Praise for The Possession of Alba Díaz
“Isabel Cañas’s third novel, a horror-romance mashup about the sins of imperialism, is astoundingly creepy, but it describes love and lust as clearly as it does the closing-in walls of a demonic silver mine so dark and claustrophobic that it swallows Alba’s words whole. It’s a nauseating pleasure to read.”
—Vulture
“A gorgeously written tale.”
—Variety
“The classic elements of a possession story shine in this Gothic horror romance, but Cañas builds on them, using possession to explore themes of power, greed, agency and autonomy. And—this is important!—to prove that possession can be hot.”
—New York Times
“This is an exemplary gothic full of dread, tension, sensuousness and yearning – a perilously good read.”
—NPR
“Searching for self; broken families; women in white; divinity colonised and decolonised; romance; possession in all of its forms — with prose at times deliciously baroque, at times austere as the Zacatecas landscape, Cañas has created a gothic feast for the senses. Don’t read it too late at night.”
—Brigitte Knightley, author of The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy
“With every book, Isabel Cañas asserts jaw-dropping peerlessness at her craft. Chilling and tender, bloody and sensuous, The Possession of Alba Díaz is Cañas working at the height of her prodigious powers, expanding her fascinating Gothic oeuvre with her best and most brutal work yet. I devoured it.”
–Olivie Blake, New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six
“Gorgeous and gory. No one writes gothic like Isabel Cañas. The Possession of Alba Díaz is terrifically terrifying, richly imagined, impossibly sensual and as luminous as the quicksilver that spills across its pages.”
—Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Tale of The Flower Bride
“Cañas strikes the perfect balance between historical fiction, gothic horror, including themes of the supernatural, and, of course, a slow-burn romance”
—USA Today
“Cañas’ latest gothic thriller combines an exploration of history, greed, toxic silver mining techniques, forbidden knowledge, and the dichotomies of wealth, family, class, faith, and good versus evil into a compelling, horrifying tale of possession that will only expand her growing audience.”
—Booklist (starred review)
“Cañas’s vivid and detailed descriptions of the novel’s setting in 18th-century Mexico add to the experience of reading this atmospheric and original take on the possession story.”
—Library Journal
“Chilling…. the richly layered narrative offers much to hold readers’ interest as it probes themes of colonialism, patriarchy, and autonomy. Cañas’s fans will not be disappointed.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Isabel Cañas has quickly become a superstar of historical fiction, and this one looks like the best yet!”
—CrimeReads
“If you’re looking to read horror, historical fiction, slow burn romance, or simply a few hundred pages of engrossing prose, Alba Díaz and Isabel Cañas will not disappoint.”
—Latinx Pop Magazine
“One of the most rewarding pieces of horror fiction you’re likely to find this year, a sexy and hypnotic journey from one of the genre’s best rising stars.”
—Paste
“A gothic novel, blending melodrama and malevolence in a seductively measured manner until the narrative crescendos to full-on body horror. I was mesmerized.”
—Minneapolis Star-Tribune
“Cañas’ latest seems to have it all: plagues, demons, the occult and more.”
—Ms. Magazine
“Cañas’ blend of horror and history promises a chilling and immersive read.“
—Saving Advice
“Isabel Cañas excels in the genre of gothic horror. With vivid and sensuous prose, the tightening social constraints hovering over Alba’s future, forbidden desires, and creeping tension, Cañas effortlessly sends chills down her readers’ spines. Each page is immersive in detail and darkly atmospheric. But the heartbeat of her books lies in the well-crafted characters…. If you crave blood-fueled cinematic-quality terrors, Cañas is the author who will scratch that itch. Keep your lights on with this one!”
—Historical Novel Society
“I adore the way Isabel Cañas perfectly blends gothic and historical fiction.”
—Book Riot
“Romance and horror blend in Isabel Cañas’ fascinating and transportive tale of greed and passion set in 18th-century Mexico….With its evocative language and unrestrained violence, this moody gothic romance will make readers’ hearts race.”
—BookPage (starred review)
“Isabel Cañas weaves a good tale, and the novel delivers a riveting account of how one woman loses control and becomes an involuntary and unconscious weapon of the damned….’The Possession of Alba Díaz’ is a great read.”
—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
“Another hit from a suspense master.”
—Shelf Awareness
“Isabel Cañas is back to do what she does best, with an atmospheric, dark gothic drama. The Possession of Alba Díaz is truly unsettling, beautifully written and completely unforgettable.”
—Geek Girl Authority
“In a brief period of time, she has gained quite the reputation as an author to watch in the area of historically infused gothic horror. Her latest effort, The Possession of Alba Díaz, has all of this and more in a smartly written, disturbing look at possession and the nature of evil….Isabel Cañas once again masters the gothic history of her Mexican birthplace.”
—Bookreporter.com
“Isabel Cañas continues to shine as a leading light in our current (yes I think we really are having one!) renaissance of Gothic fiction.”
—Reactor
Praise for Isabel Cañas
“A thing of uncanny, chilling beauty. Hauntings, exorcisms, incantations, forbidden love — The Hacienda transports one to a world where love triumphs over demons.”
—The New York Times
“At once romance, horror, historical fiction, and an adventure narrative about war, Vampires of El Norte elegantly navigates a multiplicity of genres to deliver an engaging story that cements Cañas as one of the best new voices bridging the gap between romance and speculative fiction…The Hacienda was great, but Vampires of El Norte is even better.”
—NPR
“Set during the Mexican-American War—this lushly drawn nightmare is a riveting story about two people facing terrible monsters and impossible odds. Cañas has the ability to tell a story that is at once sexy, frightening, and smart.”
—Karin Slaughter, New York Times bestselling author of False Witness
“[R]omantic, frightening, claustrophobic, and entirely satisfying.”
—Vulture
“Cañas clearly knows the genre, alternately deploying and subverting haunted house tropes. The result is a brilliant contribution to the new wave of postcolonial Gothics. Readers won’t want to miss this.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Melding historical fiction with supernatural elements and a sweeping romance, Isabel Cañas crafts a lush story that’ll appeal to readers of all genres.”
—Reader’s Digest
“Cañas delivers a horror novel full of expressive, sumptuous prose and enlightening historical details.”
—Booklist (starred review)
“Cañas masterfully interweaves horror, historical fiction, and romance in this gripping novel.”
—BookRiot
“If the title doesn’t grip you right away, the promise of Cañas’ powerful blend of historical fiction and horror definitely should.”
—Paste
