4****

I enjoyed this collection of short stories much more than I usually do (usually I r ate them around 3*** due to me loving some stories and disliking others).

Most of these stories included things that I really enjoyed; darkness, magic, rituals, myth. And the author blends these with themes of sisterhood and grief.

I really enjoyed the first 65% of this book- the stories were short and engaging. In the last 35% of the book the author seemed to do quite a long story with stories embedded within it. This was the story of the title “Maria, Maria” but was my least favourite one sadly and I struggled to then find interest (hence why this will be getting 4****, it would’ve been higher if not for this): it was apocalyptic/dystopian, with a cruel sister, and grief/survival. There were some wonderful atmospheric moments in this story and intriguing story-telling, but this did take up a good chunk of the book and I probably would’ve loved it more if the author included more short stories, rather than this extended one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this E-ARC :)

An interesting collection of 10 short stories. Set in the Americas, they all have a dollop of magical realism or anthromorphism but there's no recurrent theme. The title story- Maria Maria- is actually a novella that offers generations of Marias a look at their past and their future. Some of these stories are less strong than others (and more experimental) but Rubio is an emerging talent. More than with some collections, recommend these be read one by one over a period of days. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. For short story fans looking for something new and different.

This was a beautiful collection of stories playing with magic and sometimes dark humor to render human - and sometimes supernatural - lives in exquisite detail. The first piece, a written as dialogue in a spellcasting class, made me laugh out loud, and the range of stories from there on was captivating and original.

Be prepared to transport to another world of magic and fantasy that blurs the line between what’s real and what’s not. Drawing inspiration from tarot, folklore, death, and more, the short stories in Marytza K. Rubio’s debut collection are fresh and imaginative but feel aching familiar (in a feel-good nostalgic way). Rubio takes readers to a witchcraft class in a community college, vividly captures the feeling of grief when a widow must care for her husband’s remains, and even shows that animals can be powerful magicians too. So pour a glass of wine and lets these rich, immersive stories smolder off the page.

weird, strange collection of stories. i usually adore magical realism or weird short stories, but something about this collection was amiss for me. will say that the writing is beautiful but it wasn’t enough to save or hold my attention throughout the collection.


thanks to netgalley and the publishers for providing an early reading copy.

I really liked this debut. The first story really sucks you in the way it's written (so original). This was like such a magical mix of fantasy and witchery. I think a lot of people will enjoy this, strong female latinx leads. Not like anything I've read in current years - def recommending to my patrons.

Wow, I loved this! Witchy, spooky, and magical. I loved every single story, they were all so unique yet connected by magical realism and powerful women, and rooted in Mexican brujeria/witchcraft. I also loved the way nature and the environment played a strong roll in the stories. Each story was so atmospheric and just the right amount of spooky, with mystery and ambiguity, and beautiful writing.

An incredible debut, I can't wait to get a hard copy and re-read this, especially to see all of the little bits of art throughout the book. This is definitely a new favorite of the year for me.

I highly recommend this to fans Carmen Maria Machado and/or magical realism with strong women characters and witchy vibes.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for an advanced e-copy of this.

It sometimes feels like there is a secret world, accessible only to people who believe in the power of nature, have an interest in witchcraft, and revel in stories of courageous women. The residents of this world are often pushed to the fringes, and forced to dull their glow. In her debut collection, Maria, Maria, Marytza K. Rubio has created what feels like a guide to this world, with stories so vivid and enjoyable, the reader feels instantly transported.

This collection is ridiculously special. Every story is steeped in folklore, fantasy, feminism, and fun. Rubio’s sense of humor especially comes across in the opening story, Brujeria for Beginners, which transports us to a witchcraft class in a community college.

A really strong theme in this collection is family; Tunnels is the fascinating history of the Fogata family told through locations, and Moksha is an innocent story of two young sisters set against the world of vampire-like creatures. The finale, Maria, Maria, is a sweeping fantastical epic novella, about crumbling cities, revenge, psychic parents, and finding one’s true self.

Fans of surrealist artist and writer Leonora Carrington will adore this collection; her influence on Rubio is clear in Art Show, an exhibition of art created by animals. There are some truly special moments created through illustration; stay tuned to the end of the acknowledgments for a rewarding interactive element.

I could truly go on for hours about the beauty of each of the stories in the collection. The tales are so rich, colorful, and completely unforgettable. Marytza K. Rubio - you’ve got a fan for life right here.

Maria, Maria is a collection of short stories told in the classic gothic tradition but revamped with a tropic mystical-apocalyptic-future setting. This collection's greatest strength's lie in its originality and sense of place. Each short story pushes the boundaries in a style reminiscent of post-modern literature but Rubio manages to keep it all her own. Traditional short story formats mix with stories told from the perspective of reading placards off an art gallery wall, stories based on a paint-by-numbers activity, and stories mixed with origami instructions. Yet throughout the novel and despite multiple formats, Rubio keeps the reader anchored in an alternate future world, shrouded in mysticism and the rise of brujeria. This setting comes to a head in the book's titular novella, where sci-fi futurism, capitalism, and gentrification meet old-school brujeria and naturalism in a fallen Rio

These stories drip off the pages; reading them feels like picking up a moldering grimoire deep in the jungle and turning page after damp page in the close humidity of a broken down temple. It feels sacred and decayed, rotted, all at once. It's a wonderful reading experience that strives for bewitching originality and achieves it.

3.5 stars

This review is based on an ARC of Maria, Maria which I received courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher (W.W. Norton & Company/Liveright).

Like any story collection, Maria, Maria was hit and miss. The hits are so incredibly original and immersive! The misses... well, even those were imaginative and well-versed, they just failed to hook me in and keep my attention, and that's okay too! With this vivid anthology, there is something for everyone to enjoy, a story to get lost in. Marytza K. Rubio transports readers to other realms with her enchanting prose. I can definitely see myself coming back to this book time and again on slow afternoons. Rubio's voice is bold and noteworthy; keep an eye on this one!

(P.S. My favorite was Paint By Number!)

This collection oozes magical realism and feminism. Many of the stories are dark and witty in a fun way. I really loved the longer story, “Maria Maria”, which looks at the generational dynamics of three witch-like Marias in an almost-futuristic dystopian tropical world. However, I did feel as if some of the stories seemed rushed and/or forced. I’m looking forward to reading this author in the future!

Thanks to Net Galley and W.W. Norton for the ARC.

An absolutely gorgeous, unique collection of stories packed with folklore, animals, jungles, magic, memorable mexican-american female main characters, life and death. It’s rare that I read a short story collection where I enjoy every single story and not only did this collection deliver that, but I remember the premise of every single story hours after reading too. Some of my favourites included ‘Tijuca’, a beautifully disturbing story in which a widow carries out her deceased husbands wishes by travelling to the jungle to bury his severed head in the soil, ‘Moksha’ where we follow two sisters who steal an obsidian dagger once belonging to their vampiric idol, and ‘Burial’ in which a young girl discovers the skeleton of a sabre tooth tiger in her backyard which comes back to life. With luscious prose, unique story concepts and a beautiful infusion of magical realism, I devoured these stories in one day and will definitely be recommending to every one I can! I also read an arc of ‘Gods of Want’ by K Ming Chang recently and think these two collections pair really well! Can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this!

A lovely little set of short stories that felt just a bit different to the norm, in a good way.
It has its darker moments,but also ones that made me smile.
One to recommend I believe.

I didnt know what to expect from this book when I requested it, but it was really enjoyable! I loved the short stories and the cultural components.

Tropigoth short story collection.

A widow goes to extreme lengths to fulfil her husband’s wishes, two starstruck sisters make a wish on holiday, a young woman has a lepidopterous rebirth.

From the opening story’s bossy schoolmarm voice addressing ‘you’ (the second person), the reader sits up and pays attention. With offbeat humour filled with gothic warmth, Maria, Maria draws on superstitions and folklore from the Americas.

With thanks to NetGalley and W W Norton for the ARC.

Magic realism is usually outside of my comfort zone, but I was pleasantly surprised with this collection of short stories. With narratives that blur the lines between life and death; love and grief; nature and the occult, Rubio succeeds in creating a dark and mysterious, yet heartwarming atmosphere that felt somewhat nostalgic. Overall, a very enjoyable reading experience; excited to see what Marytza K. Rubio publishes in the future.

Thank you to W. W. Norton & Company and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for and honest review.

This was a hauntingly good collection of short stories. it was chilling, atmospheric, interesting and heartwarming. I loved the writing, I loved the characters and I loved the stories especially the inclusion of the supernatural and the occult. I really enjoyed it.