Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Canas
As the daughter of a rancher in 1840s Mexico, Nena knows a thing or two about monsters—her home has long been threatened by tensions with Anglo settlers from the north. But something more sinister lurks near the ranch at night, something that drains men of their blood and leaves them for dead.
Something that once attacked Nena nine years ago.
Believing Nena dead, Néstor has been on the run from his grief ever since, moving from ranch to ranch working as a vaquero. But no amount of drink can dispel the night terrors of sharp teeth; no woman can erase his childhood sweetheart from his mind.
When the United States attacks Mexico in 1846, the two are brought abruptly together on the road to war: Nena as a curandera, a healer striving to prove her worth to her father so that he does not marry her off to a stranger, and Néstor as a member of the auxiliary cavalry of ranchers and vaqueros. But the shock of their reunion—and Nena’s rage at Néstor for seemingly abandoning her long ago—is quickly overshadowed by the appearance of a nightmare made flesh.
And unless Nena and Néstor work through their past and face the future together, neither will survive to see the dawn.
Review: "Moonlight spilled onto the floor of the room, thick and slow as a pool of blood."
This was a delightful blend of gothic romance, historical fiction, and sinister monster tale. Set in Mexico in the 1840s, this follows Nena, who is the daughter of a powerful and wealthy rancho. For years, her home has been threatened by Anglo settlers from the north. And at night, something even more chilling lurks. Nine years ago, Nena was attacked. Her childhood friend Nestor, believing Nena dead, flees his home and moves from ranch to ranch working as a vaquero. But he can never move past his childhood sweetheart. And unbeknownst to him, Nena survived and feels profound abandonment by the boy she had always loved. When the United States attacks Mexico, the two are forced to reconcile, as she is brought along as a healer and he as a calvary member.
This was beautifully atmospheric. The author does an excellent job of using sinister language to increase the tension and give readers that hair raising on the back of the neck feeling. This was a beautifully done slow burn romance, with the ever-present threat of monster lurking behind every corner. The descriptions of the vampires were eerie and menacing. That being said, I don't think I would categorize this as horror. This has a lot of suspense, but I did think the vampires themselves were under-utilized. I was hoping for more from that plotline. They absolutely threaten the characters, inspire a sense of unease and terror, and help propel the plot forward. But I was hoping for more on the page vampire action that actually happened.
This book also was such a wonderful work of historical fiction! It really sheds light on Mexican life at the time, including the power dynamics between ranch owners and hired hands and also the stringent guidelines that daughters were forced to abide by. The tensions between Mexicans and Americans is keenly felt. And all of it set against the sweeping backdrop of the Mexican landscape.
Can I just say how much this book reminded me of a grown-up American Girl Josefina story with the addition of vampires? Josefina's story also takes place in Mexico (although admittedly 20 years earlier and a portion that would eventually become American territory). Josefina and Nena are both daughters of wealthy rancho owners with high expectations placed on their behavior. Both are feeling the growing influence of Anglos from the United States. Nena has trained with her abuela to become a healer while Josefina will train with her aunt. There was also a scene in one of the Josefina books where she is almost bitten by a rattlesnake that closely mirrored the scene where Nena is attacked by the vampire. Just uncanny! Would absolutely recommend this book to any former Josefina lovers.
Stars: 4
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