In this stunning debut, legends collide with reality when a boy is swept into the magical, dangerous world of a girl filled with poison.
Samantha Mabry credits her tendency toward magical thinking to her Grandmother Garcia, who would wash money in the kitchen sink to rinse off any bad spirits. She teaches writing and Latino literature at a community college in Dallas, where she lives with her husband, a historian, and a cat named Mouse. She is the author of A Fierce and Subtle Poison and All the Wind in the World. Visit her online at samanthamabry.com or on Twitter: @samanthamabry.
“With its sparklingly sinister blend of natural history and magic,
of themes that seem both modern and timeless, A Fierce and Subtle
Poison gets under the skin.” – Chicago Tribune
“A breathtaking story in which myths come to frightening life and
buried wishes might actually come true.” —Nova Ren Suma, author of
The Walls Around Us and Imaginary Girls
“Samantha Mabry’s magical debut is both a chilling mystery and a
heartbreaking meditation on love, longing and sacrifice...A Fierce
and Subtle Poison will get into your blood.” —Laura Ruby, author of
Bone Gap
"Mabry cultivates a rich setting, offering lush descriptions of the
island, its stories, and the sharp divide between the old world and
the incoming new one, characterized by swift modernization and the
careless destruction of history. Perfect for fans of Carlos Ruiz
Zafón’s atmospheric Marina.” —Sarah Hunter, Booklist
"[Mabry] steeps her debut novel in compelling Caribbean folklore
and a lush, evocative setting... Fans of open-ended, atmospheric
stories will enjoy the chilling suspense." —Kirkus Reviews
"Inspired by Hawthorne’s ‘Rappaccini’s Daughter,’ debut author
Mabry blends magical realism with mystery in the story of Lucas
Knight, the 17-year-old son of a hotel developer spending his
summers in San Juan. Mabry smoothly joins dreamy, fever-induced
scenes with the lore of “la ciguapa,” a beautiful creature that
leads men to insanity or death with a kiss, and her atmospheric
ending guarantees goose bumps." —Publishers Weekly“A Fierce and
Subtle Poison is a great doorway into magical realism; it uses
many of the genre's tropes in a way that feels both modern and
self-aware…It's an impressive work; Mabry manages to combine a very
romantic view of Puerto Rico with a critique of the poison that is
sown by objectifying indigenous peoples and places. The book
approaches its themes thoughtfully and with a visceral sense of
place: Hurricane winds and the patter of rain against thick leaves
are the driving rhythms at its heart. Readers looking for a
different kind of fairytale and a sensuous setting will enjoy this
foray into a strange and troubled garden.” — NPR.org
"This is a coming-of-age story set against the mystic and the
tragic, and it will likely leave a mark on readers for
days." —BCCB, starred review
“With its sparklingly sinister blend of natural history and magic,
of themes that seem both modern and timeless, A Fierce and Subtle
Poison gets under the skin.” – Chicago Tribune
“A breathtaking story in which myths come to frightening life and
buried wishes might actually come true.” —Nova Ren Suma, author of
The Walls Around Us and Imaginary Girls
“Samantha Mabry’s magical debut is both a chilling mystery and a
heartbreaking meditation on love, longing and sacrifice...A Fierce
and Subtle Poison will get into your blood.” —Laura Ruby, author of
Bone Gap
"Mabry cultivates a rich setting, offering lush descriptions of the
island, its stories, and the sharp divide between the old world and
the incoming new one, characterized by swift modernization and the
careless destruction of history. Perfect for fans of Carlos Ruiz
Zafón’s atmospheric Marina.” —Sarah Hunter, Booklist
"[Mabry] steeps her debut novel in compelling Caribbean folklore
and a lush, evocative setting... Fans of open-ended, atmospheric
stories will enjoy the chilling suspense." —Kirkus Reviews
"Inspired by Hawthorne’s ‘Rappaccini’s Daughter,’ debut author
Mabry blends magical realism with mystery in the story of Lucas
Knight, the 17-year-old son of a hotel developer spending his
summers in San Juan. Mabry smoothly joins dreamy, fever-induced
scenes with the lore of “la ciguapa,” a beautiful creature that
leads men to insanity or death with a kiss, and her atmospheric
ending guarantees goose bumps." —Publishers Weekly“A Fierce and
Subtle Poison is a great doorway into magical realism; it uses
many of the genre's tropes in a way that feels both modern and
self-aware…It's an impressive work; Mabry manages to combine a very
romantic view of Puerto Rico with a critique of the poison that is
sown by objectifying indigenous peoples and places. The book
approaches its themes thoughtfully and with a visceral sense of
place: Hurricane winds and the patter of rain against thick leaves
are the driving rhythms at its heart. Readers looking for a
different kind of fairytale and a sensuous setting will enjoy this
foray into a strange and troubled garden.” — NPR.org
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