Libertad

Starred review from July 1, 2024
A queer coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of the 2017 Honduran presidential election. Named Libertad because she was born on September 15, Honduran Independence Day, high school senior Libi Moraz�n loves her country. But the right-wing party has ruled since the 2009 U.S.-backed coup, and as a girl who likes girls, she knows she can never fully be herself here. Now, Juan Orlando Hern�ndez is standing for reelection despite the constitutional law prohibiting it, causing protests to erupt in the capital city of Tegucigalpa, where Libi and her family live. When the military police shoot and kill students on her brother Maynor's university campus, everything changes for both siblings. Libi creates a secret Instagram account, @InsurreccionPoeticaHN, to share her political poems, and Maynor joins the student front. Tensions are running high as election day draws closer, and Libi juggles her excitement over a new romance and finding her voice through poetry with her fears about an unfair election and her brother's safety. Zald�var seamlessly weaves Honduran history and politics into the narrative. The characters are beautifully complex, and the multiple perspectives provide key moments of reflection and deep insight. Spanish appears throughout the text, but even those who don't know the language will easily understand the story, and Libi's poems are translated into English. The existential question of whether to stay or leave will resonate with readers from all backgrounds. An emotionally charged must-read. (content warning, author's note) (Fiction. 14-18)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from July 8, 2024
In this powerful debut, Zaldívar recreates the tumultuous world of 2017 Tegucipigalpa, Honduras, and the societal climate’s effects on 18-year-old Libertad (Libi) Morazán and her family, including her cherished brothers—25-year-old Maynor and 12-year-old Alberto—and hardworking grandmother and mother. Opening on the night of Libi’s first kiss with her best friend Cami, eight months before a heavily awaited, controversial presidential election, the narrative explores Libi’s expanding identity as a gay poet. While struggling with how this hidden development could effect her relationships with her friends politically divided yet loving family living in a conservative culture, Libi also wrestles with her fears over Maynor’s dangerous secret political activism. Complementing Libi’s unaffected, descriptive voice are occasional flashbacks from Maynor’s POV that expand on their family history and enrich character development. Through the eyes of a strong, sympathetic protagonist, Zaldívar crafts a hefty novel that offers detailed depictions of life in Honduras where characters experience random power outages, widespread corruption, and violent political demonstrations, and the personal tragedies they often bring, alongside daily comforts such as snacking on fried plantains and cold Coca-Cola. Occasional untranslated Spanish phrases add to the narrative’s authenticity; though it may give some readers pause, it rarely impedes comprehension. An author’s note provides historical and personal context. Ages 14–up.

September 27, 2024

Gr 9 Up-In 2017, Libertad, a high school senior living in the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa, is considering her future and evolving relationships in an atmosphere of political turbulence. After sharing a kiss with her best friend Camila, Libertad worries about being accepted amid the homophobic culture and conservative gender norms in Honduras. As a contentious presidential election nears, protests form across Tegus (as the capital is nicknamed) to denounce the incumbent right-wing government. The tension exacerbates already challenging living conditions, marked by power outages, corruption, and limited career options for people like Libertad's older brother. Libertad finds solace by writing poetry, which she shares from a secret social media account, gaining followers who connect with her powerful words. Surrounding Libertad is a strong cast of family and friends of varying and complex political and social perspectives, which the author depicts with authenticity and empathy. Zald�var, who based the novel on real events, provides historical context via flashbacks and dialogue, and concludes with an update on the political state in Honduras. VERDICT An empowering and multifaceted debut novel of queer love and identity, devotion to family, political activism, and personal freedom. Highly recommended.-Jessica Agudelo

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2024
High school senior Libertad lives in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras, in the lead-up to the country's fraught 2017 presidential election. Libertad's attempts to understand her blossoming feelings for her best friend, Camila, and her own family history become intertwined with her growing understanding of the tensions between student protest movements and the government. Her close bond with her older brother helps navigate challenges in her friend group and as she considers leaving Honduras to attend college in the United States. She turns to poetry and to new friendships to try to make sense of the difficult events in her present and in her family's past. The novel provides an invaluable lens to help readers understand the human toll exacted when democratic governments seek to quash the voices of their citizens. It amplifies complicated and underrepresented recent Honduran history, whose themes resonate on a broader scale, and it increases representation for Honduran narratives, which remain relatively scarce in mainstream U.S. publishing. Debut author and Tegucigalpa native Zaldmvar's deeply personal storytelling centers Libertad's humanity, as well as that of her family members. Readers experience Libertad's own journey through her first-person narration and creative expression, and in her relationships with her blood relatives and chosen family. An author's note establishes personal connections and fills in history since 2017. Nicholas A. Brown-Caceres

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from November 8, 2024
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* It's 2017 in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, and it's a tense election year. The right-wing party that seized control in a 2009 coup sponsored by the U.S. is determined to extend its stay in office. Everyone in the Honduran capital has an opinion, though few feel like they can voice those publicly. Meanwhile, 17-year-old Libertad (Libi) has two secrets: she kissed her best friend, Camila, at a club last winter, and she's the author of an anonymous Instagram poetry account about state violence and political protests. When Libi's mother accidentally finds out about the kiss, and Libi discovers that her older brother, Maynor, is participating in the protests, she grapples with homophobia from her own family and fears for her brother's safety. She endures the heartrending pulls between idealism and cynicism, hope and dread--for her country, her family, and herself. Zald�var effortlessly combines the tiny details of daily life with the grand-scale realities of Honduran history and politics, giving a frame of reference and resonance to both. The natural flow of Spanish throughout the narrative invites the reader into Libi's world while providing plenty of context for those who do not know the language. In a fraught U.S. election year, this queer, coming-of-age story should be required reading for all.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2024
High school senior Libertad lives in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras, in the lead-up to the country's fraught 2017 presidential election. Libertad's attempts to understand her blossoming feelings for her best friend, Camila, and her own family history become intertwined with her growing understanding of the tensions between student protest movements and the government. Her close bond with her older brother helps navigate challenges in her friend group and as she considers leaving Honduras to attend college in the United States. She turns to poetry and to new friendships to try to make sense of the difficult events in her present and in her family's past. The novel provides an invaluable lens to help readers understand the human toll exacted when democratic governments seek to quash the voices of their citizens. It amplifies complicated and underrepresented recent Honduran history, whose themes resonate on a broader scale, and it increases representation for Honduran narratives, which remain relatively scarce in mainstream U.S. publishing. Debut author and Tegucigalpa native Zaldivar's deeply personal storytelling centers Libertad's humanity, as well as that of her family members. Readers experience Libertad's own journey through her first-person narration and creative expression, and in her relationships with her blood relatives and chosen family. An author's note establishes personal connections and fills in history since 2017.

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)