The thing that drew me to NEVER LOOK BACK was the spirituality of it and the fact that it’s a retelling. I feel like I have so much to say.

First– I really enjoyed the story. The characters feel so real and Eury and Pheus are so different that I could always tell whose point-of-view I was reading, even if I just flipped to a random page.

I liked that Eury’s curse was a complex problem with multiple pieces. (I’m being vague because there’s some of this that doesn’t get revealed until later in the story.) She keeps Catholic faith, praying every day, and finds comfort both in her belief that she is “beloved of God” and in the rituals of prayer and mass. It’s sincere and sweet, and I loved that.

But that’s not the only spirituality in the story. She also sees a spirit, whom she calls Ato, who is a spirit of the dead. He wants to take her to the land of the dead, El Inframundo, to be with him forever. Pheus, in trying to help Eury break the power Ato holds over her, encounters other gods and goddesses like Guabancex, the goddess of chaos.. I thought this was really cool, because though it’s a retelling of a Greek myth, NEVER LOOK BACK pulls in and celebrates some Afro-Latinx mythology.

In both Pheus and Eury’s points-of-view, the setting is rich and vibrant. Eury has a deep connection with Puerto Rico as her home– with the forests and the birds and flowers that brings those things to life. Pheus feels at home in the Bronx, with his friends, going to the beach, hanging out in the stairwell of his apartment building.

I also loved seeing the growth in both characters. Pheus begins to see himself as others have seen him and to see where he misjudged or to recognize his selfishness or the parts of his life where he’s living in fear.

Eury has spent so much energy running from Ato, trying to hide what’s happening to her, and trying to distance herself from others so that Ato can’t use them to hurt her. Watching her come out of her shell, to begin to trust and to find her own strength was so amazing. I loved that she plays and active role in the outcome of the story.

Bottom line: I really recommend this book. I loved so many things about it. It’s a rich story that celebrates faith and heritage and love. Definitely a win, and a perfect story if you’re looking for an escape from reality right now.

If you enjoyed DEAR HAITI, LOVE ALAINE, be sure to check out NEVER LOOK BACK.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Eury has fled Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico to New York City, and a demon is chasing her. Not only the demon of trauma, but also a real, actual demon named Ato. Fighting off the darkness alone feels like a slow descent into the abyss, so when she meets Pheus, the boy with a guitar always at his side, her heart soars with hope and desire for this lyrical, bewitching young man. Their interest in each other erupts as a fountain of love, but Ato has other plans, and intends to drag Eury beyond Pheus's grasp. Is their love doomed to tragedy, or can Eury and Pheus find their way together back to the light?

I am fascinated by mythology, so imagine my delight when I saw that this was an Afro-Latinx retelling of the Greek legend of Eurydice and Orpheus! While these characters do occupy some of their legendary archetypes, there is also a freshness involved with the incorporation of a different culture and the tragedy of current events. I found it thought-provoking that the demons in this tale were able to feed upon the anguish of humans, so the more that people did not help those in need, or harmed others, the stronger the demons became. Music as a healing tool is explored, which I agree with, because I believe music is able to resonate throughout the soul in unique and powerful ways. Eury's trauma from dealing with Hurricane Maria is important, and the story shows us how mental health is not handled well in the Latinx community. I wish this aspect of Eury had been explored more, along with more character moments between her and Pheus before the more mythical aspects of the story began. As the latter half of the book picks up, the pacing becomes rather brisk, which keeps things engaging, but because the writing was great I wished that things would slow down so we could really get more into the hearts and minds of these characters. Never Look Back is an appealing blend of classic mythology with raw current events, and I thoroughly enjoyed this contemporary take on one of the best Greek tragedies.

This book is a well done magical realism story about Pheus a gifted young musician at heart spending his summer in the Bronx with his father, and Eury a girl born and raised in Puerto Rico who is spending the summer with her aunt and cousin while she works past some trauma.

Eury is dealing with a spirit who has been present in her life since she was younger and her parents split up. This spirit followed her from Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria displaced her family to Tampa and now New York. Pheus is a believer in what is tangible but Eury has him wanting to help her find her demons.

I liked Pheus's group of friends and how authentic and real they felt. I live on the East Coast in a Latinx neighborhood and these felt like teens from my neighborhood. Liliam Rivera did a great job capturing their voice in a way that will be effortless to teen readers. The Spanish language is regularly included and I liked that not everything they said was translated.

At first this story feels like your typical summer love contemporary but then things switch in the second half as it dives further into spiritual beliefs. So you might believe at first that Ato is all in Eury's mind. The incorporation of life after Hurricane Maria was very well done as our author didn't shy away from painting a vivid picture of the reality of the story. How Eury and her mother thought it would be a hurricane that would just pass like many others and instead this one literally ripped the roof off their heads.

Another thing this story did that stood out was give very present and involved parents. Oftentimes in YA the parents are not as involved as they should be. With Eury's mother we explore how in some cultures people would rather cling to their faith then admit that a family member is struggling with their mental health. Pheus' dad is always around to give his son helpful relationship advice and remind him of who his people are.

I received an arc from Bloomsbury YA in exchange for an honest review.

Originally posted at
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot.com/2020/09/never-look-back-by-lilliam-rivera.html

[thank you to Bloomsbury YA Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy of this novel, out on September 15th.]

"Never Look Back" by Lilliam Rivera is the modern Latinx retelling of the classical Greek myth, Orpheus and Eurydice, focusing on two teenagers set against the backdrop of the Bronx. Pheus, an Afro-Dominican teen, is visiting his father for the summer. With his masterful bachata guitar playing and his skillful voice and talent, he plans to pass the warm months on the beach wooing his on-again, off-again flame but his plans go awry when he ends up meeting Eury, who is staying with her aunt and cousin for the summer. Eury and her mother were forced to flee to Florida after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico and between that and her father's death, she has not been in a healthy place. She is naturally a quiet, shy girl but part of the reason for her reservedness is Ato, a spirit that has been tormenting her since she was a young girl. Of course, no one in her life, least of all her mother, believe that she is being abused by a spirit and push her to seek solace in religion, church, etc. As a last resort, Eury's mother ships her off to the Bronx, thinking a change of scenery will do her some good. The problem is, where Eury goes, Ato goes so she is never fully free from her demons.

First, let me just say how much I loved the author's writing and storytelling. What could have easily been a story about a summer romance instead tackled abusive relationships and trauma, was a shining portrayal of mental health and the stigma surrounding seeking help, especially culturally, and shone a light on afro-Latinx history, racism and sexism, and even gentrification in the Bronx. The author also plays homage to Latin music. This was a beautiful young adult novel and I never got the sense that the writing was heavy-handed or overly lyrical. The secondary characters were excellent; I especially loved Apollo, Pheus' father.

I think my lone quibble with the novel is the second half, when Pheus quickly accepts the underworld and goes to fight for Eury's return. It felt disjointed, almost like I was reading an adventure story. The pacing just felt weird and as a result, I thought the ending was a little anti-climatic. I felt like I wanted a little more resolution there. What a wonderful book, though!

This was a DNF for me. The plot was interesting but it felt much more middle grade, than YA which detracted from the story. Additionally, there was nothing left to the imagination, it was very much a tell not show.

Eury comes to New York to spend the summer with family to escape demons that came with the trauma of her father’s abandonment. Pheus,, a gifted musician, comes to spend the summer with his father, hoping for an opportunity to to get discovered. In this captivating retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice, Pheus and Eury form a quick bond and go on a quest to fight the demons that threaten Eury’s life. The journey leads to self-discovery for both.

Never Look Back by Lilliam Rivera is a modern Afro-Latinx retelling of the Eurydice and Orpheus tale. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this book! I loved our main characters, Eury and Pheus. Pheus is a musically gifted young man who is living his best life wooing the ladies and hanging out with his friends in the Bronx. Eury is visiting her cousin, Penelope, for the summer in the hopes that a change of scenery can help her heal from the trauma and anxiety of surviving Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and moving to Florida as a result. She is also followed by a menacing spirit, Ato, whom she desperately wants to be rid of.

The book starts off rooted in reality, so I was a bit up in the air about whether this was a loose retelling or not. But, about halfway through the book, the tone changes and we are immersed in the mythical. I loved the latter part of the book because of that! Rivera has done an excellent job of updating this classic story. The way elements of our modern world are literally and metaphorically intertwined with the themes and elements of this Greek myth is fantastic. Mental health, religion, spirituality are intertwined and balanced in a way that I appreciated. People can be haunted by demons, real or imagined, and I thought that the way that was addressed was very well done.

Rivera’s writing style is very straight-forward and doesn’t often lean towards the lyrical. Since this book is full of metaphor and mythical, I would have loved to see a bit more “show-not-tell” writing. However, that is just my personal preference of writing style, so I don’t really see that as a negative, just something that didn’t align with my preferences. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys myth reinterpretations.

*I received a free digital ARC from Bloomsbury YA and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*

I don't know if I'm not a fan of these types of retellings for if the book just wasn't for me. The execution of the story and the romance weren't hooking me. I wish that the author would have given us a deeper look into the characters, especially Alto! The relationship between Eury and Pheus wasn't believable to me. I felt like we were supposed to ship them because the author told us to rather than feeling the romance between them. I know others might enjoy this, but it wasn't for me.

Never Look Back is a modern retelling of the tragic story of Orpheus and Eruydice. I was pretty excited about this, but was quickly disappointed to learn that this story wouldn't be nearly intriguing as it's predecessor. The first half of the story is your typical summer romance, love-at-first-sight contemporary, where we meet our mains, Pheus and Eury. Pheus is a carefree musician and Eury is the new girl will a lot of emotional baggage. I was really looking forward to unpacking all of that but unfortunately, that is pushed aside in favor of just showing the two fall instantly in love.

The second half of the story felt like it belonged in a different book; where before the story felt modern, now we've taken a turn for the mythic as we see the events of the original myth play out. Again, I was hoping for this to be more about the struggles that Eury has been through, she's clearly suffering from living through several hurricanes and it would have been interesting to see Pheus help pull her out of her metaphorical underworld. But instead things play out too literally and too easily, leaving no emotional connection to the characters.

Overall, I recognize that I'm just not a fan of these types of stories, but I really feel like Never Look Back could have been something really special. As it is, it just falls flat.

This book broke my heart and gave me hope. It’s a beautiful retelling of a Greek myth, but with contemporary Afro-Latinx characters and that magical realism that I love, I fell in love with the way the author made us get into the story and culture. This is a magical love story but for me, the most relevant thing was the fact that one of the characters was trying to overcome trauma, I’m amazed by how strong she was and how the authors writing style made me feel so close to the experience. The storytelling skills of Lilliam Rivera makes us love everything about the book, although it’s everything already precious.

Eury went through a lot, after losing everything in Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, she now lives in Florida. But after a breakdown, her mom thinks she’s gonna get better in New York with her family. Eury is also trying to be free from an evil spirit that’s haunting her.

There, she meets Pheus, a charming boy, the bachata singer that everyone loves, but when she meets Eury all he wants is to put a smile on her face and help her, but some things are too strong and not even the willing to help is gonna make things alright.

This is an Own Voices retelling of the Greek Myth Orpheus and Eurydice that’s gonna have your heart, for sure. The characters are young and so flawed and at the same time, so easy to connect with. Their hearts are so pure, sweet and beautiful.

Retelling a myth is challenging, but not only she filled my expectations, but went above them adding topics like mental health, cultural identity, loss and grief. It was really good to read this myth with such refreshing characters and from a new perspective.

I enjoyed Lilliam Rivera’s Never Look Back.  The characters were relatable, the plot intriguing, and the pace was just right.  I liked the central idea at the center of the book: what if hallucinations are actually real?  What if some people see what they say they see, things that no one else sees although they are around us, as well?  I also found that the glimpse into the trauma of the hurricane Maria, which devastated Puerto Rico in 2019.  But I felt that the story could have been deeper, and even perception-altering.  There were a number of missed opportunities, the most disappointing one being the evil that is extreme wealth and how it can be countered.  I still it’s worth to pick up this book, be it just to get to know some sweet characters, to enjoy some pretty evocative descriptions, and to flirt with the question, what if hallucinations were true.

In "Never Look Back," a story about a smooth-talking bachata singer and a troubled girl from Puerto Rico turned into a thriller I didn't know I needed.

Pheus is a young man with promise. He is smart, handsome and sings beautifully. He has the love of his parents and is about to spend another hot summer in The Bronx. Girls, the beach and music are on his agenda. But when Eury, a mysterious cousin of his neighbor Penelope arrives, his whole world changes.

Eury is haunted. Not just from the events of Hurricane Maria, but also literally. She is haunted by a spirit named Ato, who has been with her since she was a child. Once a friend, Ato now terrifies her. Unable to figure out what else to do, her mother sends her to The Bronx in the hopes that new surroundings will help her daughter.

Lilliam Rivera, who I became a fan of after reading her novel "Dealing in Dreams," has written a book not just about young love, but also about trauma that travels with us. It is about mental health and the ways in which it is denied and untreated. But the novel is also a love letter to the island of Puerto Rico, a place that has been destroyed by nature and forgotten by the current racist administration and the clown who runs it. Puerto Rico and its beauty and trauma are peppered throughout, and the love Eury has for her home is palpable. She remembers so many lovely things about the island, things she does not want to forget.

I appreciated how Eury's vision of Ato was written and how her family dealt with it. Mental health is much more in the spotlight thanks to Millennials and Gen Zers, which to me is a great thing. Seeing a therapist is becoming more mainstream and acceptable, which can only bring about changed behaviors for future generations.

The author also had me feeling nostalgic about my time when I lived in The Bronx as a child. I remember hanging out with my friends, going to the roller rink to skate, and to Orchard Beach with my family. The Bronx gets a bad rap, but if you lived there, you know what a special place it truly is. Ms. Rivera writes about the good and bad about the borough, which has survived so much and is still called "The Boogie Down," for good reason.

I will definitely be recommending this book to my readers.

I'm such a sucker for retellings, and this take on the mythology of Orpheus and Eurydice (with Latinx/Afro-Latinx rep no less!) was spectacular. The themes of mental health and sexual assault and faith against the backdrop of Latinx culture were super interesting to read and watch unfold.

Truly, if you are into Greek mythology, or enjoy retellings, this book is definitely a must-read!

Thanks to Netgalley for the e-Arc!

Lilliam Rivera gives the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice an updated and fresh look with her newest novel, Never Look Back. Pheus, an Afro-Dominican teen from Manhattan, is never without his guitar and this summer while visiting his father in the Bronx is no different. There is nothing like the feeling of casting a spell over his audience, leaving them mesmerized and asking for more. Eury is visiting her cousin for the summer in the Bronx as well. Eury’s mother is hoping a change of scenery for the summer will help her daughter outrun her demons, not realizing that Eury is in fact running from a demon. Since she was a little girl, Eury has been haunted by a spirit determined to take her to El Inframundo, the Underworld. At first Ato was a companion, someone who helped her with her father’s abandonment, but as the years passed, he became possessive, his jealousy manifesting as violence against others. Eury is also dealing with PTSD. Never Look Back takes place in the Bronx, but its heart is Eury’s connection to her home. Puerto Rico is an island that has been ravaged both by natural and man-made disasters. Eury’s past traumas inform who she is but she is also more than her history. This is an important distinction Rivera makes. Puerto Ricans, though they have been subjected to tragedies, they are not defined by their suffering. They deserve to flourish in spite of these tragedies. Religion plays a vital role in Never Look Back, as both Eury looks for a way to protect herself and Pheus is faced with realizing that there is more to this world than what is on the surface. Rivera also pays homage to Latin music, recognizes the importance of knowing the history of the places you walk, and infuses Taíno mythology in this empowering new YA fantasy novel.

[Book Review]: Never Look Back by Lilliam Rivera 🌿
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For readers who love retellings of Greek myths ✨
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In this #OwnVoices retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice, Pheus and Eury meet in the Bronx. Pheus is charming and loves music, and Eury is haunted and wants to escape her past. When they meet each other, their connection changes both of their lives. ✨
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[Review] Pheus and Eury are both compelling characters. I didn’t quite fall for their love story, but I enjoyed reading it nonetheless. I love the Afro-Latinx, Dominican, and Puerto Rican culture in the story and how culture plays such an important role in the plot. I also appreciate how Rivera provides a helpful commentary on mental health.
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The biggest downfall of the story for me is that it doesn’t really feel like a Greek myth until the second half of the book, and then the mythology is a bit in-your-face.
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Overall, this is an enjoyable YA retelling and a fantastic #OwnVoices story. ✨
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Rating: 4/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Release date: September 1, 2020
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Thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the ARC!

Re-telling a Greek myth, filled with pain, yearning, and tragic mistakes is a optimistic endeavor. But Rivera truly succeeds in Never Look Back by presenting a contemporary fantastical re-telling of one of my favorite myths. To begin, I have to just gush about how clever this re-telling was. It was a true pleasure to see it unravel on the screen, the way Pheus' music is interwoven in the story, Eury's relationship with Ato, and their strong, but fragile, relationship in the balance. It retains the balance of the original, while adding its own unique twists, and bringing it to a YA audience.

Never Look Back is a dual POV story that examines not only toxic relationships, but the power and courage that love can give us. Both Eury and Pheus are allowed to be flawed, passionate, and innocent. It captivates the strong emotions from the original, of a love that tethers us. At the same time, Never Look Back discusses the differences between love an possession. Examining toxic relationships, Never Look Back explores bonds we cannot escape from, the cycle of emotional abuse, and faith

Y’ALL. This BOOK. Reading it felt like my soul was singing. Lilliam Rivera set a strong sense of place and culture, and she pulled off the music element well, too. Although the relationship was a bit too insta-love-y, it was also super sweet and tender, and Pheus was trying to be so kind and respectful of her boundaries and privacy. He starts out as a playboy musician figure but is consistently learning how to catch and correct himself. I loved both of the main characters and their family dynamics, although Eury’s development and overall character was stronger to me than Pheus’s.
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Where Never Looks Back really shines is its portrayal of mental mental health. Eury has anxiety and PTSD from both the devastating Hurricane Maria and a manipulative, controlling, and abusive relationship with the spirit Ato, who attached himself to her after father left her family when she was a child. Her fear is partially based in the fact that most people won’t believe Ato exists, that she is simply seeing things as a result of her trauma, although in this book’s version of the world, the spirits are very much real. However, there is still a lot of truth to her experiences: her hesitance to form relationships and be open, fear that Ato will follow her to New York, guilt and shelf-blame for the bad things that happened to her family, fear that things like therapy and her coping mechanisms will not truly help her, believing she alone can bear her burden of trauma and not involving people who genuinely want to help her. Eury’s journey with her mental health was so beautiful, well developed, and realistic.
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The pacing was rushed in some critical areas, like falling in love and Pheus’ acceptance of the spirit world, and I kept wanting to know more about why Ato chose Eury, but the mental health and family themes is what really made this book for me. It’s a contemporary romance with a bit of magical realism, but it‘s not just about teens’ first love; ultimately it is about healing and identity.

CW: racism, sexism, sexual harassment. psychological/emotional/physical abuse, trauma, graphic descriptions of war injuries, violence towards animals, divorce, depression

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this incredible book! I heard the author speak on a panel at SLJ Teen Live about retelling stories in new ways, and I was very excited to read this retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice. This book does so many different things at once, and it does them all very well. It retells the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice in a contemporary way that is relatable to teens, even if they are not familiar with the myth. It also provides a portrait of an Afro-Latino boy growing up in the Bronx, and a Puerto Rican girl who is displaced from her home in the wake of Hurricane Maria. Both of these characters are richly developed, and their relationship is beautifully done as well. The realistic aspects weave together beautifully with the fantasy elements in the story, and it has the feel of both a contemporary YA novel as well as a fantasy novel. I think it is truly incredible that the author is able to weave these elements together seamlessly, and transition between them easily as well, since the first half of the novel is more contemporary and the second half is more fantasy. I highly recommend this incredible book to fans of both contemporary YA and YA fantasy!

I couldn’t get into this one. I really tried but after chapter 6 I quit. Some may enjoy it though. The writing is excellent just not my style of book.

I wasn’t sure what to expect since I’ve never read the source material for the retelling. However, Rivera has this way of pulling you into her stories and writing such interesting characters that I was immediately sucked into this. I especially loved Eury and watching her grow as a character throughout the story. I liked how despite how terrified she was she was determined to find a way to save herself and those around her. I also really enjoyed Pheus’ character and his relationship with his father.

I loved the bits of magical realism, and Catholicism woven through out the story. Also, I really loved how big a part Eury and Pheus’ family’s cultural backgrounds play a part in the setting of the story. It gave a real sense of people and setting around their story. I also loved how music plays a part in setting up the vibe of the book.

I would have liked to see a bit more development in the relationship between Eury and Pheus. Although the interest is there between the two from the beginning I didn’t feel the connection between them as much until the end and in the epilogue (you all know how I feel about epilogues). I think if there had been a bit more romance or chemistry there it would have heightened the stakes of the battle that Eury and Pheus face against evil spirit that is stalking Eury.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I knew going in that I would because I enjoy Lilliam Rivera’s writing so much. I would definitely recommend you pick this one up, especially if you like retellings or Greek mythology based retellings.