The Storyteller's Death by Ann Davila Cardinal

The Storyteller's Death

by Ann Davila Cardinal

From International Latino Book Award-winning author Ann Dávila Cardinal comes a gorgeously written family saga about a Puerto Rican teenager who finds herself gifted (or cursed?) with a strange ability.

There was always an old woman dying in the back room of her family's house when Isla was a child...

Isla Larsen Sanchez's life begins to unravel when her father passes away. Instead of being comforted at home in New Jersey, her mother starts leaving her in Puerto Rico with her grandmother and great-aunt each summer like a piece of forgotten luggage.

When Isla turns eighteen, her grandmother, a great storyteller, dies. It is then that Isla discovers she has a gift passed down through her family's cuentistas. The tales of dead family storytellers are brought back to life, replaying themselves over and over in front of her.

At first, Isla is enchanted by this connection to the Sanchez cuentistas. But when Isla has a vision of an old murder mystery, she realizes that if she can't solve it to make the loop end, these seemingly harmless stories could cost Isla her life.

Reviewed by annieb123 on

4 of 5 stars

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Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

The Storyteller's Death is a beautifully written mystery/family saga with a distinctly Puerto Rican cultural flavor written by Ann Dávila Cardinal. Released 4th Oct 2022 by Sourcebooks on their Landmark imprint, it's 336 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats.

There are a lot of interesting and appealing aspects of this YA(-ish) novel. Isla is a relatable and engaging young woman. She's certainly written sympathetically, acquiring a blessing/curse of visions with the death of her grandmother when she turned 18. The prose is sublime, often poetic, and precise. The book touches on Puerto Rican culture, and MC Isla is half PRican, through her mother's family. As is, apparently, the author. She has a foot in both worlds, spending most of her life in the USA and summers with her maternal family in PR. 

There's an interesting tie-in subplot. Isla's visions give her glimpses of the past, including an unresolved death from long ago. My only complaints (and they're minor) are how straightforward the action and plot development are. There are almost no missteps, no red herrings, and whenever she needs to find a piece of information, it presents itself without delay or frustration. 

Four stars. This would make an excellent choice for a book club group read, and indeed the author and publisher have included numerous discussion prompts for readers' use. Also recommended for public library acquisition. 

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes. 

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Reading updates

  • 9 April, 2023: Started reading
  • 9 April, 2023: Finished reading
  • 9 April, 2023: Reviewed