I read horror day in and day out. It's my happy place but sometimes, I enjoy slipping into something a little more magical. CENOTE CITY by Monique Quintana is a colorful, cultural celebration of the people of the Yucatán.
Readers should expect to approach this book with the same expectations one would bring to a lyrical fable or collection of poems. Don't anticipate a linear story. I think the back of the book suggests that there is a storytelling narrative but the reality is that it reads more like folktales stitched together to create one tapestry.
There are some central characters that made me feel grounded in the dreamy, magical realism of Cenote City but it was still easy to lose my footing and feel a little disoriented.
The title headings were a huge help acting as sign posts to announce the beginning or ending of an idea. Quintana's charming, vivid prose is luscious and dazzling, I honestly felt spellbound; mesmerized. But I can't keep it a secret that more than once, I felt confused. It had nothing to do with the rich atmosphere or the strong themes of culture, poverty, death, and magical illusions but more to do with the style and the ambiguous form of the storytelling.
I didn't mind feeling lost though, Cenote City is an amazing place to lose oneself.
Recommended for readers who need an escape from the norm.