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A review by timefliesaway
Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
4.5 rounded up to 5 stars.
It’s not perfect, but certainly really really good, especially for a debut novel. And I totally teared up every now and then, and then full-on cried during the epilogue.
This author definitely can write.
~
Dìa de muertos is one of my favorite versions of Halloween (very close to Samhain), but finding a book about that, is, unfortunately, very rare and even rarer to have a queer/gay one. Very happy it exists, and that it was our book club’s pick for this month. 🧡
I also loved the slow-burn romance, and although it ended rather cliche, I didn’t mind that much because everything else makes up for it. 🔥
All characters stand out, not just the MCs, have unique traits and balanced strengths & weaknesses. No character was perfect, everyone felt human.
Although some deserved more screen-time to be more fleshed out.
What I mostly loved, though, was that the Spanish isn’t translated.
Usually when characters say something in another language, it’s written in English (or the same language of the book) and then afterwards added “he/she/they said in [language]”. Not a fan of that, even when I can’t understand the mentioned language.
This finally fulfilled my wish!
I do know a bit of Spanish, so there’s also that, but I did have to google translate some words. I get that it might be a bit annoying for others, if you just want to read the book in one turn; but I’d rather translate half the book and get the full experience of the cultures, than not. 💝
So, thank you Aiden!
~
There were some small “plot-holes”, where I wished the author would’ve dwelled into more, as it focused mostly on the murder mystery and the romance; as I, personally, am more a sucker for world-building. While there still was lots, it feels like the characters simply accepted the unanswered questions, because it’s some kind of unspoken rule or such. Whereas I love protagonists who question traditions and beliefs. And, of course, as a transgender protagonist, there were lots of traditions questioned, but not enough.
For instance:
- Why can’t Maritza or the others use human blood, if they don’t want to use animal blood? You wouldn’t need to kill a human to get enough blood for the magic. It was explained why they can’t use their *own* blood, but that was it.
Why are they even using chicken blood? Can’t they get it from larger animals, who wouldn’t need to be killed, for some drops of blood?
- Why can only brujx return on Dìa de muertos? If an ofrenda is all that’s needed for the spirit to visit earth, then surely you can do that for everyone that’s passed away. Especially since they don’t need to be buried near the ofrenda. At least that works in Elena of Avalor and Coco.
~
Apart from the small plot-holes or unanswered questions regarding the world-building, it was really good and I can’t wait to see more of the author. I already ordered their new book. ✨
- 10.10.2023
It’s not perfect, but certainly really really good, especially for a debut novel. And I totally teared up every now and then, and then full-on cried during the epilogue.
This author definitely can write.
~
Dìa de muertos is one of my favorite versions of Halloween (very close to Samhain), but finding a book about that, is, unfortunately, very rare and even rarer to have a queer/gay one. Very happy it exists, and that it was our book club’s pick for this month. 🧡
I also loved the slow-burn romance, and although it ended rather cliche, I didn’t mind that much because everything else makes up for it. 🔥
All characters stand out, not just the MCs, have unique traits and balanced strengths & weaknesses. No character was perfect, everyone felt human.
Although some deserved more screen-time to be more fleshed out.
What I mostly loved, though, was that the Spanish isn’t translated.
Usually when characters say something in another language, it’s written in English (or the same language of the book) and then afterwards added “he/she/they said in [language]”. Not a fan of that, even when I can’t understand the mentioned language.
This finally fulfilled my wish!
I do know a bit of Spanish, so there’s also that, but I did have to google translate some words. I get that it might be a bit annoying for others, if you just want to read the book in one turn; but I’d rather translate half the book and get the full experience of the cultures, than not. 💝
So, thank you Aiden!
~
There were some small “plot-holes”, where I wished the author would’ve dwelled into more, as it focused mostly on the murder mystery and the romance; as I, personally, am more a sucker for world-building. While there still was lots, it feels like the characters simply accepted the unanswered questions, because it’s some kind of unspoken rule or such. Whereas I love protagonists who question traditions and beliefs. And, of course, as a transgender protagonist, there were lots of traditions questioned, but not enough.
For instance:
- Why can’t Maritza or the others use human blood, if they don’t want to use animal blood? You wouldn’t need to kill a human to get enough blood for the magic. It was explained why they can’t use their *own* blood, but that was it.
Why are they even using chicken blood? Can’t they get it from larger animals, who wouldn’t need to be killed, for some drops of blood?
- Why can only brujx return on Dìa de muertos? If an ofrenda is all that’s needed for the spirit to visit earth, then surely you can do that for everyone that’s passed away. Especially since they don’t need to be buried near the ofrenda. At least that works in Elena of Avalor and Coco.
~
Apart from the small plot-holes or unanswered questions regarding the world-building, it was really good and I can’t wait to see more of the author. I already ordered their new book. ✨
- 10.10.2023