Weep Woman Weep is a haunting yet uplifting gothic fairytale which dabbles in the urban legend of La Llorona but also focuses on how childhood trauma can affect how we live our lives.

Mercy and Shelly are regular girls, who have heard the tales of the weeping woman and know to stay away from the river nearby to prevent her pulling them under.

When an unfortunate incident changes their friendship forever Mercy must try to move forward with her life, all with the curse of La Llorona as a constant.

A short, snappy tale of a haunted life, Weep Woman Weep is as tragic as it is heartwarming, making it play out more heightened reality over a depressing horror tale.

DeBlassie spends a lot of time on the character of Mercy, the heartbeat of the story. At just over 100 pages this is the sort of book you could easily get through in one reading and feel better for it once it is finished.

This book is so heartwarming. Even though this book categorized as horror, I think it’s more magical realism, and the horror level is probably only 0.000001%. Which is very subtle. Probably because the story is related to La Llorona, the Weeping Woman, so it categorized as horror, but it's actually not horror at all. I think the story is beautiful and touching.

Our narrator and main character, Mercy, tells the story of her life in a circle full of sorrow and grief because of La Llorona’s doing. And how she tries to break the chains of the generational trauma. I like the writing style, which make us seems so close with Mercy and listening to Mercy's story directly. The way the story is told is never a dull moment and it flows beautifully. In my opinion, this book also has its own deep meaning apart from Mercy’s story to fight La Llorona’s curse. I can see that in this life, we are just like Mercy. We have our own 'ghost' ready to haunt us whenever we are drowning in sadness, griefs, regrets, or sorrows. The ghost can be our past that we may not be able to let go or fully accept. That being said, this book is beautifully-written too.

Overall, I didn’t have any particular issues when reading this book. Maybe at first it felt a little slow, but it doesn’t bother me. I’d say again, this book is short but very beautiful and heartwarming. This was a story of letting go, accepting ourselves, and how we work for miracles.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for the opportunity to read this eARC. All opinions are my own.

With thanks to Netgalley and Maria DeBlassie for providing me with an eArc in exchange for an honest review.

This is a spellbinding folk horror tale - and I am using spellbinding in a much less 'cutesy' way than it's become synonymous with. This is a take off magic but in a more spiritual and earth bound way - curses and wards, the magic in the earth, the seasons, the planting and growing of things and the superstition of generations of culture.

I've heard the tale of La Llorona before but often heightened, modern, and gothic - this took it back to a folk root that I enjoyed.

I loved the main character Mercy's voice, her thought processes and matter-of-factness. She begins the novella explaining why she and the other women of Sueña, a rural farming town in New Mexico can't, or rather don't, allow themselves to experience joy, but by the end of the story she is surprised at being able to relate that she has found some light in her darkened life.

"Weep, Woman, Weep": 3⭐

(Unpaid Review: thank you to @netgalley, @mariadeblassie and the publishers for allowing me to read this eArc copy in exchange for a review.)

This was a snarky, really smart horror feminista read. I loved the themes surroundings mexican american culture and all the references to the actual horror. The horror wasn't too much, which I enjoyed since I'm a total chicken! 😅

Overall, this is a fun, horror novella.

4.5 Stars
This was a wonderful, smart feminist horror narrative. I loved the themes surrounding an experience as an Mexican American living in rural New Mexico. The actual horror was subtle, yet unsettling. I loved how it drew on ancestral horror and buja magic. This story really hits on an emotional level. 

I highly recommend this novella to anyone looking for a diverse, own voices horror story that hits on heavy themes while bringing the scares. 

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Weep, Woman, Weep by Maria DeBlassie is a dark but hauntingly beautiful novella set in New Mexico and based on la Llorona, the Weeping Woman of Latin American folklore.
Mercy lives in a town where the women are cursed to live a life filled with sorrows. They do their best to avoid walking by the river at night in hopes of avoiding the curse, but too often La Llorona finds them anyway. When Mercy's best friend becomes her latest victim, sentenced to a life of tears and suffering, and Mercy only narrowly avoids the same fate , she decides to fight back, to build a better life for herself , a life filled with magic, healing and rebirth, and maybe even a little romance.
I was blown away by the strength and beauty of the writing in this little book , I was completely gripped from the opening lines to the last page, which came far too soon for my liking. I can honestly say that my biggest problem with this book was that I wanted more of it.
The theme of oppression and how it shaped Mercy's character and her choices was another interesting aspect of the story, and added a lot of depth to what initially appeared to be a more slight story.
I also have to compliment the beautiful cover artwork, which initially drew my eye to the book, and fit the story perfectly.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

A beautifully written modern fairy tale on overcoming grief, loss, and trauma. This is not horror, despite the protagonist going through horrific ordeals. This is.... a lovely reckoning on living with the past and growing despite your pain.

I was very surprised by this little book, it was wonderful! It was beautiful and heart-wrenching.. I absolutely loved it and I will be thinking about it for a long time.

*This book was offered to me by NetGalley for free in exchange for an honest review*
A story of generational trauma and poverty. This books tales the myth of La Llorona and turns it into a metaphor for the Mercy’s difficult relationships with her family and the rural place where she grew up.
Mercy deals with a lot of grief and anger in the book and the narration was one of the things I loved most about the book, it was a sort of internal dialouge that the reader gained access to.
The writing was beautiful, but personally I would have loved it more had it been longer and more indept. I also didn’t find La Llorona as scary as she was meant to be because the short book didn’t allow for the author to really flesh out the character.
The things that make Mercy deal with emotions, such as the father leaving, her mother dying and Sherry being taken by La Llorona all seemed very superficial in the way that they were written out and the book would have benefitted from not making everything as mysterious

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this story very much. I don't know if it's because I was also reading "The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep" at the same time, but I at moments felt a really deep connection with Mercy and could visualize Mercy's Farm and the feeling of joining her on her couch to read.

Anyways, it's a good tale of overcoming loss and finding what it is to learn to love oneself and allowing others into your life.

Not so much horror though.... I would have love it if La Llorona were a little more present in the story.

I really loved this book! The aspect of bringing in the myth of La Llorona is amazing and I was on the edge of my seat the entire book! The concept of her tears is so amazing and I can't say enough good things about this story! My only complaint is that it is not available in physical form to purchase!
The cover is stunning as well!

*This book was received as an Advanced Reviewer's Copy from NetGalley.

This may be one of the more compelling, beautiful books that I've read this year. An unexpected joy (which is a weird descriptor, given the themes). While it was short (classifying as a novella), it was packed full of detail and intrigue.

Mercy has only known sorrow in her short life. Ok, maybe that's not entirely true, she has her friend Sherry and they are able to have some semblance of fun. But in general, the women in her small town in New Mexico don't have much to be happy about. It's generational. And because of their sorrows, La Llorona haunts the village, preying on the women and sucking their dreams dry into her river.

Mercy herself is a complicated character. She wants for things, but then turns on herself, believing that she doesn't deserve him. That they'll just be ruined in the end. I think it's a very relatable theme for a lot of people. Add in the haunting from La Llorona, and it just gives it a sinister/creepy vibe.

A surprising detail I found I enjoyed was Mercy's employment (and that around her). It made the book comfortable at the same time the creepiness crept in and the odd mix between the two just strengthened them. I also enjoyed watching her grow into the social scene and handle relationships that were more complicated than what she grew up with.

Throughout all of the book, various social issues came into play; like colorism, racism, sexism. The author did a great job weaving those serious topics in with the other elements of the story. She presented them as driven into the sadness that the water witch fed on and so tied everything together. Finally, the magical realism was done so well that you can't tell if there is magic, or if it's just a vivid picture of life told through a different lens.

Definitely one to read; I couldn't put it down.

Review by M. Reynard 2021

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
I really enjoyed this novella!
It was a great gothic read, perfect for the spooky season.
It was definitely an amazing take on La Llorona.
I couldn't put it down and i finished it quickly.
I highly recommend this novella!

This is the best small town horror I have read this year. This novella features themes of domestic violence, grief, and systemic racism. I love this take on the classic urban legend of La Llorona. In this story, Mercy is constantly trying to outrun La Llorona. With any sign of water, she could be at risk of the cold hands of the weeping woman. I would love a longer version of this story with more world building. Maybe more of insight into the community and how La Llorona affects the other townspeople. Also the cover is absolutely beautiful.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to @NetGalley and the publisher for providing this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
In this quick paced novella, 'Weep, Woman, Weep' is a captivating gothic take on the old myth of La Llorona. Maria DeBlassie paints a perfect picture of the strong women leads that many people absolutely adore, such as myself. I read this story in the span of one day because of how intrigued I was. Definitely recommend!

A powerful novella about systematic oppression and just how deep, and generational, it is. I saw La Llorona as just another form of oppression and it is from that the real horror unfurls. She was both a victim of it and, in turn, created a long line of it via her myth. Only when Mercy started to stand on her own 2 feet and flip the script from oppressed to free did the power of La Llorona truly subside.

The writing is inspired. I could see the New Mexican landscape in my minds eye while reading. The narrative is sparse and direct, as it is written almost as though Mercy is talking to us as she plants or harvests her turnips. It might be a slight tome, but it packs a punch.

Recommended.

A very quick and dark gothic read. I love fairytales and gothic fairytales are the best in my opinion, I mean I love Disney but sometimes life is gritty and dark and shocking and that is what you get with this book. It was raw and I loved it

This is quiet, rural horror done right, though in the end this novella is as much about grief, intergenerational trauma, and intimate partner violence as it is about the dangers of La Llorona. I loved the representation of New Mexico, and I thought main character Mercy was a fabulous, and at times heartbreaking, narrator. The novella's focus on brujeria via farming and finding happiness in spite of a world designed to stamp out the least bit of joy was delightful. It was, in many ways, a truly meditative read, despite the narrator's prickly style and the overall body count. (Also, as an aside, this is THE most beautiful cover of a self-published work that I've ever seen.)

I really liked this book!!!
At first, I thought that it would be hard to go through the whole story because I always preferred lots of dialogue. But the writing was so good, so absorbing and beautiful and well written, it blew me away.
“But nothing makes a woman brave except living.”
I loved the fact the main character is speaking directly with us, and guiding us through her journey of self-discovery, all her tears, and the smiles of her life.
“Wait. Let me back up a bit, so you know where all this is taking place.”
It was like nothing I have ever read.

I loved the plot! I always dig woman leads who are strong and fearless. And mercy was just that.
I appreciate how beautifully Mercy's struggles were portrayed. And the thought of the water witch catching up to Mercy did give me chills. Even though what the people labelled her with Mercy always did her thing. What a badass! I loved her.
In brief,the book was really good,I enjoyed reading it.💗