For fans of possessions and futures being stolen, The Possession of Alba Díaz is for you. I loved how Cañas blends a supernatural story with the story of ambition. This has to be my favorite of Cañas to date! Keep reading this book review of The Possession of Alba Díaz for my full thoughts.
Summary
In 1765, plague sweeps through Zacatecas. Alba flees with her wealthy merchant parents and fiancé, Carlos, to his family’s isolated mine for refuge. But safety proves fleeting as other dangers soon bare their teeth: Alba begins suffering from strange hallucinations, sleepwalking, and violent convulsions. She senses something cold lurking beneath her skin. Something angry. Something wrong.
Elías, haunted by a troubled past, came to the New World to make his fortune and escape his family’s legacy of greed. Alba, as his cousin’s betrothed, is none of his business. Which is of course why he can’t help but notice her every time she enters a room or the growing tension between them… and why he notices her deteriorate when the demon’s thirst for blood grows stronger.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
In The Possession of Alba Díaz, Alba feels like an outsider. She’s made to feel her difference. Always reminded, she’s outmaneuvered and struggling to figure out what she can do. What agency she has. For Alba, what future could she possibly fight for? What future opportunity can she dream of? The Possession of Alba Díaz is definitely a supernatural story about possession. Even though that’s normally one of my no gos, this was incredibly compelling and didn’t scare me off entirely. It’s a story that is infused with this almost gothic supernatural atmosphere from the start. In fact, the atmosphere is one of my favorite, if not favorite, element.
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We aren’t sure what’s real or not. The Possession of Alba Díaz balances a story about faith, religion, and ambition. Do we have faith in those who seek to save us? Can we even trust ourselves? Cañas does historical fiction and gothic horror so well in this one! Find The Possession of Alba Díaz on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop. org, Blackwells, & Libro. fm.