Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

Abstract

Reviewed by: Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas Natalie Berglind Thomas, Aiden Cemetery Boys. Swoon, 2020 [352p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781250250469 $17.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9781250250513 $9.99 Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 7-10 Yadriel is a trans sixteen-year-old boy, the son of the leader of the East LA brujx; brujos help transition lingering spirits to the afterlife, while brujas have healing and soothing powers. Facing varying degrees of acceptance from his family, Yadriel performs his own ritual, in which Lady Death officially, if privately, makes him one of the brujx. When his cousin, Miguel, goes missing, Yadriel strives to prove his powers by helping but instead accidentally summons missing fifteen-year-old bad boy Julian Diaz from the dead. Yadriel helps Julian figure out what happened to him, tracking down old friends and family, but as the two get closer, it becomes harder to let go before Día de Muertos separates them. Thomas sensitively navigates Yadriel's struggles as a trans teen, from the insecurity of not wearing his binder at night around Julian, to deadnaming by family members, to the emotional burden of constantly forgiving people who misgender him. In spite of some heavy themes, this is a pleasing ghost-story-turned-romcom, as Julian and Yadriel have cute encounters and spend a "last day" together knocking things off Julian's bucket list. The tight-knit community of the East LA brujx and their magic is well developed and imbued with Latinx culture, from the food to traditions enhanced with a dollop of magic. Readers wary of tragic endings can relax—there's a well-deserved happy ending in store for this ghost boy and brujo. Copyright © 2020 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois