Pride Month Book Review of “Reclaim the Stars” Edited by Zoraida Cordova

Reclaim the Stars: 17 Tales from Across Realms and Space

Edited by Zoraida Cordova

Anthology Authors include: Vita Ayala, David Bowles, J.C. Cervantes, Zoraida Córdova, Sara Faring, Romina Garber, Isabel Ibañez, Anna-Marie McLemore, Yamile Saied Méndez, Nina Moreno, Circe Moskowitz, Maya Motayne, Linda Raquel Nieves Pérez, Daniel José Older, Claribel A. Ortega, Mark Oshiro, and Lilliam Rivera

Released February 15th 2022

I received an ARC from NetGalley

Category: Perfect blend of Sci-Fi, Spec Fic, Magical Realism and Fantasy for more inclusive work like Nnedi Okorafor, N. K. Jemisin, Silvia Moreno-Garcia 

Triggering Content Notes: sexual content, violence, medical trauma/illness, abortion/loss of a child, body horror, generational trauma, abuse/assault (I may have missed some as I mistakenly didn't note it down individually per story, so please feel free to let me know if I missed any!)

I am very excited to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this anthology of Latine and Indigenous voices in Fantasy and Science Fiction. I loved the fresh perspectives and narrative styles in each story, all of which are vibrant, richly detailed, and full of interesting characters. Many of them absolutely also directly reflect the heritage and culture of the contributors, and others feature Latinx references and language. Unlike other sci-fi or fantasy anthologies where marginalized voices feel shoehorned in as a diversity hire, this is a treasure trove of inclusivity and celebration of the brilliant authors in Latin American diaspora. I loved the variety of writing styles and tone, and the constant flux of rhythm and cadence kept it interesting and made it an evenly paced read.

I am not always a fan of anthologies, however I feel that this is a true gem in the category; not a single story in here was “a clunker” so to speak, and I know that is a rare feat in anthology books. No sirree, there wasn't a single entry in here that I'd qualify as "middling" or "boring," every story ranged from very good to truly outstanding!  Just like all of the stars twinkling in the heavens, every carefully crafted tale in this tome brightly outshine any humdrum white male mediocrity of Science Fiction past. I am all definitely ready to board this new spacecraft, ready to rocket into universes uncharted with the diverse voices in Sci-Fi and Fantasy; the future is bright and diverse for Latinx and BIPOC voices in the genre!

Excellent diverse LGBTQ+ themes including polyamorous relationships, Queer romance, nonbinary characters, transgender characters. We need more of this type of stuff!

Review by Ellen Avigliano
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