ARC Review // Five Midnights

Title: Five Midnights

Author: Ann Dávila Cardinal

Publisher: Tor Teen

Published: June 4th 2019
Pages: 304 pages [Kindle edition]

Five friends cursed. Five deadly fates. Five nights of retribución.

If Lupe Dávila and Javier Utierre can survive each other’s company, together they can solve a series of grisly murders sweeping though Puerto Rico. But the clues lead them out of the real world and into the realm of myths and legends. And if they want to catch the killer, they'll have to step into the shadows to see what's lurking there—murderer, or monster?

I'm actually feeling embarrassed while writing this, but remember that time I gushed about Five Midnights and wanting to learn more about the recently discovered El Cuco? I might have been more familiar with this being than I first thought. There's a reference on the book about El Cuco being part of Portuguese folk tales, where it is known as "coco." The name was strangely familiar. After some quick research, I realized that I had met El Cuco as coca and I'm ninety percent sure that my grandmother told me stories about it. Must have repressed them until now because of all the spookiness.

Storytelling: Five Midnights is a fast-paced story with horror and supernatural elements. Since the narrative is set in a Spanish-speaking country, Puerto Rico, there were many quotes and expressions in Spanish, which I loved. This is such a great way of getting familiar and wanting to learn a new language. I don't want to ramble about the plot too much in fear of spoiling some major scene, but this story has so many unexpected twists!

"Monsters don't come unless someone calls them!"

Characters: Lupe Dávila if half-Puerto Rican, born and raised in Vermont. Every summer she travels to Puerto Rico to visit her family. With a penchant for crime and police television shows, Lupe will do whatever she can to help her uncle, the chief police Dávila, to solve the mysterious and gruesome deaths that are sweeping though the island. Although Lupe has Puerto Rican roots, she struggles to be accepted by the islanders that always see her as an outsider -- as a gringa -- due to her pale skin. However, she has a fierce personality and will stand her ground and defend her heritage. I loved that Lupe's story is that is not only about solving the murders (this girl is REALLY obsessed with crime scenes), but also being accepted on an island that she loves/is part of her as any born and raised islander. 

Javi Utierre is a recovering addict that struggles every day to keep his two-year sobriety, something that becomes difficult when his childhood friends, the cangrejos, are found murdered, one by one. In his quest to unveil the truth, he must confront his demons and remember the day when everything began and lead him to become a recovering addict searching for redemption. What I enjoyed the most about Javier's story is that his recovery isn't all rainbows and unicorns. Javier works hard to stay sober because addiction doesn't vanish from the moment one decides it's enough and takes the first step to get clean. 

World building: Puerto Rico has been on my places-I-would-love-to-visit-someday list for a very long time. So, it might be true that I've never been there, but I could feel the country's essence through the pages. The descriptions of the barrios were so vivid and colourful. My mouth watered at the food references (it actually made me question my decision of not eating meat because I couldn't stop thinking how much I wanted to taste everything).

"The contrast of the sweet plantain with the salty, spiced beef danced on her tongue. She loved the starchy goodness of the plantain, caramelized and crispy on the edges, soft and rich on the middle." 

Nevertheless, the author did not only focus on the beauty of the island nor created a picture of it through rose-tinted glasses. Dávila makes reference to Puerto Rican culture is being threatened by wealthy countries and companies as well as being corrupted by drug gangs. I quite loved the strong emphasis on Puerto Rico's culture in Five Midnights that happens not only through the presence of El Cuco, but also through the perfectly rich and sharp representation of the island.

Five Midnights is more than a tale of a folk monster that comes to haunt misbehaved children and teens that follow a dark path. It's about losing and reclaiming one's culture. Ann Dávila Cardinal debut novel left me wanting more and I can't wait to read what she writes next.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Do you enjoy creepy novels inspired by folk tales? Have you heard of the El Cuco before? Did this monster haunt your childhood too?