An eerie, hypnotic debut about friendship, desire, and memory set against the sultry backdrop of Florida’s swamplands.
LONGLISTED FOR THE CENTER FOR FICTION FIRST NOVEL PRIZE
It’s been years since Ingrid has heard from her childhood best friend, Mayra, a fearless rebel who fled their hometown of Hialeah, a Cuban neighborhood just west of Miami, for college in the Northeast. But when Mayra calls out of the blue to invite Ingrid to a weekend getaway at a house in the Everglades, she impulsively accepts.
From the moment Ingrid sets out, danger looms: The directions are difficult, she’s out of reach of cell service, and as she drives deeper into the Everglades, the wet maw of the swamp threatens to swallow her whole. But once Ingrid arrives, Mayra is, in many ways, just as she remembers—with her sharp tongue and effortless, seductive beauty, still thumbing her nose at the world.
Before they can fully settle into the familiar intimacy of each other’s company, their reunion is spoiled by the reemergence of past disagreements and the unexpected presence of Mayra’s new boyfriend, Benji. The trio spend their hours eating lavish meals and exploring the labyrinthine house, which holds as much mystery as the swamp itself. Indoors and on the grounds, time itself seems to expand, and Ingrid begins to lose a sense of the outside world, and herself.
Against this disquieting setting, where lizards dart in and out of porches and alligators peek from dark waters, Gonzalez weaves a surreal, unforgettable story about the dizzying power of early friendship and the lengths we’ll go to earn love and acceptance—even at the risk of losing ourselves entirely.
Mayra by Nicky Gonzalez was published July 22, 2025 by Random House.
My Thoughts: It's a good haunted house/gothic novel. The story is told from Ingrid's point of view. To me she came across as a pretty normal person. Not really happy with her job, looking for love, and she has family ties. Presented with an opportunity to revisit an earlier friendship that was very important to her, she feels ambiguous. Last time they saw each other didn't go spectacularly. Pushed together in this way out of the way place, Ingrid tentatively tries to bond with Mayra again.
It's awkward with Mayra's boyfriend Benji around. He's doing everything for them - cooking, cleaning, laundry. Their happiness seems to be paramount to him to the point of being creepy. And as they explore the house, they keep finding creepy little details that make them wonder about the previous residents.
The narrative takes on a dreamlike tone the longer they are there. Ingrid feels like she is forgetting something, but not quite what. She is lulled into a false sense of security. It's at this point, you speculate what is causing the disconnect. I somewhat expected the source, but there were still surprises. I ended up staying up to finish it once I hit the 90% mark. I had to know what would happen next.
I gave the book 4 out of 5 stars. Dreamlike, the story is a little slow in a few places. It still moves the ladies further down the path to the conclusion. And it makes the ending feel positively manic. I enjoyed the book as a whole. I would recommend it for people who enjoy gothic literature and gothic horror.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my review.
Have you read Mayra? What did you think?
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