Ander & Santi Were Here by Jonny Garza Villa

 Ander & Santi Were Here by Jonny Garza Villa

Garza Villa, J. (2023). Ander & Santi were here. Wednesday Books.  ISBN 9781250843999

Ander Marinez has taken a gap year off before heading to college. Before they take off for their gap year, the new mysterious hot waiter Santiago Alvarado enters Ander’s life, and it’s at that moment they know their lives have been changed forever. Before they both know it, Ander and Santi have fallen for each other, and while their love blazes for each other, ICE threatens to tear them apart.

Ander & Santi Were Here is a novel that will stick with you long after reading.  Near the beginning of the novel, Ander states that they might be desensitized to walkthroughs, random stops, and ICE agents everywhere because they have not been personally affected by it. Unfortunately, that is the mentality that many people have when it comes to the topic of undocumented citizens.  With Ander & Santi, Ander did not realize how delicate the situation Santi was until he was forced to face the reality of the situation.  Once Ander became aware that Santi was undocumented, Ander had to live in the reality that Santi and many other undocumented citizens live on a day-to-day basis, with constant fear, anxiety, and uncertainty of what the future holds.  As seen with Santi’s situation, someone can be an utterly law-abiding person, but because of their status, they can go from having a home in the United States to being deported to a land they may never have visited.  Ander and Santi’s love for each other was raw, and at no point did it feel forced.  It’s not every day that a book is published with a nonbinary, gay character being at the center of it, but Garza Villa did at writing one, and with a great storyline.

The cultural references in Ander and Santi felt very authentic. Like many Hispanic families, Ander’s own family is very close-knit, and that is shown in the relationship between their parents, family, and friends, the family-run restaurant, the frequent use of Spanglish, references to different Spanish artists for Ander’s murals, and, of course, the mentions of different Mexican foods. Another example I loved was how the entire community rallied to protest Santi’s arrest.

What do readers think of Ander & Santi Were Here?  The School Library Journal describes Ander and Santi’s relationship as “a whirlwind of ecstatic highs and tragic lows that carries with it the intensity and fierceness of a new love,” and it is overall a “hopeful queer love story that is grounded by the complexities of the protagonists’ struggle to stay together.”  After reading Ander & Santi, reflect on all the instances of cultures mentioned.  Once you have reflected, create a visual collage that reflects Ander and Santi’s journey.  If you do not want to create a visual collage of Ander and Santi’s journey, reflect on your own journey and culture to create your own.  If you enjoyed this title, you may also enjoy Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun or Canto Contigo, both by Jonny Garza Villa.

Awards and Honors for Ander & Santi Were Here:

• Barnes and Noble Best New Books of the Year
• ALA Stonewall Book Award – Honor Book

References

Ander & Santi were here. Macmillan Publishers. (2021, July 20). https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250843999/andersantiwerehere/

Ander & Santi were here. School Library Journal. (n.d.). https://www.slj.com/review/ander--santi-were-here

Garza Villa, J. (2023). Ander & Santi were here. Wednesday Books.  ISBN 9781250843999