Hear ye mortals / Yamile Saied Méndez.

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Junior Library Guild Gold Standard

From the award-winning author of Furia --two brothers struggle against a totalitarian regime in this historical YA about fighting for what you believe in, even when the world around you tries to silence your voice.

In 1976 Rosario, Argentina, brothers Daniel and Adrián Aguirre share a passion for music and a bond as best friends. However, under the authoritarian military government, artists and musicians are considered enemies of the state, even if they're just teenagers playing at home. When one of their songs unexpectedly gains popularity on the radio, Daniel and Adrián, along with their band Río Babel--comprised of children of immigrants from Spain, Palestine, and Germany--face a daunting choice.

They must decide whether to pursue their dream of becoming musicians or to remain silent to protect their families. Ready to challenge the military regime, their resolve is tested when one of their own goes missing.

This novel delves into the power of music in the fight for a better tomorrow, making it a compelling read for those who appreciate stories of courage, family, and the enduring spirit of resistance against a totalitarian regime.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

In this raw and heartbreaking historical novel set in the same world as Furia, Méndez intertwines political history with speculative storytelling, drawing on firsthand accounts of life under Argentina's 1976 military coup. Alternating between present-day narration from an unnamed angel and flashbacks charting the rise of Río Babel, a teenage rock band whose love of music collides with the brutality of a repressive government, the story opens with a grim scene: the angel, tasked with escorting souls to the afterlife, must help a young girl remember her name to keep her soul from disappearing. Prompted by the girl's familiarity with Río Babel, the angel recounts the band's tragic tale. Río Babel's teenage members, including brothers Daniel and Adrián, dream of rock stardom when their song "Lágrimas de Marrano" unexpectedly becomes a rallying cry for rebels against Argentinian government dictatorship. But when 15-year-old bandmate Herminia disappears, the stakes rise, forcing the teens to prioritize survival and anonymity over recognition as violence spreads throughout Argentina. Narrative timeline shifts are somewhat abrupt; still, the novel's central motif of music as salvation amid oppression resonates throughout a haunting, morally urgent tale of art, resistance, and memory. Characters are described as having various skin tones. Ages 12--up. Agent: Linda Camacho, Gallt & Zacker Literary. (May)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 9 Up--Méndez tells the story of Argentina's desaparecidos--the generation of people who were "disappeared" by the country's military government. The story begins in 1976. Two dark-haired teenagers, brothers Daniel and Adrián Aguirre, have set up a band in the city of Rosario. The Aguirres and their friends have written a song, "Lágrimas de Marrano." It's a haunting thing, a challenge to the government that views art and culture as a challenge to its authority. State officials close in quickly and kidnap one of the band members, leaving the Aguirres to decide whether to continue making music at the risk of losing the people they love. Méndez adeptly draws readers into the lived experience of the people from this time period. She beautifully captures the ambience, including the factura pastries and beet salads, the floss silk trees and the slums around La Basurita. Not only that, but she also conveys the sense of terror that so many people felt and their desire for a more hopeful future. VERDICT Recommended for readers who enjoy historical fiction that explores themes of authoritarianism and social upheaval with an ensemble cast of characters.--Talea Anderson

Booklist Review

Through the mouth of an angel, readers are transported to 1970s Argentina and introduced to brothers Daniel and Adrián Aguirre. The boys have a deep love for music and ambitions for their band, Río Babel, but artists are at great risk due to the authoritarian government. Music is an incredibly powerful tool, after all, and has been used to inspire and provoke since the dawn of time. The brothers and their bandmates become intimately aware of this when one of their songs, "Lágrimas de Marrano," becomes a radio favorite. They must decide: play it safe and cut the music or follow their dreams? It's a tough decision, made even tougher when one of their band members disappears. Méndez constructs a tragic, heart-wrenching story within a story that delves into resistance, resilience, and the power of song. T he characters are complex and sympathetic, which makes some of their fates painful yet galvanizing. This is for readers who welcome books that confront tragedy, especially fans of historical fiction, music, and fighting authoritarianism.

Horn Book Review

As this emotional, timely historical novel with a supernatural frame story opens, an angel greets the soul of a young woman who was a victim of violence in present-day Argentina. Tasked with waiting for the soul to remember her name, the angel tells her the story of (fictional) rock band Rio Babel, still popular with the deceased girl's generation. Led by two passionate teenage brothers, Daniel and Adrian Aguirre, the group forms in 1976 during a period of political unrest in Argentina in which warring political and military factions detained, tortured, and killed thousands who would come to be known as los desaparecidos. At first, the brothers insist their music is not political, but one song is taken up as a protest anthem when it begins playing on the radio. The bandmates face unimaginable pain in many forms as they struggle to protect one another, their families, and their powerful music. Occasional Spanish, especially Argentinian political terms and slang, is contextually explained throughout, except for song lyrics, which are printed in Spanish and translated into English in footnotes. Mendez's touchpoints of Argentina's history (sometimes slightly altered, according to the book's acknowledgments) create an intense landscape she peoples with a rich community of fully fleshed-out characters whose interactions highlight the importance of bearing witness, caring for others, and fighting back while living in an increasingly authoritarian regime. Monica de los ReyesMay/June 2026 p.88 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus Book Review

Spirited teens create music under the towering shadow of an oppressive government. In present-day Rosario, Argentina, an angel comes to collect a girl who doesn't remember her own name. Before it's time to go, the angel shares the story of the Aguirre brothers and the origins of their band, Río Babel. In 1976, Daniel Aguirre dreams of becoming a rock star, spurred on by the poetic lyrics of his brother, Adrián. Against a backdrop of hyperinflation, police violence, and political turmoil, the brothers and their bandmates hone their craft, undeterred even by a traumatizing brush with the police. The March 24 coup d'etat brings down Isabel Perón's fragile government and a military junta seizes power, promising harsh national reform. When a member of Río Babel goes missing, a demo of one of their songs mysteriously ends up on the radio, spreading like wildfire as a protest anthem and inviting more calamity for the teens. Within the framework of a bittersweet conversation between an angel and a girl, this historically grounded tale of a fictional band and the fates that befall its members unfurls in bouts of profound tragedies and hopeful triumphs, all wonderfully presented in Méndez's rich, lyrical prose. The author gives each character palpable depth, including those who exist on the story's margins, and the occasional interjection of historical context provides insightful color. A fierce, timely, and beautifully executed ode to artistic expression imbued with a spirit of optimism. (additional reading)(Historical fiction. 12-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.