Bibliographic Information:
Title: Five Midnights
Author: Ann Dávila Cardinal
ISBN: 978-1250296078
Publisher: Tor Teens
Copyright Date: April 2019
Reading Level / Interest Level: Min/Max grade levels 9-12 (Novelist)
Genre / Format: Supernatural Mystery, Thriller, Horror / Book
Themes: Creature Feature, Identity, Family Issues, Gentrification, Poverty
Awards or Honors: International Latino Book Award 2020 Winner
Plot Summary: Despite being half Puerto-Rican on her father’s side, sixteen-year-old Lupe keeps getting reminded that she isn’t from Puerto Rico. One summer while visiting her father’s extended family, Lupe’s cousin and his childhood friends are killed; the gruesome deaths are a mystery and the islanders don’t exactly trust the “Gringa-Rican from Vermont.” The number one suspect: a mythical creature known as El Coco. This creature is still out there, and now it has its eyes set on Javier, the last of the Cangrejo gang. Lupe and Javier don’t exactly get along, but if they want to survive, they must work together to track down the killer.
Author Background: Ann Dávila Cardinal comes from a long line of Puerto Rican writers. She holds a. BA in Latino Studies from Norwich University, and an MFA in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts (VCFA). Her story Five Midnights continues in her other novel Category Five, which is up for the same International Latino Books Award. Many of her stories take place in Puerto Rico, including her upcoming, first adult fiction novel, The Storyteller's Death, to be released in October, 2022 (Cardinal, n.d.).
Critical Evaluation for Books and Non-Print Items: This is a creature feature, but the island of Puerto Rico is a major character as well. The poverty, gang violence, and drug addiction are the real monsters the people of El Rubi have to face every day. While the story is told from multiple perspectives, the majority of the mystery is told through the perspective of the American, Lupe, who is Puerto Rican on her dad's side. The story jumps from character to character, giving us a chance to see different parts of the island and learn about the Puerto Rican culture.
My only complaint is the ending; the ending felt a bit rushed and overwhelming. The author did a good job of painting a thrilling last showdown between the monster and the main characters in the middle of a huge live concert. However, the mystery behind the murderer was pretty obvious the entire way through the story, which severely dampened the impact of the reveal. Despite the obvious conclusion, I really enjoyed my short trip in Puerto Rico and wanted to stay a but longer, continuing to learn about Lupe's culture and exploring her relationship with her estranged father. I appreciated the author's exploration of identity through Lupe's biracial background and wished they would have spent a little bit more time on it as she continued to eat every Puerto Rican dish. Overall, this story was well paced and the multiple-perspective approach made it a quick and exciting read. Though the story takes place over a short period of time, we learn no much about different characters and get to appreciate different people's struggles and daily lives.
Creative Use for a Library Program: Mythical Monsters Workshop
The main mythical antagonist of Five Midnights is a creature known as El Cuco. This monster appears across multiple cultures under a different name: the Boogeyman, Sack man, El Cucuy, etc. Teens will pick their favorite monster (or the story they are most familiar with) and design their version of the monster. Participants will have a variety of tools at their disposal, including molding clay, paints, and a 3D printer. Finished products will be displayed at the library and shared online through the library's social media page.
Puerto Rican Snacks: There are many snacks and dishes mentioned in the novel. We will have a sample of this tasty food including tostones, alcapurrias, and bacalaitos.
Speed-Round Book Talk or Short Book Trailer: “When the U.S. gets a cold, Puerto Rico gets pneumonia.”
This story takes place in Puerto Rico and explores what life is like living on the island. It also uses the genre tropes of Mystery/Thriller to take the reader on a suspenseful ride while showcasing issues of identity and the power of community. Fans of creepy, mythological creatures will have fun with this one.
Potential Challenge Issues and Defense Preparation: Concerned parents may challenge the supernatural elements of the story. I would argue that horror and the supernatural are popular themes with teens. We should lean into what teens enjoy so that they can continue to read. I would also point to the literary award-winners like The Only Good Indians which are horror adult fiction, to show how there is potential for young horror fans to read more complex stories.
Reason for Inclusion: The story was included in part because of the interesting format: the multiple perspectives creates an exciting, quick paced story. It also features the perspective biracial Puerto Rican teen who is working on getting to know herself and forming her identity. Following her vacation visiting her family in Puerto Rico is a nice way for the reader to get to know about Puerto Rican culture.
Enhancements
A monster similar to El Coco from the novel Five Midnights, is the antagonist for the HBO show The Outsider.