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Title details for The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro - Available

The Haunting of Alejandra

A Novel by V. Castro

by V. Castro
Raquel Beattie
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available
A woman is haunted by the Mexican folk demon La Llorona in this “utterly terrifying and wholly immersive . . . story about generational trauma, colonization, systemic oppression, and the horror at the heart of motherhood” (Library Journal, starred review).

“Castro is one of the most exciting genre authors on the scene right now, and this might be her most powerful book yet.”—Paste

A POPSUGAR AND CRIMEREADS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
Alejandra no longer knows who she is. To her husband, she is a wife, and to her children, a mother. To her own adoptive mother, she is a daughter. But they cannot see who Alejandra has become: a woman struggling with a darkness that threatens to consume her.
 
Nor can they see what Alejandra sees. In times of despair, a ghostly vision appears to her, the apparition of a crying woman in a ragged white gown.
 
When Alejandra visits a therapist, she begins exploring her family’s history, starting with the biological mother she never knew. As she goes deeper into the lives of the women in her family, she learns that heartbreak and tragedy are not the only things she has in common with her ancestors.
 
Because the crying woman was with them, too. She is La Llorona, the vengeful and murderous mother of Mexican legend. And she will not leave until Alejandra follows her mother, her grandmother, and all the women who came before her into the darkness.
 
But Alejandra has inherited more than just pain. She has inherited the strength and the courage of her foremothers—and she will have to summon everything they have given her to banish La Llorona forever.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    April 18, 2023

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9780593677155
      • File size: 294401 KB
      • Duration: 10:13:20

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Raquel Beattie narrates this unsettling tale loosely based on the Mexican legend of La Llorona, the crying woman. Alejandra is a housewife with a wealthy husband and three beautiful children, yet she feels lonely and unsettled. She and her children start to see and hear an apparition. Unbeknownst to her, a demon has terrorized the women in her family since the Spanish Conquest of Mexico. Beattie infuses the character of Alejandra with an emotional range that listeners will find believable. Beattie successfully voices Alejandra's doubt, frustration, and fear, helping listeners empathize with her despite her seemingly full life. Listeners will especially appreciate Beattie's portrayal of the demon. Her voice becomes breathy and eerie, which is perfect for the mood and themes of this audiobook. A.M. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
    • Library Journal

      June 10, 2024

      Castro (The Queen of the Cicadas) has updated the tale of La Llorona for the 21st century. Alejandra is a wife, mother, and daughter, but in many ways, she doesn't really know her true self. Nearly consumed by depression and loneliness, all she can think about is a weeping woman in white. With the help of her therapist, she begins to unravel the generational trauma that haunts the women of her family. She discovers that the woman in white is La Llorona, a spirit full of pain and sorrow who has fed off the heartbreak of women in Alejandra's family for generations. She will not stop stalking Alejandra until she gets what she wants. Raquel Beattie narrates this unsettling generational tale, conveying Alejandra's ancestors' struggles to deal with the trauma inflicted by decisions made long ago. Beattie brings a note of rawness and intensity to her narration, effectively giving voice to Alejandra's conflicted thoughts about motherhood, racism, sexism, and sexuality. VERDICT Listeners will be buoyed by Alejandra's decision to find herself, save her children, and break free from generational curses. A feminist retelling that will appeal to fans of psychological horror and the works of Isabel Ca�as and Silvia Moreno-Garcia.--Elyssa Everling

      Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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