Advanced
Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.
Title details for Playing for the Devil's Fire by Phillippe Diederich - Available

Playing for the Devil's Fire

by Phillippe Diederich
Ozzie Rodriguez
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
Borrow Listen to a sample Listen to a sample
1 of 1 copy available
Thirteen-year-old Boli and his friends are deep in the middle of a game of marbles. An older boy named Mosca has won the prized Devil's Fire marble. His pals are jealous and want to win it away from him. This is Izayoc, the place of tears, a small pueblo in a tiny valley west of Mexico City where nothing much happens. It's a typical hot Sunday morning except that on the way to church someone discovers the severed head of Enrique Quintanilla propped on the ledge of one of the cement planters in the plaza and everything changes. Not apocalyptic changes, like phalanxes of men riding on horses with stingers for tails, but subtle ones: poor neighbors turning up with brand-new SUVs, pimpled teens with fancy girls hanging off them. Boli's parents leave for Toluca and don't arrive at their destination. No one will talk about it. A washed out masked wrestler turns up one day, a man only interested in finding his next meal. Boli hopes to inspire the luchador to set out with him to find his parents.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    June 28, 2016

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781524723859
      • File size: 236913 KB
      • Duration: 08:13:34

  • Languages

    • English

  • Levels

    • Lexile® Measure: 540
    • Text Difficulty: 2-3

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Diederich's story is written from the perspective of a teenage boy whose sleepy Mexican village is being taken over by drug money. Narrator Ozzie Rodriguez sensitively portrays Bolli's confusion, fear, and anger as he witnesses the changes encroaching upon his village, which threaten the security of his friends and family. Rodriguez's narration reflects the atmosphere in the story, beginning with a slightly slower pace to describe the village, then building as violence and emotions escalate, and, finally, slowing to the conclusion. Because he provides no vocal character differentiation, there are times when it's difficult to tell who is speaking. But that lasts only a moment, and the listener is pulled back into this gripping story. L.M.A. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from February 15, 2016
      A severed head in the town square is the first sign of trouble in the small Mexican town of Izayoc, where new money is moving in with bloody force. As this grim murder mystery unfolds, 13-year-old Boli and his best friend Mosca become reliant on a luchador named Chicano, a masked wrestler working the amateur circuit, as a real-life hero and protector after Boli's parents go missing, and the body count mounts. The boys' lost innocence is represented with a game of marbles, which dovetails and overlaps with the disillusionment and loss of the entire community, Chicano's transformation from caped crusader to mere man as he ditches the affectations of his theatrical profession, and a host of new responsibilities for Boli, including helping to run the family business and care for a grandmother whose mind is slipping. The narration and dialogue are shot through with Spanish words and phrases, readily discernable through context, and also collected in a glossary. Diederich (Sofrito) portrays Mexico with a stark intensity and raw emotional turmoil as Boli navigates a mercilessly cruel world. Ages 12âup. Agent: Stephany Evans, Fineprint Literary Management.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • Lexile® Measure:540
  • Text Difficulty:2-3

Loading