Nina would probably have lived an ordinary (if resentful life) as the wife of a don in northeastern Mexico if it hadn’t been for two things. One of those things was the American invasion that kicked off the Mexican-American War. The second, and more important, thing that changed her life was the vampire. Isabel Cañas drops us straight into Vampires of El Norte by having us follow a young Nina and her best friend, Néstor, as they venture into the darkness near Nina’s father’s rancho on the hunt for some lost Spanish gold. They never find the gold. Instead, a vampire finds them and attacks Nina. Néstor flees, fearing that his dearest friend is dead.
A turn of the page reveals that Nina is, thankfully, not dead. Instead, she’s sought out training as a curandera, hoping that her healing skills will keep her at her beloved Rancho Los Ojuelos instead of being sent off to marry. Meanwhile, Néstor works as an itinerant vaquero for nine years, trying to escape his grief and guilt. It’s only when Néstor gets word from his cousin that Rancho Los Ojuelos needs more men to defend it against invading Yanquis (Americans) that he decides to return to the place where his friend died. He (and Nina) are in for a shock when they learn that the other is still alive.
Nina and Néstor’s recovering relationship forms a large part of Vampires of El Norte. The passion between them demands it. That said, all the other stuff going on in this book gives the love story a run for its money. Just as Nina and Néstor are reintroduced, Nina’s father rounds up as many vaqueros as he and his neighbors can and join the Mexican army near Matamoros, to help fight the American invasion. (The politics are not discussed in Vampires of El Norte. Readers who, like me, were never really taught about the Mexican-American War will want to turn to Wikipedia for a quick lesson.) Nina manages to tag along thanks to her healing knowledge.
It’s a good thing she does because, even before her group manages to spot an American, one of their party is attacked by something terrifying and definitely supernatural. The creature is sometimes called a vampire but the sightings don’t match up with the European vampire a la Dracula. Nina sometimes calls the creatures El Cuco, which points to a different origin for these bloodsuckers. Nina and Néstor don’t have much time to figure out what’s been attacking them or sort out their feelings before everything goes to hell when a disastrous battle between the Mexicans and Americans leaves them separated from the rest of their party in the north Mexican desert.
From the first vampire attack to the coda at the end of Vampires of El Norte, this book never lets up. There are chases, fights, lingering touches, angry parents, and so much more here. I loved every minute of this book and could barely pull myself away to read about the larger context of the book. (Cañas’s note at the end of the book adds even more historical and cultural richness.) But what really makes this book are Nina and Néstor. There’s something about seeing two people who are perfect for each other fight for each other after being tragically ripped apart for nine years. I can’t praise this electric book highly enough.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.
