Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything

Raquel Vasquez Gilliland — 2020

“In a world where we are so often dividing ourselves into us and them, this book feels like a kind of magic, celebrating all beliefs, ethnicities, and unknowns.” —The New York Times Book Review Aristotle & Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe meets Roswell by way of Laurie Halse Anderson in this astonishing, genre-bending novel about a Mexican American teen who discovers profound connections between immigration, folklore, and alien life. It’s been three years since ICE raids and phone calls from Mexico and an ill-fated walk across the Sonoran. Three years since Sia Martinez’s mom disappeared. Sia wants to move on, but it’s hard in her tiny Arizona town where people refer to her mom’s deportation as “an unfortunate incident.” Sia knows that her mom must be dead, but every new moon Sia drives into the desert and lights San Anthony and la Guadalupe candles to guide her mom home. Then one night, under a million stars, Sia’s life and the world as we know it cracks wide open. Because a blue-lit spacecraft crashes in front of Sia’s car…and it’s carrying her mom, who’s very much alive. As Sia races to save her mom from armed-quite-possibly-alien soldiers, she uncovers secrets as profound as they are dangerous in this stunning and inventive exploration of first love, family, immigration, and our vast, limitless universe.

Reviews

Sarah Sammis@pussreboots

Apr 4, 2024

OK! Wow. In tone it reminds me of Hombre mirando al sudeste (1986) which was inspired by Le Petit Prince... which together makes the recent film version make a hell of a lot more sense. This novel also has the feel of El Norte (1983) and The House of the Spirits. (Family/Couple Uhoria Offroad 33CC66) http://pussreboots.com/blog/2020/comm...

Anna Agarwal@annabeth837

Nov 18, 2021

***4.5

Sophie Elaina @sophieelaina

Nov 17, 2021

Wow this was so strange and beautiful, I am in awe. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did such an astounding job at inflicting emotion, it worked so well with the author's prose. Wonderful! If this book isn't on your radar already, I hope you'll give it a chance! I love that it's being called a mix between Ari & Dante meets Roswell, because that is literally the most perfect way of describing this book.

Joleen@starlightbooktales

Aug 31, 2021

TW : HP References 3.5 Stars

Stefie @stefiereads

Aug 26, 2021

2.5 stars It was really good and I thought I would give this book a 5 stars until I read the last half part of the book and WHY?! 😭😭 I was expecting a YA contemporary then suddenly it became sci-fi. I guess it didn’t work for me. I got confused and then more things happening all at once. Hard for me to focus on the story. Then, I also feel some scenes are done very suddenly and quickly. Which made me even more confused. But, I love the writing style. It’s a page Turner for sure. I mean, even though it’s ended up became a sci-fi, I still managed to finished the book. Because it kept me curious until the end. The ending was a bit confusing for me personally. Also, the romance feels a bit rush? The friendship between Sia and Rose is such a delight to read. Even though I have to say that sometimes I really don’t like the way she acts to her friends and bf. She is unlikable sometimes. I don’t know. Sia’s Abuela and Noah are my favourite characters.