“Never Looks Back sings its own love song to the world.” - NPR
“Defying expectation and categorization, Never Look Back is a book not to be read with the mind but to be experienced with the soul.” - Starred Review, Booklist
“This #OwnVoices novel is highly recommended for all teen collections.” - Starred Review, School Library Journal
Acclaimed author Lilliam Rivera blends a touch of magical realism into a timely story about cultural identity, overcoming trauma, and the power of first love.
Eury comes to the Bronx as a girl haunted. Haunted by losing everything in Hurricane Maria--and by an evil spirit, Ato. She fully expects the tragedy that befell her and her family in Puerto Rico to catch up with her in New York. Yet, for a time, she can almost set this fear aside, because there's this boy . . .
Pheus is a golden-voiced, bachata-singing charmer, ready to spend the summer on the beach with his friends, serenading his on-again, off-again flame. That changes when he meets Eury. All he wants is to put a smile on her face and fight off her demons. But some dangers are too powerful for even the strongest love, and as the world threatens to tear them apart, Eury and Pheus must fight for each other and their lives.
Read the first two chapters of Never Look Back on Tor.com while Entertainment Weekly has the exclusive preview of the cover and excerpt.
A 2021 Pura Belpre Honor Book for YA
“Immersive and intense, you’ll want Rivera to retell all your classics.”— Fall 2020 Kid’s Indie Next List
“Rivera has beautifully reimagined the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice for 2021 New York City in a compelling Afro-Latino magical realist YA story.” - Los Angeles Times
“Never Look Back is very much a novel with sterling prescience for modern times.” — Locus Magazine
“Sometimes the book that finds you is exactly what your heart needs.” — Author Angie Cruz for Belletrist
“Rivera’s retelling of the myth is also feminist, empowering Eury in ways that the classic character isn’t typically presented.” — Southern California News Group
“Rivera creates a haunting, lyrical love story for YA fans.” ― Mashable
“Opening the mailbag with Lilliam Rivera — First Draft with Sarah Enni
“One of the most anticipated books of 2020” ― Women’s Health
“I am such a huge fan of Lilliam Rivera, and her Orpheus and Eurydice–inspired YA novel set during a blistering summer in New York City is nothing short of a marvel.” ― NY Times bestselling author Elizabeth Acevedo for Buzzfeed
“Absolutely one of the best books this year.” ― Award-winning author Mark Oshiro for Buzzfeed
A recommended read by author Jorge Lacera on NPR’s All Things Considered
“Rivera (The Education of Margot Sanchez; Dealing in Dreams) masterfully intertwines ancient and modern lore, leaving readers gasping for breath by the authentic but satisfying conclusion.” ― Shelf Awareness
“Never Look Back is important on so many levels, emotionally and culturally, but most importantly, it is a fantastic story of adventure, love, discovery, and redemption.” ― Tor.com
“In Never Look Back by Lilliam Rivera, a Puerto Rican herself, my heart swelled with joy as she spoke of landmarks of my youth, such as Plaza Las Américas and the rainforest of El Yunque.” ― BookRiot
“Rivera's latest work will add something meaningful and special to your reading list.” ― Elite Daily
Never Look Back is an enthralling, fresh, and important view of an old classic tale.” ― The Young Folks
“Never Look Back becomes a call to rise above the hopelessness of an unjust world. It’s a story imbued with the power to heal.” ― City Pages
“At turns beautiful and heart-breaking, Never Look Back is a timely reimagining of a timeless tale.” ― Refinery29
“This is an homage to culture, a love song to the magical, and unapologetically unique.” ― SyFy Wire
Named a “Highly Anticipated Novel” for 2020 by Goodreads
“The Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice gets thoroughly modernized for this contemporary romance between two Afro-Latinx teens finding each other in the Bronx.” ― Buzzfeed
“Never Look Back is a story about generational trauma seen through the eyes of the Caribbean and Caribbean American experience while using the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice as my structure.” ― Magic Realism Roundtable, Booklist
“This novel really infuses Latinx culture into a story about love and fate that feels like nothing you’ve ever read before.” ― Tor.com
“A retelling of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth with bachata, Never Look Back is a Bronx love story that flips everything you thought you knew on its head.” ― 25 Most Anticipated Books of 2020 Tor.com
“Expertly blends reality and fantasy to explore what's behind love and loss, what it takes to heal.” ― Randy Ribay, author of National Book Award finalist Patron Saints of Nothing
“Haunting and richly detailed, this is a beautiful re-imagining that will hurt and heal, sometimes on the same page.” ― Mark Oshiro, author of Anger Is A Gift
“Never Look Back reimagines the Orpheus myth into a bold creation that only Lilliam Rivera could breathe into life. A strange, unsettling love song of a book.” ― Elana K. Arnold, Printz Honor-winning author of Damsel