All the Crooked Saints

by Maggie Stiefvater

[ibeforem]

Magical realism usually isn't my thing, but I enjoyed this more than I expected to. This is mostly the story of the Soria family, who invite travelers to their Colorado desert compound and then perform miracles. These aren't the traditional sort of miracles, because before one can be healed, they must work through their darkness, which often manifests itself in some strange physical abnormality. For example, turning one into a giant, and giving another a rain cloud that rains on her all of the time. But once the Saint's part is through, they are not allowed to interfere with the "pilgrims", lest their darkness rebound back onto them, with terrible consequences.

The book focuses on three cousins, Daniel, the current Saint, Beatriz, who struggles with emotions, and Joaquin, who dreams of one day being a DJ for more than their pirate radio station built in the back of a moving truck. We also follow a couple of the pilgrims that have come to town, including Pete, a boy who has come to town not in search of a miracle, but a job. When the darkness comes to one of them and they must leave, the rest of the family is torn between finding them and probably spreading the darkness to themselves and letting him be gone forever.

There is a lot of pain and healing in this book, and it's all beautifully written. I would pick up another Maggie Stiefvater book.