I love shapeshifter characters for the many dualities they can represent, and I also like reading about lonely, troubled girls, so my paranormal pick for this October was the young adult novel On the Wings of la Noche by Vanessa L. Torres.
Estrella (Noche) Villanueva straddles two worlds. At school, she’s a science whiz who keeps to herself and is mainly known for losing her girlfriend, Dante, in a fatal accident. Nobody but her family knows she can become an owl who guides the dead to the next life. Having never met another Lechuza, she doesn’t know why she has this ability nor this duty, but she knows she can’t bring herself to ferry Dante to a place she can’t follow. Instead, she visits Dante’s ghost by the lake where she died. When she meets Jax, her new lab partner with secrets of his own, she finds herself torn between not only her first and second loves, but also her two different selves—just as the consequences of not performing her duty catch up to her.
As mentioned, Noche’s parents know she’s a Lechuza, and I found that family dynamic refreshing. They’re both supportive of her, and she doesn’t need to sneak around (though she still keeps some secrets), but there are things they simply can’t help her with due to being human. I liked this portrayal of how even loving families won’t have all the answers as teens grow into their individual selves. As the story progresses, it’s important for Noche to be open to other avenues of support.
The book’s romances and friendships add layers to the idea that no one person can provide everything for someone. I can see young readers especially getting a lot from this message, as not a lot of young adult novels deal with second love in addition to first. I also think readers of all ages will connect to the portrayal of grief and what a lonely experience it can be, as well as how there can still be more to life after loss, no matter how wrong it feels to continue on without your loved one.
My favorite aspect of Noche as a character is how her Lechuza side impacts her experience as a human. Her connection to death gives her a morbid streak as well as a respect for the souls she guides, and her narration incorporates heightened sensations and uncanny mannerisms along with an emphasis on physical touch. That said, at times the narration was too on the nose for me as an adult reader who prefers more subtlety and the chance for more intense moments to stand out. One example of this is how quickly Noche becomes hung up on her attraction to Jax and what a relationship with him could mean for her. While I did appreciate their bond over the course of the book, I was expecting her to start grappling with the nature of it only after it had time to develop.
The beginning of the book sets up a lot of questions, some of which are answered and some of which I can understand remaining ambiguous. However, in general, I would have loved to see more payoff. The second half of the book introduces characters and worldbuilding elements that, had they been explored more, would have elevated my own interest in the story. Despite wanting more from that subplot, I can still appreciate the main plot and the catharsis of where things end up for Noche.
Regarding representation, the character’s identities inform aspects of the story without being the focus. For instance, Noche feeling estranged from her Mexican heritage is represented through her not speaking Spanish, paralleling her experience as a Lechuza without the language or connections to understand that background. She also was never able to grieve alongside Dante’s family due to them being homophobic.
I recommend this story to readers who want an emotional YA paranormal romance that also focuses on family and friendship, and that features a diverse cast who experience little on-page bigotry.
