and environment descriptions were super lush, so there was no trouble there. This was really, truly beautifully written, but it might need repeat reads to truly understand for me. Loved it!
Twenty Thousand Leagues Away from Me (Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea):
5 stars
Loved this one! It was way better than the last retelling of this story I read lol. This is another future, post-apocalyptic world where the sun burns and the water overtook much of the coasts. It was very realistically done, and I loved the main character and his bond with his adoptive parents and the baby whale.
Heart of the Sea (Frankenstein):
5 stars
Similar to the previous one, this took place in a post-apocalyptic future in which NYC has been completely submerged underwater. The inner monologue of the “monster” which is a cyborg-mermaid in this one, was beautiful and melancholic. I loved the description of the undersea world. The Frankenstein character is depicted as the bad guy in this, but I feel like this version of him deserved at least a tiny bit of sympathy. He was a boy alone at the end of the world and tried to make companions, even if he wanted them to work for him. I feel like a full novel could really delve into both the characters’ psyches and complicated relationship together.
Tesoro (The Old Man and the Sea):
4.5 stars
This was another really interesting take, and another post-apocalyptic world that was set in the desert of Las Vegas instead, where the water has dried up. I’d love to spend more time in this world, too. I thought all of the characters felt real and really respected the main character’s grit.
Overall, I really enjoyed this collection! I loved so many of the stories that the ones that I didn’t don’t outweigh it. I really recommend this to anyone who needs more Latino characters and stories in their reading :)
March 1, 2024
Thanks to Harper360YA for providing me with an ARC!
Fantasy short stories are some of the hardest out there to write. You're creative space is already very limited, so to have to build an entire world, magic system, and cast of characters while also retaining a coherent plot, all in about 15 pages? In my opinion, it's nearly impossible. As a result, my favorites from this collection were mainly the sci-fi or magical realism stories, while the rest I found to be a bit lacking or confusing.
My highlights were:
➳ Shame and Social Media by Anna Meriano
➳ This Mortal Coil by David Bowles
➳ Isla Bella by Ari Tison
➳ Twenty Thousand Leagues Away From Me by Eric Smith
I'm glad I read it and if you normally enjoy short story anthologies, then I would definitely recommend checking this one out! I just struggled when it came to the fantasy stories as I didn't feel like there was enough space for them to be properly fleshed out. Happy Reading :)
Fantasy short stories are some of the hardest out there to write. You're creative space is already very limited, so to have to build an entire world, magic system, and cast of characters while also retaining a coherent plot, all in about 15 pages? In my opinion, it's nearly impossible. As a result, my favorites from this collection were mainly the sci-fi or magical realism stories, while the rest I found to be a bit lacking or confusing.
My highlights were:
➳ Shame and Social Media by Anna Meriano
➳ This Mortal Coil by David Bowles
➳ Isla Bella by Ari Tison
➳ Twenty Thousand Leagues Away From Me by Eric Smith
I'm glad I read it and if you normally enjoy short story anthologies, then I would definitely recommend checking this one out! I just struggled when it came to the fantasy stories as I didn't feel like there was enough space for them to be properly fleshed out. Happy Reading :)
January 26, 2024
*Thank you to Inkyard Press and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Relit: 16 Latinx Remixes of Classic Stories is a beautiful rendition of Latinx culture, with tons of diversity and variety. All inspired by a ton of classics that now have a fresh and diverse twist. Each story is fully indicative of Latinx culture, which is vast and unique on its own, and every story brings a new perspective into it. Of the stories I already know I felt they did a great job of portraying them while being fresh, and of those I did not know, each story made me curious to go read the original.
Although each story holds their own to stand out in some way, the ones that are most memorable for me is, 'Thornfield: A Remix of Jane Eyre' by Monica Sanz, 'Isla Bella: A Remix of The Great Gatsby' by Ari Tison, and 'Twenty Thousand Leagues Away From Me: A Remix of Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea' by Eric Smith. Thornfield is a standout for me in that it felt like a fully developed novel in such few pages. Each story has that element but this one is still so vivid in my mind and felt like a much longer journey. Isla Bella had such stunning, vivid prose. I felt as if I could see every image and the story has stayed with me. It was also incredible to get an Indigenous perspective into Latinx culture. Twenty Thousand Leagues Away From Me was by far the most emotional, really tugging at my heartstrings. It was both the most difficult to read and the most driven in feeling. The symbolism between the main character and the calf was phenomenal.
Despite having my personal favorites, each story did have elements that I think other readers will love. For example, 'Shame and Social Media' was very unique in storytelling, and did a wonderful job in opening up this collection. 'La Cotorra y el Flamboyán' offered an unexpected ending that was both conclusive and open ended. 'Juna and the Fox Boy' took a beloved children's classic and managed to stray far from its roots while remaining close enough to the story that the comparisons are unmistakable. 'Evermore' includes poetry that feels on par with 'The Raven' and offered a beautiful flow to the story. And every story in between had wonderful lessons and representation, from queer characters to Afro-Latinx characters.
The only reason I did not give a full five stars was because a few of the stories felt a little tonally different from the core tone. By this I mean that each story fit in terms of representation, but some of these stories can get really dark with difficult topics and I felt there were a few that in comparison would be better suited for middle grade. Despite this, I do think some readers will appreciate this because it really breaks up the intensity and allows you to ebb and flow with the collection.
Overall, this is a stand out collection with really incredible authors who I am now eager to read more from!
Rep: Bi mcs, WLW mcs/scs, Persian sc, Sephardic sc, Afro-Latinx scs, Indigenous MCs, Trans MC, nonbinary MC.
Relit: 16 Latinx Remixes of Classic Stories is a beautiful rendition of Latinx culture, with tons of diversity and variety. All inspired by a ton of classics that now have a fresh and diverse twist. Each story is fully indicative of Latinx culture, which is vast and unique on its own, and every story brings a new perspective into it. Of the stories I already know I felt they did a great job of portraying them while being fresh, and of those I did not know, each story made me curious to go read the original.
Although each story holds their own to stand out in some way, the ones that are most memorable for me is, 'Thornfield: A Remix of Jane Eyre' by Monica Sanz, 'Isla Bella: A Remix of The Great Gatsby' by Ari Tison, and 'Twenty Thousand Leagues Away From Me: A Remix of Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea' by Eric Smith. Thornfield is a standout for me in that it felt like a fully developed novel in such few pages. Each story has that element but this one is still so vivid in my mind and felt like a much longer journey. Isla Bella had such stunning, vivid prose. I felt as if I could see every image and the story has stayed with me. It was also incredible to get an Indigenous perspective into Latinx culture. Twenty Thousand Leagues Away From Me was by far the most emotional, really tugging at my heartstrings. It was both the most difficult to read and the most driven in feeling. The symbolism between the main character and the calf was phenomenal.
Despite having my personal favorites, each story did have elements that I think other readers will love. For example, 'Shame and Social Media' was very unique in storytelling, and did a wonderful job in opening up this collection. 'La Cotorra y el Flamboyán' offered an unexpected ending that was both conclusive and open ended. 'Juna and the Fox Boy' took a beloved children's classic and managed to stray far from its roots while remaining close enough to the story that the comparisons are unmistakable. 'Evermore' includes poetry that feels on par with 'The Raven' and offered a beautiful flow to the story. And every story in between had wonderful lessons and representation, from queer characters to Afro-Latinx characters.
The only reason I did not give a full five stars was because a few of the stories felt a little tonally different from the core tone. By this I mean that each story fit in terms of representation, but some of these stories can get really dark with difficult topics and I felt there were a few that in comparison would be better suited for middle grade. Despite this, I do think some readers will appreciate this because it really breaks up the intensity and allows you to ebb and flow with the collection.
Overall, this is a stand out collection with really incredible authors who I am now eager to read more from!
Rep: Bi mcs, WLW mcs/scs, Persian sc, Sephardic sc, Afro-Latinx scs, Indigenous MCs, Trans MC, nonbinary MC.
February 18, 2024
This is a beautiful book filled with beautiful stories. All of these stories are deeply emotional in one way or another, and they are sure to make a lasting impact on the reader. There are multiple stories that in my personal opinion are even better stories than the originals. My personal favorite is "Juna and the Fox Boy: A Remix of Beauty and the Beast" by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland, though also Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite stories. I cried in this remix. I loved everything about that story, but especially the two main characters and their personalities. Every story, however, is exceptional. Some of them really ought to be made into full length books of their own, and I hope they are some day. This is an essential purchase for public libraries, and it will find many devoted fans among readers of all ages.
January 14, 2024
This collection of short stories reimagines many classic tales that are told from a Latinx perspective and does so in a way that makes you wish these were the original stories. Every single story had well developed characters that went beyond their classic inspirations and the stories themselves were unique and so beautiful to read. I really enjoyed that there were focuses on many of the indigenous communities and their cultures, especially their relationship to their native lands. This is by far the best collection of classic stories reimagined I have ever read.
Thank you NetGalley and Inkyard Press for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you NetGalley and Inkyard Press for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 20, 2024
3/5 Stars
TL;DR - An interesting anthology with a little bit of everything, from sci-fi to magical realism to some stories that border on horror. Ended up being more lukewarm for me than anything, but a few stories stood out.
Big thanks to Inkyard Press and NetGalley for providing the ARC for this book in exchange for an honest review!
***Trigger Warnings for: persecution by Christians, mentions of attempted rape, racism, homophobia, transphobia, and attempted suicide.***
‘Relit’ is an anthology of “remixed” short stories with Latinx characters taking center stage. From fairy tales to classics re-imagined with sci-fi and fantasy twists, this anthology will certainly surprise you.
So, anthologies are always a mixed bag, but this one ended up being pretty ‘meh’ for me. I really wish I’d liked it more - I LOVE retellings, especially when changing up the genre - but overall, this was just middle of the road for me at best.
As I read, I gave each individual story its own score out of five stars, and the aggregate ended up around 2.5, but I rounded up to 3 because I did really enjoy a few of the stories. The total count comes in at four 1-stars, four 2-stars, five 3-stars, and three 4-stars, with no stories that I felt earned 5 stars, for a total of 16. The 1-stars were hardcore 1s, poorly written to the point that I skimmed most of them, the 2-stars were average in craft but poor in execution, the 3-stars were solidly mid across the board, and the 4-stars were pretty good overall. Nothing really captured me and earned a 5-star, though, which is disappointing.
Genres are mainly sci-fi and fantasy, though I would say “magical realism” is a better term than fantasy in most cases. There are a few that skirt the line into horror, which I liked.
‘Thornfield’ by Monica Sanz is easily my favorite, and this is me officially begging the author to turn this into a full novel - I would devour that in a heartbeat, take all my money. I also really enjoyed ‘Prefiero No’ by Alexandra Villasante and ‘Isla Bella’ by Ari Tison.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, not my favorite anthology, though there were a few diamonds in the rough. Might be a nice way to spend a few minutes a day if you have some free time on your lunch break or riding the bus or something. Fine for one read-through, but I won’t be purchasing a physical copy.
TL;DR - An interesting anthology with a little bit of everything, from sci-fi to magical realism to some stories that border on horror. Ended up being more lukewarm for me than anything, but a few stories stood out.
Big thanks to Inkyard Press and NetGalley for providing the ARC for this book in exchange for an honest review!
***Trigger Warnings for: persecution by Christians, mentions of attempted rape, racism, homophobia, transphobia, and attempted suicide.***
‘Relit’ is an anthology of “remixed” short stories with Latinx characters taking center stage. From fairy tales to classics re-imagined with sci-fi and fantasy twists, this anthology will certainly surprise you.
So, anthologies are always a mixed bag, but this one ended up being pretty ‘meh’ for me. I really wish I’d liked it more - I LOVE retellings, especially when changing up the genre - but overall, this was just middle of the road for me at best.
As I read, I gave each individual story its own score out of five stars, and the aggregate ended up around 2.5, but I rounded up to 3 because I did really enjoy a few of the stories. The total count comes in at four 1-stars, four 2-stars, five 3-stars, and three 4-stars, with no stories that I felt earned 5 stars, for a total of 16. The 1-stars were hardcore 1s, poorly written to the point that I skimmed most of them, the 2-stars were average in craft but poor in execution, the 3-stars were solidly mid across the board, and the 4-stars were pretty good overall. Nothing really captured me and earned a 5-star, though, which is disappointing.
Genres are mainly sci-fi and fantasy, though I would say “magical realism” is a better term than fantasy in most cases. There are a few that skirt the line into horror, which I liked.
‘Thornfield’ by Monica Sanz is easily my favorite, and this is me officially begging the author to turn this into a full novel - I would devour that in a heartbeat, take all my money. I also really enjoyed ‘Prefiero No’ by Alexandra Villasante and ‘Isla Bella’ by Ari Tison.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, not my favorite anthology, though there were a few diamonds in the rough. Might be a nice way to spend a few minutes a day if you have some free time on your lunch break or riding the bus or something. Fine for one read-through, but I won’t be purchasing a physical copy.
February 5, 2024
One look at the beautiful cover of this book, and I was smitten. This is an absolute stunner of a book, featuring writing by remarkable Latine writers, including the amazing David Bowles, who was the most familiar name to me when I picked up this anthology.
The anthology form is one that I think works particularly well for YA readers. The reader can pick and choose which stories they want to engage with. These stories are quick treats, like Forrest Gump’s fabled “box of chocolates”. You never know quite what you’re going to get. And that is the magic and the joy of this collection.
The opening story, Shame and Social Media (a twist on Pride and Prejudice) is one of the stronger entries in the collection. It takes that fabulous Lizzie Bennett spirit, and pulls it thoroughly unexpectedly into the future, with Isabel Bernal building a social media campaign around housing inequity on a spaceship. The tone that Anna Meriano builds in Isabel’s posts is just snarky enough, and the Darcy character actually gets to have some personality, which has always been one of the flaws of the original story for me.
Another standout from the collection is Sariciea J Fennell’s Goldi and the Three Bodies, if only for its audacity. Pull Alessia Cara’s “Here” up on your playlist while you read this one. Let’s just say that you don’t want to be the one that Goldi thinks is “just right”. For your readers who want a little creep with their joy, this story might be a great fit.
What will your students enjoy? Students will appreciate being able to pick and choose from this collection. Because there are stories like The Great Gatsby being riffed on here, this would also be a terrific companion for high school English classes. You could also have a lot of fun with a library display - pairing Uzma Jalaluddin’s Ayesha at Last with Pride and Prejudice and the first story in this collection. If your students (or colleagues) are looking for Bishop’s “mirrors, windows and sliding glass doors”, there are lots of openings into the Latine community here.
Thanks to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for the e-arc.
The anthology form is one that I think works particularly well for YA readers. The reader can pick and choose which stories they want to engage with. These stories are quick treats, like Forrest Gump’s fabled “box of chocolates”. You never know quite what you’re going to get. And that is the magic and the joy of this collection.
The opening story, Shame and Social Media (a twist on Pride and Prejudice) is one of the stronger entries in the collection. It takes that fabulous Lizzie Bennett spirit, and pulls it thoroughly unexpectedly into the future, with Isabel Bernal building a social media campaign around housing inequity on a spaceship. The tone that Anna Meriano builds in Isabel’s posts is just snarky enough, and the Darcy character actually gets to have some personality, which has always been one of the flaws of the original story for me.
Another standout from the collection is Sariciea J Fennell’s Goldi and the Three Bodies, if only for its audacity. Pull Alessia Cara’s “Here” up on your playlist while you read this one. Let’s just say that you don’t want to be the one that Goldi thinks is “just right”. For your readers who want a little creep with their joy, this story might be a great fit.
What will your students enjoy? Students will appreciate being able to pick and choose from this collection. Because there are stories like The Great Gatsby being riffed on here, this would also be a terrific companion for high school English classes. You could also have a lot of fun with a library display - pairing Uzma Jalaluddin’s Ayesha at Last with Pride and Prejudice and the first story in this collection. If your students (or colleagues) are looking for Bishop’s “mirrors, windows and sliding glass doors”, there are lots of openings into the Latine community here.
Thanks to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for the e-arc.
February 5, 2024
The familiar becomes unfamiliar in Relit. A collection of short stories inspired by American classics and childhood fairy tales. Each story is written by a notable young adult author. Despite the different story and writing styles, each story explores the theme of resilience and belonging in a world that doesn’t always want you. The goal of the book was to show readers that everyone is the hero of their own story, and based on the fantastic battles and adventures within the time, the authors and editor achieved that.
With any collection of short stories with multiple authors, there is a different way to share the story. Each story had a unique style some came across as rushed and juvenile (Beauty and the Beast retelling) others have complex layers (The Raven retelling). Seeing a diverse collection of writing styles was enjoyable, it made me adapt and focus on each story while learning what styles I enjoy or don’t. This also creates more points of access for readers. With each new style comes the possibility of a reader connecting to it or enjoying it more.
I highly, highly recommend this book. The diversity of writing style and characters allow each reader to create a personal connection with the material. Imaginative retellings of classics allow for a future in which all ways of life can be represented in literature, and help readers find themselves in the books. Retellings let readers interact with the important messages contained in the original language, but in a manner that is more enjoyable and personal to them.
An example of said personal connection comes from my favourite character, Lenore. In the retelling of “The Raven”, the reader meets Lenore. This character (and their author) has completely changed how I will read my favorite poem. The complex retelling of the popular poem has taught me to never read literature the same way each time. Everything you open a book, it's a brand new story.
With any collection of short stories with multiple authors, there is a different way to share the story. Each story had a unique style some came across as rushed and juvenile (Beauty and the Beast retelling) others have complex layers (The Raven retelling). Seeing a diverse collection of writing styles was enjoyable, it made me adapt and focus on each story while learning what styles I enjoy or don’t. This also creates more points of access for readers. With each new style comes the possibility of a reader connecting to it or enjoying it more.
I highly, highly recommend this book. The diversity of writing style and characters allow each reader to create a personal connection with the material. Imaginative retellings of classics allow for a future in which all ways of life can be represented in literature, and help readers find themselves in the books. Retellings let readers interact with the important messages contained in the original language, but in a manner that is more enjoyable and personal to them.
An example of said personal connection comes from my favourite character, Lenore. In the retelling of “The Raven”, the reader meets Lenore. This character (and their author) has completely changed how I will read my favorite poem. The complex retelling of the popular poem has taught me to never read literature the same way each time. Everything you open a book, it's a brand new story.
February 18, 2024
I love anthologies as a way to introduce me to new authors. A try before you commit to a full book.
So a collection of Latinx authors doing SFF retellings of classic stories? Perfect.
I knew many of the classic stories, but some were completely new and it's nice to have some with expectations and going into others having no idea where they're going to go.
As with most anthologies I think it's hard for them to get 5 stars as it's inevitable some stories I'll love, some ill like and some won't be for me.
Out of the 16 stories I didn't hate any, but a few were a little dull or felt unsatisfying.
My favourites were :
❤️SHAME AND SOCIAL MEDIA
a remix of Pride and Prejudice by Anna Meriano
-loved this futuristic take on a story I know very well. The inherited lodgings in a space ship was a very clever way of keeping the original essence.
🧡THORNFIELD
a remix of Jane Eyre by Monica Sanz
-Loved this witchy story. I could have had a full novel of this. Knowing the original story did mean you could see the end coming but an excellent twist to this story.
💛LA COTORRA Y EL FLAMBOY
a remix of “Bartleby, the Scrivener” by Alexandra Villasante
-i don't know this classic story but this retelling was beautiful and surprising.
💚EVERMORE
a remix of “The Raven” by NoNieqa Ramos
Well this was such a surprise! I don't know the full poem but I am aware of parts of it. I didn't think I'd like the prose but it was so so good. The story was moving and gripping .
I'll now be checking out the other books by these authors.
I would highly recommend this book to those who want to diversify the authors on their shelves, who love retellings, or want to try some new authors..
So a collection of Latinx authors doing SFF retellings of classic stories? Perfect.
I knew many of the classic stories, but some were completely new and it's nice to have some with expectations and going into others having no idea where they're going to go.
As with most anthologies I think it's hard for them to get 5 stars as it's inevitable some stories I'll love, some ill like and some won't be for me.
Out of the 16 stories I didn't hate any, but a few were a little dull or felt unsatisfying.
My favourites were :
❤️SHAME AND SOCIAL MEDIA
a remix of Pride and Prejudice by Anna Meriano
-loved this futuristic take on a story I know very well. The inherited lodgings in a space ship was a very clever way of keeping the original essence.
🧡THORNFIELD
a remix of Jane Eyre by Monica Sanz
-Loved this witchy story. I could have had a full novel of this. Knowing the original story did mean you could see the end coming but an excellent twist to this story.
💛LA COTORRA Y EL FLAMBOY
a remix of “Bartleby, the Scrivener” by Alexandra Villasante
-i don't know this classic story but this retelling was beautiful and surprising.
💚EVERMORE
a remix of “The Raven” by NoNieqa Ramos
Well this was such a surprise! I don't know the full poem but I am aware of parts of it. I didn't think I'd like the prose but it was so so good. The story was moving and gripping .
I'll now be checking out the other books by these authors.
I would highly recommend this book to those who want to diversify the authors on their shelves, who love retellings, or want to try some new authors..
March 16, 2024
I enjoyed Relit!
I was immediately drawn into this book by its absolutely beautiful cover. Isn't it stunning!
Relit is a fantasy and sci-fi anthology that includes 16 Latinx stories that reimagine classics.
It was a fun read and with, like most anthologies, some of the stories I really loved and some I just liked.
My favourites were definitely Thornfield, which is a retelling of Jane Eyre and This Mortal Coil, which is a Hamlet retelling.
Both were absolutely amazing, and i would love them as full-length novels!
I definitely do recommend this anthology!
Here are my individual ratings for each story!
● Shame and Social Media (Pride and Prejudice) ⭐⭐️
● Break in Case of Persephone (Hades and Persephone) ⭐⭐️⭐️
● Thornfield (Jane Eyre) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐
● La Cotorra Y El Flamboyán (The Nightingale and the Rose)⭐️⭐️⭐
● Goldi and the Three Bodies (Goldilocks and the Three Bears)⭐️⭐️⭐️
● This Mortal Coil (Hamlet)⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
● Juna and the Fox Boy (Beauty and the Beast)⭐️⭐️⭐️
● Prefiero No (Bartley, the Scrivener)⭐️⭐️
● Tresspassers Will Be...(Myth of the Minotaur)⭐️⭐️
● Isla Bella (The Great Gatsby)⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
● Evermore (The Raven)⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
● Celia's Song (The Little Mermaid)⭐️⭐️⭐️
● Esmerelda (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight)⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
● Twenty Thousand Leagues Away From Me (Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea)⭐️⭐️⭐️
● Heart of the Sea (Frankenstein)⭐️⭐️⭐️
● Tesoro (The Old Man and the Sea)⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was immediately drawn into this book by its absolutely beautiful cover. Isn't it stunning!
Relit is a fantasy and sci-fi anthology that includes 16 Latinx stories that reimagine classics.
It was a fun read and with, like most anthologies, some of the stories I really loved and some I just liked.
My favourites were definitely Thornfield, which is a retelling of Jane Eyre and This Mortal Coil, which is a Hamlet retelling.
Both were absolutely amazing, and i would love them as full-length novels!
I definitely do recommend this anthology!
Here are my individual ratings for each story!
● Shame and Social Media (Pride and Prejudice) ⭐⭐️
● Break in Case of Persephone (Hades and Persephone) ⭐⭐️⭐️
● Thornfield (Jane Eyre) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐
● La Cotorra Y El Flamboyán (The Nightingale and the Rose)⭐️⭐️⭐
● Goldi and the Three Bodies (Goldilocks and the Three Bears)⭐️⭐️⭐️
● This Mortal Coil (Hamlet)⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
● Juna and the Fox Boy (Beauty and the Beast)⭐️⭐️⭐️
● Prefiero No (Bartley, the Scrivener)⭐️⭐️
● Tresspassers Will Be...(Myth of the Minotaur)⭐️⭐️
● Isla Bella (The Great Gatsby)⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
● Evermore (The Raven)⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
● Celia's Song (The Little Mermaid)⭐️⭐️⭐️
● Esmerelda (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight)⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
● Twenty Thousand Leagues Away From Me (Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea)⭐️⭐️⭐️
● Heart of the Sea (Frankenstein)⭐️⭐️⭐️
● Tesoro (The Old Man and the Sea)⭐️⭐️⭐️
February 14, 2024
I've been looking for an anthology of stories to engage teen readers. Whilst this isn't quite what I was looking for I still enjoyed it. I think teenage readers could definitely enjoy it, and the writing is YA/teenage in tone, but it would be better suited to keen readers than the broader ability range I am pitching to.
I was only familiar with half of the stories these 'remixes' are based on. I don't think you need to know the source material but I found it added to the enjoyment and I appreciated the new take on the classic more when I could tell what was different. There were some great takes on these classic stories with some intriguing twists. There were several where I was left wishing I could read more which is always a good sign.
One thing I would have appreciated was a glossary of the Spanish words used. Sometimes they were explained, or I could guess from context, but not always. Having a glossary to refer to would keep me within the world of the story more than having to look words up. However, maybe younger readers, especially US-based, are more familiar with Spanish so it wasn't considered necessary.
My favourite stories were Heart Of The Sea by Zoraida Cordova, Trespassers Will Be by Torrey Maldonado, Goldi And The Three Bodies by Saraciea J. Fennell and Prefiero No by Alexandra Villasante.
Many thanks to Harper360YA and InkyardPress for the ARC.
I was only familiar with half of the stories these 'remixes' are based on. I don't think you need to know the source material but I found it added to the enjoyment and I appreciated the new take on the classic more when I could tell what was different. There were some great takes on these classic stories with some intriguing twists. There were several where I was left wishing I could read more which is always a good sign.
One thing I would have appreciated was a glossary of the Spanish words used. Sometimes they were explained, or I could guess from context, but not always. Having a glossary to refer to would keep me within the world of the story more than having to look words up. However, maybe younger readers, especially US-based, are more familiar with Spanish so it wasn't considered necessary.
My favourite stories were Heart Of The Sea by Zoraida Cordova, Trespassers Will Be by Torrey Maldonado, Goldi And The Three Bodies by Saraciea J. Fennell and Prefiero No by Alexandra Villasante.
Many thanks to Harper360YA and InkyardPress for the ARC.
March 17, 2024
This was such a fun read! While I enjoyed some of the stories more than others, I still had a great time with each one, and it was so much fun to see the different approaches the authors took to ‘remixing’ a classic tale.
The book starts out strong with a sci-fi version of Pride and Prejudice, called ‘Shame and Social Media’, that is concerned with the housing inequality on the world’s first long haul space flights. I thought this was such a great start to the book, not just because we all know I’m partial to P&P, but also because it was a good example of taking one theme from a longer novel and turning it into a short story.
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My personal favourites though were ‘Evermore’ (based on ‘The Raven’) and ‘Twenty Thousand Leagues Away From Me’ (based on – you guessed it – Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea). Both of these stories were so creative, but also incredibly moving reads. They both used their source materials in really interesting ways that I really enjoyed.
Overall this is a great collection that puts a spin on many well-known stories.
I received a free copy for an honest review.
The book starts out strong with a sci-fi version of Pride and Prejudice, called ‘Shame and Social Media’, that is concerned with the housing inequality on the world’s first long haul space flights. I thought this was such a great start to the book, not just because we all know I’m partial to P&P, but also because it was a good example of taking one theme from a longer novel and turning it into a short story.
📚Blog📖YouTube📖Instagram📚
My personal favourites though were ‘Evermore’ (based on ‘The Raven’) and ‘Twenty Thousand Leagues Away From Me’ (based on – you guessed it – Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea). Both of these stories were so creative, but also incredibly moving reads. They both used their source materials in really interesting ways that I really enjoyed.
Overall this is a great collection that puts a spin on many well-known stories.
I received a free copy for an honest review.
October 13, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Relit’s anthology was a breath of fresh air, full of imaginative plots and character-driven stories. It managed to take up the gantlet of subverting the readers’ previous expectations of the classic tales it used as inspiration with flying colors. It was immersive, showcasing rich Latin storytelling despite its short-story format.
Tales like Heart of the Sea by Zoraida Córdova—a twist on Frankenstein—really stood out. As I was reading, I found myself thinking that I knew where the story was going and then a page later being completely surprised by the direction of the plot—in a great way. I loved having my expectation turned on its head.
Overall, I gave this anthology a three-star rating because it was a mixed bag. This was influenced by how well-written the stories were overall. There were a handful of stories that stood out amongst the rest, causing others to feel lackluster in comparison. However, I loved that every writer created a twisty new tale that was unexpected and enjoyable in its own, individual way. I would recommend adding this to your TBR and perhaps you’ll discover a new author to enjoy.
Relit’s anthology was a breath of fresh air, full of imaginative plots and character-driven stories. It managed to take up the gantlet of subverting the readers’ previous expectations of the classic tales it used as inspiration with flying colors. It was immersive, showcasing rich Latin storytelling despite its short-story format.
Tales like Heart of the Sea by Zoraida Córdova—a twist on Frankenstein—really stood out. As I was reading, I found myself thinking that I knew where the story was going and then a page later being completely surprised by the direction of the plot—in a great way. I loved having my expectation turned on its head.
Overall, I gave this anthology a three-star rating because it was a mixed bag. This was influenced by how well-written the stories were overall. There were a handful of stories that stood out amongst the rest, causing others to feel lackluster in comparison. However, I loved that every writer created a twisty new tale that was unexpected and enjoyable in its own, individual way. I would recommend adding this to your TBR and perhaps you’ll discover a new author to enjoy.
February 4, 2024
Language: R (63 swears, 2 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13
These sixteen authors retell stories we know from Disney movies and high school English class. From Greek mythology to folktales, Jane Austen to Edgar Allan Poe, stories familiar to us are made new and exciting again.
The intent of this collection was to rewrite familiar stories with Latinx characters, which breathes new life into the retellings. The cultures of the new main characters and their settings lend elements to the stories that did not exist in the originals. It’s as if the authors are inviting readers to ask how the story would change if they—if we—were the main character. Let your imagination go wild.
Most of the characters are implied, if not explicitly, Latinx. The mature content rating is for underage drinking, drug use, kissing, innuendo, partial nudity, and mentions of sex and sexual harassment. The violence rating is for fantasy violence; mentions of guns, torture, homicide, and genocide; and suicide.
Reviewed for https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/
These sixteen authors retell stories we know from Disney movies and high school English class. From Greek mythology to folktales, Jane Austen to Edgar Allan Poe, stories familiar to us are made new and exciting again.
The intent of this collection was to rewrite familiar stories with Latinx characters, which breathes new life into the retellings. The cultures of the new main characters and their settings lend elements to the stories that did not exist in the originals. It’s as if the authors are inviting readers to ask how the story would change if they—if we—were the main character. Let your imagination go wild.
Most of the characters are implied, if not explicitly, Latinx. The mature content rating is for underage drinking, drug use, kissing, innuendo, partial nudity, and mentions of sex and sexual harassment. The violence rating is for fantasy violence; mentions of guns, torture, homicide, and genocide; and suicide.
Reviewed for https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/
May 3, 2024
It's all the things for a short story collection focused on Latine characters remixing classic stories. I was ready for it and have thoroughly enjoyed the concept of remixing short stories with comparisons in the summary to A Phoenix First Must Burn and Reclaim the Stars: 17 Tales Across Realms & Space.
However my one hang up is that the stories were uneven. There were super strong, engaging stories that were full of creativity, imagination, and fantastic storytelling and others that had me head-scratching and waiting for it to be finished. It is the only downfall of an anthology. However, that's what will happen.
However my one hang up is that the stories were uneven. There were super strong, engaging stories that were full of creativity, imagination, and fantastic storytelling and others that had me head-scratching and waiting for it to be finished. It is the only downfall of an anthology. However, that's what will happen.
February 9, 2024
This anthology is a great mix, some stories feel changed in unique ways and others feel like straight retellings. As with all anthologies you are going to like some stories more than others but its a great way to discover new authors. I loved reading this book. I had my favourites which were:
* Shame and social media
*Break in case of Persophone
* Juna and the fox boy
* Prefiero no
I also really liked others in the collection, there was only 2 or 3 that I didnt enjoy as much but were still good. I think this is great for people wanting to explore more latinx authors and characters. These stories have taught me a lot of phrases and made me realise how little there is for representation in mainstream media. Its a fun collection of retellings and I would like to thank Harpercollins YA for sending me a copy in exchange for my honest review.
* Shame and social media
*Break in case of Persophone
* Juna and the fox boy
* Prefiero no
I also really liked others in the collection, there was only 2 or 3 that I didnt enjoy as much but were still good. I think this is great for people wanting to explore more latinx authors and characters. These stories have taught me a lot of phrases and made me realise how little there is for representation in mainstream media. Its a fun collection of retellings and I would like to thank Harpercollins YA for sending me a copy in exchange for my honest review.
April 1, 2024
as a latina i gotta love the representation 🤍🤍
the first story was so hard for me to read, as a fan of pride and prejudice i feel like that particular retelling wasn’t very good, they made lizzy (izzy in the retelling) not a great person…it made me not want to read the rest, her voice was so irritating, but then i remembered that it’s a collection of retelling abt different authors and i ended up reading the other stories, most of which i enjoyed!
i like the fact that you don’t have to read the original story to understand or enjoy the retelling, i was worried at first because i haven’t read some of them before (ex. the great gatsby)
i would recommend this to anyone, not just the hispanic crowd, although knowing spanish makes certain parts easier (certain words/phrases), but if you only speak english/don’t speak spanish i promise it’s still an easy read!
the first story was so hard for me to read, as a fan of pride and prejudice i feel like that particular retelling wasn’t very good, they made lizzy (izzy in the retelling) not a great person…it made me not want to read the rest, her voice was so irritating, but then i remembered that it’s a collection of retelling abt different authors and i ended up reading the other stories, most of which i enjoyed!
i like the fact that you don’t have to read the original story to understand or enjoy the retelling, i was worried at first because i haven’t read some of them before (ex. the great gatsby)
i would recommend this to anyone, not just the hispanic crowd, although knowing spanish makes certain parts easier (certain words/phrases), but if you only speak english/don’t speak spanish i promise it’s still an easy read!
March 4, 2024
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book through a Goodreads Giveaway.
These stories are trying to accomplish a lot. They are all by Latinx authors, and most feature at least some, if not all, distinctly Latinx characters (many of whom also identify as LGBTQ+). Then they all have fantastic and/or sci elements. Last, they are all reimaginings of classic fairy tales or literary stories. This is a lot to cram into a short story, and so the first few fell a little flat for me. But once I got a bit further into the anthology, I found some stories I really enjoyed, like "Prefiero No," "Esmeralda," and "Heart of the Sea." I think these stories will not appeal to every reader, but people who enjoy the intersection of the different themes will likely really enjoy them.
These stories are trying to accomplish a lot. They are all by Latinx authors, and most feature at least some, if not all, distinctly Latinx characters (many of whom also identify as LGBTQ+). Then they all have fantastic and/or sci elements. Last, they are all reimaginings of classic fairy tales or literary stories. This is a lot to cram into a short story, and so the first few fell a little flat for me. But once I got a bit further into the anthology, I found some stories I really enjoyed, like "Prefiero No," "Esmeralda," and "Heart of the Sea." I think these stories will not appeal to every reader, but people who enjoy the intersection of the different themes will likely really enjoy them.
March 7, 2024
Featuring sixteen captivating tales by Latinx authors, this anthology reimagines classic literature through the lens of Latinx characters and experiences. From outer space adventures and mermaids to epic battles, the stories explore a diverse range of themes, including a Costa Rican twist on The Great Gatsby, a Goldilocks reimagining, and journeys with Jane Eyre, Theseus and the Minotaur, Persephone & Hades, and Beauty and the Beast, and a Frankenstein remix with a half robotic mermaid!
This anthology is a treasure trove of culturally-rich narratives, each offering an authentic perspective. With elements of horror, sci-fi, fantasy, mythology, and even some humor thrown in the mix, the collection caters to a wide audience. This anthology promises to have something for everyone!
This anthology is a treasure trove of culturally-rich narratives, each offering an authentic perspective. With elements of horror, sci-fi, fantasy, mythology, and even some humor thrown in the mix, the collection caters to a wide audience. This anthology promises to have something for everyone!
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