Cemetery Boys Book Review

 Cemetery Boys by Aidan Thomas

2020

Young adult, lgbt+, paranormal

Cemetery Boys is about Yadriel, a 16 year old trans boy, as he tries to find his missing cousin, work through his feelings for a ghost he summoned, and balance family drama caused by his traditional community.

I really loved Cemetery Boys, it makes for a great standalone novel. Paranormal books are not part of a genre that I typically reach for, but Cemetery Boys is so well executed I definitely plan to be more of the horror genre in general in the future. Thomas nailed the worldbuilding and Yadriel is a fully developed protagonist with a vibrant cast of side characters to support him. The romance of the novel comes off as completely natural and features some great representation for lgbt+ youth.

I also genuinely enjoyed the theme of death throughout the novel. Instead of something to be feared, death is celebrated and the grief of loss is never ignored. Bruja culture is especially cool, because it’s something I knew very little about prior to reading. Being part of Bruja culture is so much more than day of the dead, and Thomas’s rich prose presents the beauty of a group of people rarely at the forefront of YA literature.

Rating 4.5/5: Cemetery Boys is amazing and though meant for younger readers, I think the novel has universal themes that appeal to anyone! I would highly recommend anyone who works with youth to recommend this book as I believe there’s many young people who can relate to Yadriel’s journey about finding his place in his community. The happy ending of the novel is equally amazing, and I hope others find the same joy in Cemetery Boys as I did.