oddly's review
5.0
This book is the reason we read, live, and breathe horror. It is a book I'd consider required reading, not just for horror fans, but for anyone who wants to read great literature that has a social impact, books that have something to say.
Pitched as a barrio noir, these stories live in the now, wafting through the dark social and political current we live in, buzzing on the wavelength of so many hopefuls looking for a better life, while ebbing into something stranger and more dangerous.
There are six different characters and each of their stories is told in alternating chapters. The book is almost more like a mosaic, a collection of short stories with intermingling characters, but what brings the collection together are the themes, beliefs, and raw honesty of the characters.
Iglesias has a magnetic quality to his writing that cannot be ignored. He strips each character bare to who they are and lets them tell their own story without any extra fluff. There is no romanticizing the difficulties of living on the frontier, the false promises about life in America, it is all just presented as a blast of reality.
Along with the astute commentary, what really makes Coyote Songs shine is the layer of myth that the stories and people are steeped in. There is a thread of unreality, of supernatural discontent that weaves throughout, sometimes more overt and sometimes barely noticeable. I loved it.
This is definitely a book I'll be recommending all year. I can't wait to read Zero Saints.
Pitched as a barrio noir, these stories live in the now, wafting through the dark social and political current we live in, buzzing on the wavelength of so many hopefuls looking for a better life, while ebbing into something stranger and more dangerous.
There are six different characters and each of their stories is told in alternating chapters. The book is almost more like a mosaic, a collection of short stories with intermingling characters, but what brings the collection together are the themes, beliefs, and raw honesty of the characters.
Iglesias has a magnetic quality to his writing that cannot be ignored. He strips each character bare to who they are and lets them tell their own story without any extra fluff. There is no romanticizing the difficulties of living on the frontier, the false promises about life in America, it is all just presented as a blast of reality.
Along with the astute commentary, what really makes Coyote Songs shine is the layer of myth that the stories and people are steeped in. There is a thread of unreality, of supernatural discontent that weaves throughout, sometimes more overt and sometimes barely noticeable. I loved it.
This is definitely a book I'll be recommending all year. I can't wait to read Zero Saints.
rock_n_reads's review
5.0
Initially drawn in by the beautiful cover art, then intrigued by the many 5 star reviews on social media, I purchased this book for myself. This was my first read from Gabino Iglesias, and it certainly won't be my last.
Coyote Songs takes us on a journey in the lives of several characters, and each of their stories are profound and leave a lasting impression on the reader. This book is different than anything else I've read, as it feels like a blend of genres. It's my first venture into "barrio noir"; it's gritty, thought-provoking, and heartbreaking.
I look forward to reading more from this author!
Coyote Songs takes us on a journey in the lives of several characters, and each of their stories are profound and leave a lasting impression on the reader. This book is different than anything else I've read, as it feels like a blend of genres. It's my first venture into "barrio noir"; it's gritty, thought-provoking, and heartbreaking.
I look forward to reading more from this author!
nuevecuervos's review
4.0
While reading this book, I found myself thinking of Oyebuchi's Riot Baby, which I read earlier this year. There's a lot of real pain and a lot of struggle porn intertwined with urban fantasy in a manner that enhances the message being put out: these traditionally marginalized people yearn for better, and dealing them further injustice is a sure way to create monsters. I myself as a pocha Chicana mish-mash who grew up speaking Spanglish in a lower-middle-class suburb of Los Angeles filled with immigrants of several colors and ethnicities personally identify and recognize much of the pain here more closely than I did Oyebuchi's reflections, but they're both urban legends born out of the unique struggles that come with life in their respective margins.
The big difference here is that the protagonists in Coyote Songs don't come out on top. They act out their pain, ostensibly pushed by their nouveau Llorona to seek revenge, but in the end, there's no hope, redemption, or even truly satisfying vengeance in the style of a relatable villain origin story to be had here.
This isn't to say that the book is poorly written; it is in fact gorgeous, and I love the flow of English to Spanish and back again wherever it seemed necessary, just like in real life. I deeply relished being able to run through it, knowing it was written specifically for people just like me, and I didn't realize how much I needed this kind of thing until I had it. So, if you want that kind of experience, please read this, but know you will not walk away uplifted.
The big difference here is that the protagonists in Coyote Songs don't come out on top. They act out their pain, ostensibly pushed by their nouveau Llorona to seek revenge, but in the end, there's no hope, redemption, or even truly satisfying vengeance in the style of a relatable villain origin story to be had here.
This isn't to say that the book is poorly written; it is in fact gorgeous, and I love the flow of English to Spanish and back again wherever it seemed necessary, just like in real life. I deeply relished being able to run through it, knowing it was written specifically for people just like me, and I didn't realize how much I needed this kind of thing until I had it. So, if you want that kind of experience, please read this, but know you will not walk away uplifted.
kevinmccarrick's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
issa1414's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
wearyreader's review
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
inciminci's review
5.0
Coyote Songs was a very devastating read... It is significant that it is not the supernatural elements, the vindictive ghosts, a monster who eats children, the Virgin that tells a Coyote to kill for justice or the soul of a mother who has died in the back of a truck while trying to make it over the border and who vows for revenge for her dead child, are not the elements of horror here; in this book the most horrifying parts are the stories of refuge, of poverty, of police violence and of racism. Very bitter, very in-your-face and a must-read. I still think about it after having finished last week.
sarah_soli's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0