When I picked up “Maria, Maria” by Marytza K. Rubio, I was immediately drawn in by the promise of stories steeped in magic and metaphor, set against the backdrop of Latin American cities. This collection, longlisted for the National Book Award for Fiction, did not disappoint in delivering a unique and imaginative reading experience.

The book is a playful, witchy collection of short stories that vary in format and tone. Rubio’s writing is lush and vivid, almost threatening to creep off the page. From a community college professor teaching witchcraft in “Brujería for Beginners” to the disturbingly faithful widow in “Tijuca,” who buries her husband’s head in the jungle, each story offers a fresh and engaging perspective.

What stood out to me was the way Rubio explores opposing forces—levity and darkness, life and death, love and grief—in a manner that can be both quick to enjoy and deeply contemplative. Stories like “Paint by Numbers,” a piece of microfiction, read almost like narrative poetry, inviting readers to linger on every word.

Animals, too, play a significant role as powerful magicians, whether it’s subversive pigeons, hungry jaguars, or a resurrected saber-toothed tiger. The titular novella, “Maria, Maria,” wraps up the collection with a family drama set in a reimagined California rainforest, exploring the legacies of three Marias.

While I didn’t fall completely in love with every story, I found the collection overall to be a lot of fun. It’s a perfect pick if you enjoy experimental formats and a witchy vibe, brimming with sharp wit and ferocious female intuition.

For those considering this book, be aware that it includes content such as the death of a spouse, violence, and gun violence. Despite these heavy themes, the stories maintain a sense of wonder and magic that make “Maria, Maria” a captivating read.

Overall, “Maria, Maria” by Marytza K. Rubio is a striking debut that I would recommend to anyone looking for a rich, magical journey through the complexities of love and grief, life and death.

5 stars all the way!

Well this book was utterly exceptional! Perfect read for this spooky season!

These stories are the epitome of imaginative! They are awesomely dark and still poignant!

Marytza grabs old beliefs, myths and superstitions and runs with them (dragging you the reader with her) down an infinite and daaaaaark rabbit hole, cleverly mixing them with pop culture, social commentary and her own unique creations for an out of this world result!

I'll keep an eye on Marytza's work now!

There is no way to properly describe these stories so I'll just give you some examples of similar books

You'd probably love this book as much as I did if If you like diverse (Hispanic in this case) dark stories and retellings that feel like driving in a haunted attraction, with unexpected twists, revamped themes, realistically scary animatronics and those dreaded human monsters like:
- Things We Lost in the Fire
- The Dangers of Smoking in Bed
- Our Shadows Have Claws: 15 Latin American Monster Stories
- Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women & Witchcraft
- Fresh Ink
- Reclaim the Stars: 17 Tales Across Realms & Space
- Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century
- A Universe of Wishes: A We Need Diverse Books Anthology
- Her Body and Other Parties

Other similar books are "Follow Me to Ground", "Freshwater", "Piranesi", and "The Hay Bale"

I was in love with this collection through the many short stories. I am a huge fan of magical realism. This leans more toward the magic, but still keeps grounded in a world we recognize, even if it isnt ours.

And then I got into the longest work that gives the book its title : Maria, Maria. To do that story justice, it really needed more space and a bit more chronology because I got lost. It is more toward futurism / fantasy, which worked really well. But, I am usually pretty good at going on the trips that the books take and keeping my bearings. I often see reviews on books that I love where others got lost or missed the point. But this one got very confusing. At the end, I think I can untangle it some and be ok if I read it again. But I didn't like it enough to read again. I understand why everyone is named Maria, and how the line between individual and group is purposely blurred, but without something else to hang onto it is so very hard to keep up.

I really enjoyed the stories in Maria, Maria and thought the collection as a whole worked well. While I liked some stories more than others, they were all highly creative and lush with description. Most of the stories here were fantastical and included everything from vampires to witches to mermaids. A common theme throughout most of the stories were family ties, especially those between sisters, and generational magic. The final story, Maria, Maria is more of a novella and traces an ancestral line of Marias through time. I really enjoyed this story once I picked up the audiobook as I got a bit lost reading it the first time around (could also be the formatting of this arc).

My favorite stories were Tijuca, Tunnels, and Maria, Maria, in particular the Maria del Mar fragment.

If you like mythology, especially Mexican myths, and stories with elements of magic I would definitely recommend checking out Maria, Maria.

Thank you to NetGalley and W.W. Norton for a review copy.

I'm not sure every store was a slam dunk here, but the ones that were- I would read entire novel-length versions of if they were offered to me. Rubio certainly has a very unique voice, and I loved the mix of ordinary/myth/life/death. Thanks so much to the publisher for the review copy!

there are some vibrant elements in rubio's storytelling however i found some of the gimmicks employed in these stories to be very 'green', ie predictable, especially in a debut collection of short stories.

A magical and fantastical set of short stories that are wonderfully full of life, death, and everything in between.

Every culture has its own folklore, its own myths, its own fantastical creatures. Getting to explore these is one of my favourite things to do. Another one of my favourite things is seeing folklore and myth re-imagined, repurposed for modern times and modern trials. This is where the stunning Maria, Maria comes in. Thanks to W.W. Norton & Company, Liveright and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My apologies for the delay.

Short stories truly are an artform all to themselves. In my more naive years I thought that short stories must be easier, since they are shorter than full-blown novels. Over the years I have come to realise that nothing is quite as hard as crafting a good short story. You have a limited number of pages, even words, to make your point and yet your story needs to have all the depth and structure of a full novel. Maria, Maria heavily focuses on characteriation to pull this fine balance of and she does so masterfully. Each of these stories feels thematically connected and yet each story stands on its own as well. Maria, Maria also does Magical Realism in the way I adore, meaning magic quite simply is as real as the rest of the world. It isn't questioned or disbelieved, but rather an element of the natural world that some of us can tap in to. In doing so, Rubio creates a world that at once feels familiar and oddly unheimlich.

The first story 'Brujería for Beginners' immediately grabbed my attention and let me know I was in for a good time. As a community college professor walks her class through their first lessons in magic, you get your first glimpses into the magical realism and harsh reality Rubio works with. This story is also told almost entirely through direct address from the professor to her students and I loved how Rubio used this form to tell her story. 'Tijuca' tells the tale of a widow willing to go rather far to bring her late husband to his final rest, while searching for her own as well. 'Tunnels' is a beautifully complex story about a family, told through small burst of narrative, as they search for a way to survive and preserve their land and culture. 'Art Show' is abstract in a delightful way, describing the different displays at an art show put on by ... animals? 'Clap If You Believe' features a sighting of Satan, a magic aunt, and difficult mother-daughter relationships.

'Moksha' is a story of chupasangres, sister bonds, and eternal musicians. This story has a late summer, 'we are eternally young'-vibe which I adored. 'Burial' is a story of loss and growing up, with an accidental resurrected sabretooth tiger. 'Carlos Across Space and Time' is also about loss, but rather about finding the right ending, the right kind of departure, the right kind of farewell. It was oddly touching in its journey across space and time. 'Paint by Numbers' is another odd one, a very short story told through different colours which come together to paint a grim picture.
Last comes the title story, 'Maria, Maria'. This is a story of cosmological mythology, but also of sisters and mothers and daughters. Maite has to make her way across an almost post-apocalyptic California to locate her aunt, who was written a book about the Marias, after the death of her mother. Interspersed are the stories of Maria de los Santos, the First maria, and Maria del Mar. There is a magic to this last story especially, which brings home the various themes and ideas from the other stories. It truly amazed me by its scope and lyric writing.

As far as I can tell this is Marytza K. Rubio's first fully-fledged, independent, short story collection and what a way to enter the scene. Her writing overflows with imagery and real feeling, without ever getting overly emotional or dramatic. It tells the story of generational trauma, of being Othered, of trying to preserve a culture in the face of backlash. It is a collection of difficult and dark women, girls with a touch of magic, and men with heavy burdens. Maria, Maria imagines a California that is almost a jungle, a place that crosses between worlds. I don't know whether "tropigoth" is an already established term, but it felt very apt once I'd read my way through Rubio's stories. There is the gothic darkness of inherited trauma, but also the sweltering intensity of the tropics. It feels derivative to compare Rubio's writing to that of Maria Carmen Machado or Silvia Moreno Garcia, but I do believe she brings a similar talent to the table. She shares their interest in elevating the mythology of the Americas, of highlighting oppression and colonialism, of centring women who avoid easy description. I cannot wait to read more by Marytza K. Rubio in the future!

Maria, Maria very quickly worked its way onto my "favourite reads" list. Her stories are stunning, complex, and vividly drawn, yet are also deeply human. Her stories have summoned many images which will stay with me for a long time.

This was an okay read for me. I tend to prefer stories that are more focused on characters than concept, so it wasn't quite what I was looking for. The writing was great though and I'd definitely be interested in reading something else from this author!

Really enjoyed this short story collection. sometimes i felt lost but it was so poetic that i just enjoyed the ride and things would come back together.

A compelling collection of short stories that blurs the lines between the living and the dead, sprinkled with elements of the occult, spells and the supernatural. Richly written and deliciously dark, these haunting tales lingered with me long after reading the last words.

A vibrant luscious collection of short stories by debut writer Marytza K. Rubio.

CARLOS ACROSS SPACE AND TIME 5 ⭐️ My favourite story about the alternate lives Carlos would have had if he hadn't been shot by police. Also the emotionally restrained façade that Ruby presents to the outside world about how much he means to her. "Estamos enredados." (We are entangled)

BURIAL 3 ⭐️ About a school age child whose father has passed away. She sings a little childhood rhyme to another child who she accidentally hurts "Sana sana colita de rana, sana sana colita de rana." Translated it in my mind to 'healthy healthy frog tail' but after puzzling over it, I found this online explanation: "When translated literally it means “heal, heal, little frog’s tail. This expression is commonly used in many Latino communities to offer consolation when one, specifically a child, has fallen or gotten hurt. The phrase continues with “if you don’t heal today, you will heal tomorrow.” At its core this message is meant to offer relentless encouragement, that while we may be suffering today, things will get better tomorrow." (https://smcbhrsblog.org/2017/11/14/what-does-sana-sana-colita-de-rana-mean/). While this is not a core point of the short story, these moments of illuminating cultural context elevated these stories for me.

MOKSHA 4⭐️ Cool story about two sisters who visit the Museo de las Chupasangres (Museum of Vampires). They speculate about the legendary La Duende and take her obsidian dagger from the museum for a sisterhood ritual.

BRUJERÍA FOR BEGINNERS 4.5 ⭐️ Exactly what the title suggests, the no-nonsense teacher with a very dry sense of humour explains exactly what learning witchcraft in the classroom entails and dispels stereotypes.

TIJUCA 4.4 ⭐️ Widow Ada honours her deceased husband Armand's wishes on what to do with his head.

TUNNELS 4.25⭐️ Based in Tijuana, Mexico, this story fiercely opens with
"Epifania Fogata asked her sons questions no one could answer: How many of our cures were lost in the conquests’ fires? How many plants were burned to extinction? Do the ashes of your ancestors ’ codices contain methods for communicating with animals? With the dead?" It references the ancient Floating Gardens of Xochimilco and Colibris (hummingbirds) with their warrior past forgotten. Again, cultural context and knowledge of events such as the Noche Buena bombings or Proposition 187 (which the text explains was accompanied with a barrier wall that disrupted animal migration) may enhance appreciation of the story.

CLAP IF YOU BELIEVE 3.75 ⭐️ Deals with the occult and mystical but also political machinations of the CIA in Mexico and Mercosur countries. Had to do some additional reading about COINTELPRO by United States government agencies in suppressing the Chichano movement to get the historical context.

MARIA, MARIA 4⭐️ Titular story, complex, full of wondrous imagery. Significantly longer than the others, I'm afraid I got lost in the midst of the Marias.

ART SHOW 2.5 ⭐️ The only story in the collection that was a miss for me, art gallery for animals featuring anthropomorphosizsd animals.

Brimming with imagination, dive into this rich vibrant jungle of stories, highly recommended.

Thanks to W.W. Norton and Co. for providing an eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Maria, Maria opens with a stunning and original first story that exhibits Rubio’s macabre, direct, and darkly humorous style. As the collection continues, the writing style still contained these moments, but the plots of the stories were harder to follow. Some stories were more of a collection of vignettes. Others were a bit vague in narrative and intention. Despite this, Rubio’s work is compelling in the way it takes risks.

This collection of short stories was amazing. I love magical realism but I am always a bit worried about how it is going to turn out - this collection was just wonderful. Mexican witchcraft, grief, sisterhood, nature... They are all really good, and despite having favourite ones, I can't exactly say one was weaker than the others. The first one hooked me in straight away with its witchcraft classes at a regular community college; and I loved the titular story, "Maria, Maria" and its heroine and her psychic family. It was well-written and honestly just enchanting.

This was such a unique collection of short stories based on Mexican myths and folklore. I was hooked from the start where we have a teacher teaching a class on witchcraft and how to conjure up spells. It was so original and funny. With such a strong start, some stories fell a bit flat, but overall the collection is worth reading. There’s a recurring theme of grief, family, magic and nature that we see throughout as well.

I was impressed by the writing and look forward to Rubio’s future works!

What a magical read!! From the first story with brujas and potions, I was immediately hooked on Marytza K. Rubio's "Maria, Maria." Even before I was finished reading this book, I was already recommending it to friends and family I knew would enjoy it. As a younger reader, I became fascinated with Latinx literature that was vivid and teaming with magic, and stories like One Hundred Years of Solitude and the House of Spirits led me on my journey to finding this wonderful book by Rubio. The book collects stories of "Marias" and weaves them together with common themes, mythic beasts, and powerful women. I devoured this book in a little over three days because of how exciting the stories and writing are. I highly recommend this book to you if you enjoy magical realism, brujitas, and bad a$$ ladies doing bad a$$ things! Thank you to Marytza Rubio for writing this wonderful collection; I look forward to your future works with anticipation~ And thank you NetGalley + publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of this book!

A very interesting and different kind of short story collection. It started strong and ended strong for me, but the middle stories were not my favorites.
I feel like that many readers will be quite confused as I have been. If you don't like being dropped into the story and not knowing what's going on, this won't be for you. However if you're after some magic realism with feminist touches and brujas, spells and magic, this might be the one for you.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Marytza K. Rubio's collection of short stories, Maria, Maria & Other Stories was such a joy to read!
Set in the Americas, each story highlights how precarious and illusory the line is between the living and the dead, the day and the night, and love and something like love. The spiritualism and elements of magic imbue each story in such a way that readers are treated to a different approach and understanding of life/living, death, and everything in between.

There are moments of hilarity, horror, mystery, discovery, survival, and revenge. However, what I enjoyed most was the different types of relationships among the characters and how those relationships shaped the stories. From the humour between the instructor and her students in “Brujería for Beginners” (I laughed out loud!) to the trepidatious build up in the title story, Maria Maria, at the end of the collection (I couldn’t figure out what was going to happen between the protagonist and her aunt), this collection makes you wonder how far we’re willing to go for ourselves, our survival, and others/our loved ones. Will Ada in “Tiuca” decapitate her husband to honour his wish after his death? Will Violeta and her brother do all they can to help the tiger return to the earth? Will Liz and Ruby be able to save Carlos…Is that indeed their intention as the meet him in alternative lives across different points of time?

At times meta, confusing, and chaotic, these stories—terrifying alternate realities and futures—are engaging and intoxicating. Requiring more engagement than your average short story collection, I’m convinced that some of these stories are interconnected, and I want to reread this collection ASAP—something I’d happily do since I enjoyed most of the short stories!

If you enjoy shorter fiction that is darker and a bit more disturbing but also quirky and requires active reading, then this collection is for you!

I’d be willing to read what Marytza K. Rubio writes next! Many thanks to NetGalley and W.W. Norton & company for allowing me to read an advanced reader’s copy of Rubio’s short story collection, Maria, Maria & Other Stories in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to love this book specially since I love Magic Realism, but I just didn't click with this one. Some of the stories were really confusing to me even after rereading them. I feel like a lot of people will like this anthology, but it was just me that had a hard time getting into them.

A very good short story collection! I loved some of the stories, but others just didn't hold my attention. I usually found that the ones with a good mixture of dialogue and exposition to be really well-balanced and enjoyable, but the stories with almost no dialogue didn't do it for me. Here's the breakdown--

Brujeria For Beginners: 2.5 / 5
Tijuca: 4.5 / 5
Tunnels: 2 / 5
Art Show: 2 / 5
Clap If You Believe: 3 / 5
Moksha: 2 / 5
Burial: 4.5 / 5
Carlos Across Space and Time: 2.5 / 5
Paint By Numbers: 2.5 / 5
Maria, Maria: 2.5 / 5