I am honestly pretty disappointed with A Pre-Columbian Bestiary by Ilan Stavans and illustrated by Eko. It feels almost as though this is a book that couldn’t decide what it wanted to be. It includes mythical creatures, but also creatures like grasshoppers. The illustrations are great, but black and white. Honestly, it feels like a book with a strong premise that falters into a clunky coffee table book.
What makes reviewing this so difficult is that I cannot even critique it as a reference book because it isn’t. It gives a quick blurb, not even an overview, just a blurb about the creature. Then, it quotes another piece of literature or media that references, no matter how vaguely, the creature before quickly moving on to the next creature. Nothing is touched upon in depth. The only information I came out of this with was how the death eater symbol may have been inspired by one of these fantastical creatures.
I’m not sure who the target audience would be, but I don’t think I can recommend A Pre-Columbian Bestiary.
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