Coming-of-age in a Dangerous Place

Review of Prayers for the Stolen (2021) by nezzkobdamned: 👍 8.1/10

Tatiana Huezo's coming-of-age tale gives its young charges real problems to worry about whilst also allowing them space to experience teen frustrations that are universal.

The difference here is the real problems are stifling these teen girls from growing into women naturally because the dread fear of getting trafficked is so heavy, it informs previous generations' decision making hard. It's the parental need to protect a child from the world's cruelty any parent might have, but in this world of shootings, kidnappings, and worse, the stakes are so much more severe.

Huezo gives us just enough background threat to sell the violent oppression the cartels have created without showing too much until Huezo rightly deems it appropriate.

There's times the story meanders to emphasise a point that is already being effectively relayed, but this is still a strong tale of stolen childhood and femininity in a brutal ecosystem.