Season of the Bruja is an SFF graphic novel about Althalia, a Latinx woman learning to use her gifts and battle threats from the past.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for this eARC. I really liked this! The opening scene plunges you straight into an exorcism and is a great starting point. The book discusses colonialism and scenes of police brutality which can be quite upsetting. The characters are so lovely, I loved the character designs and I loved the friendship/family bond they had with each other, that was done so beautifully.

I really liked the art style and the colour palette. And I really love the extra character art at the end of the book. The lush colours really added to the story, it was great. I think this was a good start to a series, but I can’t wait to read more of Althalia’s story!!

I also enjoyed reading the author and illustrator’s notes at the end too. It really made me feel more connected with them and I liked learning about their own personal experiences in relation to this story.

Rep - Latinx (Althalia); Own Voices (Latinx - Aaron); POC (Dana; Althalia); Queer (Sara)

TWs/CWs - Colonialism; Death of a loved one; Demons; Police Brutality; Racism

A beautiful graphic novel about family, magic, culture, and destiny.

Althalia is the last of the Brujas in her line, she is being taught by her Abuela the ways of her ancestors. When her Abuela and her are being hunted by a secret society trying to end them, Althalia is left on her own to learn and fight for her powers.

The art style in this one was stunning, the culture, the family dynamic, and the rich history was a delight to read.

** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Copy received through Netgalley

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Season of the Bruja, Vol. 1
by Aaron Duran, Sara Soler, Deron Bennett
★★★★☆
128 Pages
Content Warning: grief, loss
Themes: magic, demons, witches, shapeshifters, corrupt priests, religion vs magic


Season of the Bruja is a graphic novel with a lot of potential. The artwork on the cover is a perfect example of what you'll find inside, as every page is just as gorgeous. The colours, the magical feel of the art on every page, is exactly the vibe you would expect of a story about the magical Bruja.

The story itself was...interesting. I hesitate over that, because I found the main character, Lia, to be an odd choice. On one hand, she's got a struggle to face and is the perfect character for a journey arc. But, on the other hand, she's often selfish, single-minded to the point of being reckless, flighty, and doesn't hesitate to lie, cheat, be cruel or betray even her friends to get what she wants. This made it really hard to connect to her, as a central character. While I did feel a smidgen of sympathy for losing her grandmother, and because she was an untrained bruja without the tools to properly survive her magic, I just didn't feel like she was a well rounded character or someone I would root for. She was too willing to hurt her friends and innocents, to bend the rules of her powers, to get what she wanted, no matter the cost.

The story was, however, packed full of plot. For 136 pages, there were a lot of nuances and twists and turns in the plot, but it sometimes felt disjointed. There were parts where the worldbuilding needed work, because the flow or background of certain plot aspects weren't fully fleshed out enough for me to follow without confusion. For example, the blurb tells us that her besties are a real-life Chupacabra and a were-coyote, but that is *never* actually said or even suggested in the book itself, and that would have been helpful to know and understand. I honestly spent half the book thinking one character was a demon and the other a werewolf.

I was a bit disappointed that the big trial with the priest/church mentioned in the blurb was...just that. A priest sent by the church to eliminate the last of the bruja. There was no real depth or mystery to their involvement. It all felt a bit cliched, to see this delusional priest willing to do anything the church asked of him, and a fanatical elder priest not warning him of the corruption they were involved with.

There were also a few preachy moments that dulled the importance of what was actually being discussed. Such as when Lia is in the museum, ranting about how their history was stolen for them and then showcased in a museum for them. Which is true of a lot of museums and minorities, but the way it was done was more preachy than actually making a valid point about it or even doing something to help change that status quo. And the weird aspect of a corrupt cop stopping her randomly at the museum for what felt like racial profiling was a strange decision. I get that it's a real thing in the world – but, again, the execution meant it was just another cliched moment over too soon rather than making a meaningful impact that it had the opportunity to make.

Despite those faults, I did enjoy the overall story, but it won't be something that I follow into further volumes. I didn't like Lia as a character, or the way valid moments of tackling modern political issues was swept over without real effort, leaving them to be cliched soundbites rather than having any weight. While the story as interesting and start, it wasn't well executed, despite the gorgeous artwork and clever, original concept.

I'd call this a 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.
The art style of this graphic is beautiful and was one of things that drew me in. The story is also very interesting and filled with characters that I would love to get to know, which is a shame because they all feel very surface level right now. This is mostly due to the story feeling a little rushed; It rarely let up, which is good in terms of action, but there was little down time for character exploration. Overall, this was a very fun read.

The art and the characters are very easy to love, but the plot was so stereotypical and easy to guess that Season of the Bruja struggled to keep my attention despite how much I wanted to love it.

The cover is stunning and the art and colors do not disappoint. If for nothing else you pick up this novel for its vibrant colors and beautiful cover, you will not be disappointed.

I love the diversity and the cultures that can be found in graphic novels. There have been more and more diverse cultures added to the glorious illustrated world and it's been an honor to read and review them. This graphic novel does go in and out of Spanish at times, but the context clues help the reader know what is being conveyed (it even touches on the subject of knowing/speaking Spanish in a multi-generational household.

The scene unfolds with three friends trying to save a little boy who is possessed by a demon: a bruja, a were-coyote and a chupacabra. Demons aren't the only powerful dark forces at work in this novel. Can Althalia gain enough knowledge about her past and magic from her abuela before it's too late? Will she survive as the last bruja or will the church finally vanquish all brujas from the world?

What I love: most of us experience that feeling when we would give anything/sacrifice anything to get a loved one back (if even for a little bit) and this graphic novel tackles this sentiment powerfully. I also love that the illustrator is Spanish and tells about her journey as an artist drawing her own culture as the villain of the story and what the meant to them. I think there needs to be more of this in the world: it sparks conversations. I also love the alebrijes: they are gorgeous and vibrant.

I enjoy this graphic novel. The art looks good and dynamic. The color also good. It's rich of culture, magic, and action. Very entertaining. Thank you NetGalley and Oni Press

My thanks to Oni Press for a digital review copy of ‘Season of the Bruja: Vol 1.’ written by Aaron Durán and illustrated by Sara Soler.

This is a collection of the first five individual comics of this fantasy series. Its main character is Althalia Cabrera, who lives with her beloved Abuela, a Bruja tasked with keeping the power and stories of the ancient ways of her people from fading fully into history. Althalia is her apprentice and knows that she will be continuing her abuela’s legacy though she is still developing her skills.

Althalia works in a paranormal museum with her close friends - Chuey, a real-life Chupacabra and Dana, a were-coyote. Luckily both have the ability to assume human form when necessary. Yet events dictate that Althalia will be facing up against the destructive force of the church that for hundreds of years had sought to oppress the traditions of her people and now seek to destroy the last Bruja.

I enjoyed this very much. Aside from the spiritual battle between the old traditions and that of the church there were themes of the bonds of family and friendship as well as of loss and bereavement.

The story was exciting and fast paced and I felt that Sara Soler’s art conveyed the energy and magic of Aaron Durán’s story. I was especially impressed by her vibrant use of colour.

Reaching the last page, I wanted more and will be looking out for the further adventures of Althalia and friends. I especially hope that we learn more about Chuey and Dana.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

As always, I want to say I was given access to a copy of this book to review on netgalley by Oni Press. My reviews are always a 100% honest and contain my own opinions. #NetGalley #BookReview #GraphicNovelReview #GraphicNovel #OniPress #SeasonOfTheBruja #AaronDuran

Season of the Bruja vol.1 follows a young woman, Althalia as she comes into her magical abilities and faces reemergent threats from the past. Knowing one day she would be the last of her kind, a bruja – Althalia is tasked with keeping the power and stories of the ancient ways from fading fully into history. Alongside living with and caring for her abuela she learns to sharpen her skill and knowledge along with the help of her friends, a Chupacabra and a were-coyote. But the prejudice her people have always faced continues and after a seemingly random encounter with a priest, Althalia feels the weight of hundreds of years of religious oppression coming down upon her and her abuela. She must grow into her powers and destiny quickly if she is to present the church from finally achieving its goal- destroying the last bruja.

I have to say first and foremost that The Season of the Bruja is an amazing graphic novel, so much so I plan to get the physical edition as soon as it released. I adored not only the characters, the depth and art but most importantly the story. I would say it is a fun and beautiful way to highlight a serious issue but there is nothing fun about the persecution other religions and races have suffered. I don’t intend to turn this review into a rant however but wish to highlight that Aaron Duran has created something that is simple yet powerful.

Within a few pages, perhaps less than that, I found myself connected to the characters by both the wonderful story and the amazing artwork. I appreciated the clear love and passion that went into this project. I particularly loved the way Duran combined the magical aspects of Mexican and Latina culture with the historical impacts that were brought on by others. Filled with memorable characters, magic, action and heartache this is a series I hope continues for a long time and we get to find out even more about the characters and culture. An easy 5 stars.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read and review this graphic novel. I loved all of the characters, and the storyline. The art was beautiful! I hope there's another volume of this graphic novel out soon.

I recieved an ARC from NetGalley in exchange or an honest review.

I always love the inclusion of brujas in fiction, so I jumped at the chance to read this title. Unfortunately, Season of the Bruja was a little bit of a let-down for me..

I'll start with what I loved: the incoporation of South American cultures, and Aztec mythology, the themes of anti-colonialism and more. I loved the incoporation of Spanish- I love when multiple languages are included in a text, even if it means a bit more "work," for me as a reader (In this case, I got by with secondary-school Spanish, but you'd get by just fine with Google Translate if you don't speak a lick.) I was slightly intruiged by the possibility of a villain who could serve as a foil to the protagonist, but unfortunately there was little page-time for me to become truly curious about him. There are some interesting questions about cultural identity brewing here that it seems like the story will pose later down the line.

Graphic novels always have it harder than traditional novels simply because they have less page-time to establish characters and relationships: a quick exchange of dialogue that would take only a few lines of text in a novel might take about two pages to cover in a graphic novel. The first volume in a series usually has a lot of legwork to do, achieving all of this and often introducing the reader to a new world and a new plot. A really economical approach is neccesary, and I think SotB suffers from this. Launching straight into the action before the reader has a proper grasp on, or investment in, any of the characters leads to this frustrating feeling of playing "catch up," and for me, wondering why I should even care. A few other reviewers have also emphasised feeling a little bit lost regarding the lore- I can certainly empathise with that, but I'm happy to walk blind for a while (and in this case, draw on some of my own knowledge of the mythology, mostly from other books)- but the lack of character establishment was the much more glaring problem for me. Unfortunately, I didn't become particularly more invested in the characters as time drew on- they largely felt like ciphers and I don't get the feeling they'll stick in my head over time. I'd struggle to choose a favourite from the line-up.

I also felt that SotB has a little bit of a problem with establishing tone. The mood often changed very quickly, making for a jarring reading experience. The pacing was pretty all-over-the-place, and sometimes the dialogue didn't quite flow.

On the art side, SotB is often gorgeous, but also often... not. I found the art to be pretty inconsistent overall; there were some extremely cool elements, such as the designs of the alebrijes, and a couple of panels with some stunning composition, and some great uses of colour. However, a few panels featured slightly "off" anatomy or somewhat goofy facial expressions (often in serious moments) which undermined my appreciation for it. And although perhaps elsewhere it could've worked, I didn't really love the incoporation of manga-style "sweat drops," either- it contributed to a sort of "lack of identity," that suffused the work (see also those tonal problems I mentioned earlier.) This graphic novel is written and illustrated by two seperate people, and although many teams have created some extremely moving and cohesive work in this way, I definitley felt some level of disconnect, like perhaps they weren't quite on the same page about the mood they wanted to evoke and the story they wanted to tell.

Looking back on SotB, it essentially strikes me as "okay." In a world oversaturated with incredible comics, graphic novels, webcomics, manga, manwha, etc.... I sadly wouldn't be inclined to pick up the next volume, nor to recommend it, unless perhaps someone was very specifically after "brujas in graphic novels." And even then, there's a few traditional novels I would encourage them towards first.

This graphic novel was beyond gorgeous and so entertaining. I absolutely adored the art style and THE COLORS. Oh, the colors. They were so beautifully used to portray the culture and emotions and good vs evil. I would've liked a little more background information on the chupacabra and were-coyote (I honestly didn't know that's what they were supposed to be until I went back and re-read the synopsis), but hopefully that's something will get in future installments. I cannot express how much I adored Abuela and Gordo as characters. I want to be Abuela when I grow up. And the use of the Alebrijes as the Brujas companions was beautifully done. Overall an excellent read, and I can't wait for further installments.

Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Season of the Bruja Vol 1 by Aaron Duran is a beautifully crafted graphic novel. It is a visually stunning artwork that compliments a beautifully written story. For those of you that love a well written graphic novel, I highly recommend it.

Visually this is stunning. I adore the art style and all the different characters.
Overall, I liked the story, but I didn’t love it. I’m not sure what the reason behind that. I think this just wasn’t a me read, though why I’m not sure.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Oni Press and the author, for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This beautifully illustrated own voice graphic novel that tells us the story of a young bruja, Athalia who is yet to tap into her full potential. She lives with her abuela who is also training her while they are being hunted down by the catholic church. The first volume of this series deals with grief and loss and irrational hate and beliefs.

The illustrations are so beautiful that I could not stop gazing over them. The colours, the combinations were *chef's kiss* brilliant. The own voice narration shows depth and pain of experiences faced through generations, of holding on to one's culture against colonization and so much more. I honestly cannot wait to pick up vol. 02.

TW: Torture, Death, Murder, Grief, Violence, Religious fanatism.

The art of this graphic novel is gorgeous. I thought the characters were interesting and I liked how the history of Mexico was used as part of the story. Not just for the sake of “authenticity” but to discuss the lasting impact of Spain’s presence within the country.

Despite the things I enjoyed about it (and there were several), I never really got to the point where I was truly invested in the story or it’s outcome. I picked it up several times and never got to the end which shouldn’t be all the difficult considering it’s only 128 pages.

I think this would be a really great story for someone else (though I did enjoy the historical influences) — it just wasn’t the one for me. I would be interested in checking out other work by this author though. They have a clear voice and an interesting point of view that deserves more attention.

I LOVED the amazing artwork and colors used in this volume, they made it so enjoyable to read through! but I couldn't help but be confused for a good portion of the volume while reading, especially when trying to figure out exactly what/where the plot was going. maybe it's because I don't read graphic novels too often so I'm not accustomed to their plot pacing but it was just a bit too difficult to get into. a main thing I really appreciated is the strong sense of latine culture! I don't see aspects of my own culture included in graphic novels very often so to have read this volume based around a latine character and her culture was AMAZING to experience!

3,5 stars

The Season of the Bruja is an interesting graphic novel that deals with the grief of a lost one while also having to fulfill one's destiny.

I'm never quite a fan when synopsis seem to gloss over the whole actual happenings of the book. This book deals with the loss of a loved one and the grief is a very big part of the story. To not mention this in the slighthest in the synopsis is not fair to the readers who might have a hard time reading about this.

The world of The Season of the Bruja is interesting and there is a lot that remains to be discovered. The art looked absolutely amazing. Her two friends were great and stabile characters that were much needed element to the story. Althalia was hard to get to know amidst her grief and I had a hard time liking her in her whirlwind of emotions.

Regardless I am interested in reading more of this world and these characters. I think there is a lot of promise here.

This graphic novel was incredibly beautiful, the art work was amazingly colorful and the art style was impeccable.
Filled with magic and action. We see how the MC learns to use and develop her powers and at the same time become a keeper of her heritage.
It was sometimes a bit messy but overall a wonderful story of heritage and culture the preservation thereof.

I loved this story and the culture included in it! I’m very much looking forward to continuing this series!