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Santa Olivia Paperback – May 29, 2009

by Jacqueline Carey (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 524 ratings
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Lushly written with rich and vivid characters, Santa Olivia is Jacqueline Carey's take on comic book superheroes and the classic werewolf myth.

Loup Garron was born and raised in Santa Olivia, an isolated, disenfranchised town next to a US military base inside a DMZ buffer zone between Texas and Mexico. A fugitive "Wolf-Man" who had a love affair with a local woman, Loup's father was one of a group of men genetically-manipulated and used by the US government as a weapon. The "Wolf-Men" were engineered to have superhuman strength, speed, sensory capability, stamina, and a total lack of fear, and Loup, named for and sharing her father's wolf-like qualities, is marked as an outsider.

After her mother dies, Loup goes to live among the misfit orphans at the parish church, where they seethe from the injustices visited upon the locals by the soldiers. Eventually, the orphans find an outlet for their frustrations: They form a vigilante group to support Loup Garron who, costumed as their patron saint, Santa Olivia, uses her special abilities to avenge the town.

Aware that she could lose her freedom, and possibly her life, Loup is determined to fight to redress the wrongs her community has suffered. And like the reincarnation of their patron saint, she will bring hope to all of Santa Olivia.
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Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 2
    Santa Olivia
  2. Print length
    341 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    May 29, 2009
  5. Dimensions
    5.25 x 0.88 x 8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    044619817X
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0446198172
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Departing from epic fantasy (Kushiel's Dart, etc.), Carey sets this powerful near-future tale in Outpost 12, a small town trapped in a œbuffer zone shielding Texas from pandemic-stricken Mexico. Two half-siblings chafing under General Argyle's military rule make very different plans to beat the status quo. Tom, the son of a soldier, lives at the gym, where he trains in boxing and hopes to win his freedom from the town by defeating the general's boxing champion. Loup, who has inherited her escaped father's oddly engineered genes, joins a group of church wards called the Santitos, a tight gang of vigilantes who masquerade as the local saint, Santa Olivia. Carey's fans will enjoy meeting another strong, fearless heroine with special powers, while new readers will appreciate the tight focus that intensifies the depth of character and emotion. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Jacqueline Carey's previous publications include various short stories, essays, the nonfiction book Angels: Celestial Spirits in Legend and Art, and the nationally bestselling series Kushiel's Legacy.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grand Central Publishing (May 29, 2009)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 341 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 044619817X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0446198172
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.7 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 0.88 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 524 ratings

About the author

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Jacqueline Carey

Jacqueline Carey

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Jacqueline Carey is the author of the New York Times bestselling Kushiel's Legacy series of historical fantasy novels, The Sundering epic fantasy duology, postmodern fables "Santa Olivia" and "Saints Astray," and the Agent of Hel contemporary fantasy series. Carey lives in west Michigan. Although often asked by inquiring fans, she does not, in fact, have any tattoos.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
524 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Nocturnus
5.0 out of 5 stars The Forgotten Town: A Military Outpost
Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2020
Verified Purchase
···Not for the homophobic, transphobic, closedminded or faint of heart!···

This series must be read in order. This is the first book. I can't wait to read "Saints Astray"!

When Santa Olivia became Outpost 13 there wasn't much fuss (though there should have been) and life degraded from there. By the time Tommy and his little sister Loup were growing up freedom wasn't a reality. Electricity was only by generators. Living under military rule was harsh. Life was not easy and the Pandemic killed many and weakened others who never fully recovered. The only bright spots were Santa Olivia day and the Fight where if you could beat the General's champion you would win two tickets to America and true freedom.

This is an amazing dystopian story with everyday heroes as well as more amazing ones. The fear that something like this may come to pass has to be on people's minds right now. It was beautiful and poignant as well as surreal. With touches of scifi within a place where technology has ceased to exist it feels very realistic. I can't wait to read the conclusion!

***This series is suitable for adult readers who enjoy apocalyptal dystopian stories with a dash of scifi, heroes, villians and a dash of romance :)
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4.0 out of 5 stars Great Character Driven Classic With A Twist
Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2017
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I should start by saying that Jacqueline Carey is probably one of my favorite authors. Where a lot of my book friends do an annual reread of LOTR, for me it’s her Kushiel’s Legacy series (which I’m sure I’ll review as a ‘best of the best’ at some point). So… if you read any bias in this review, that’s why.

I’ve heard a lot of people talk about this book in terms of it being Ms. Carey’s superheroine novel or her take on modern werewolves/dystopian future/etc. I could say that it is all of those and yet… not. Those things are certainly in there but honestly they felt… like background facts to the story of Loup. Partially that could be because in this first one Carey doesn’t dig too dip into any one of these things. There are parts where Loup dons a costume to right wrongs, there are parts where we learn a little bit about where her powers come from, and there are parts where we learn about this no man’s land between a future America and Mexico. But they truly only scratch the surface of these ideas. It’s really about Loup and the people of Santa Olivia, about their lives, and how they grow.

In a way Santa Olivia reminds me of the classic literature books we read in middle and high school. You know the ones I mean of small towns set during the early 20th century/ the Great Depression/ a World War/et cetera. The actual backdrop was generally there to provide something for the characters to play against. And that’s what all of these different elements feel like to me. Yes, Loup can run faster, jump farther, hit harder than everyone around her but that’s just a way to describe her as ‘the other’ or different. She, like the reader, is a part of the town of Santa Olivia but isn’t exactly ‘one of them’.

I read this book in about two days. And the reason for that is that the characters suck you in. You want to know what they’ll do next vs what will be thrown at them by the government or what new powers will Loup discover. It’s a fantastic character driven story with victories (both big and small), defeats (both big and small), love and heartbreak, and much more. So if you’re looking for a great character study that just happens to include government sponsored genetic manipulation, a dystopian future involving a Wall between Mexico and the US (yep. totally a work of fiction here), and the occasional superhero appearance, then I can’t recommend this book enough. It won’t blow your mind, but it will at least make you stop and think at times, especially as characters make difficult but real choices.
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Martin
5.0 out of 5 stars Santa Olivia
Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2009
Verified Purchase
I came to this book on the back of Carey's Kushiel's Legacy series and having just finished Naamah's Kiss. I was initially skeptical about reading this, as it marked a departure from the world I am so fond of. However, my questions were laid to rest as I finished what is undoubtedly my favorite of Carey's books.

The books deals with a diverse range of subjects. At the center of the tale is Loup's struggle to establish her own identity, but there are more complex themes at work including military paranoia and fear, genetic manipulation and of course love.

I'll admit to the cliche of not being able to put this book down once I had started. The action built up beautifully to a well-paced conclusion and the ending, whilst left open for sequels, still fulfilled all the promises made in the build up.

Part of my enjoyment from reading this book came from the disappointing elements of Naamah's Kiss. It was refreshing to have the relationships that Carey created and labored at in this story actually mean something, as opposed to being cast aside and forgotten, as has happened in other of her works.

In short, despite being a shorter book than many of her others, Santa Olivia feels more complete and was, for me, more enjoyable for it. It is well paced, detailed and suitably complex without becoming frustrating. A wonderful story that I loved from start to finish.
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Christina P
5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT! ! !
Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2010
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Ms. Carey has done it again! She has proven that she not only can write delectable, epic, sensual, flowery Rennaisance era works that somehow addict her readers (Kushiel's Dart and others in the same series), but can also flip a switch and write a gritty realistic not so far into the future story that will keep you turning pages, reaching for tissues to dab your eyes dry, cheer for your favorite character, and lick your lips in anticipation! Well done indeed! I was hesitant to start reading Santa Olivia because sometimes authors out-do themselves with a dramatic change like this, but in the end, I think it showed that Jacqueline Carey is a much better author than I originally anticipated. Fickle readers like me should NOT, under any circumstances shy away from her works! There needs to be a 'Jacqueline Carey Anonymous' Group.
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Jhosyl
5.0 out of 5 stars Solido, Excitante, Emocionante...Perfeito!
Reviewed in Brazil on September 7, 2017
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Deixe-me dizer...Eu amei essa história.
Um solido 5 e se tivesse mais estrelas eu com certeza poderia dar!
Começando do começo, a capa do livro...Yeah, linda.
Não só a arte em si, mas o tato da capa, eu adoro capas dessa forma. São um diferencial.
Uma das outras coisas que eu gostei foi a forma como a autora descreve o bakcground da personagem principal, contando a história desde a vida de sua mãe ao momento em que ela encontra seu pai.
Um ótimo e solido trabalho em explicar as origens da personagem.
E depois desta introdução que levou em média umas 30 páginas, nós somos introduzidos a pequena Loup. O que eu achei muito fofo.
A autora descreve perfeitamente durante a narrativa o crescimento da personagem principal. O momento em que ela transita da vida infantil para a adolescência e aos poucos como ela é forçada a amadurecer rapidamente dentro da cidade.
Eu pude predizer alguns outcomes, mas nada que me fizesse decepcionada, pois a escrita da autora é maravilhosa.
E quanto ao romance, o que eu sempre acabo achando um defeito, desta vez não achei nenhum. A narrativa foi muito bem desenvolvida para formar o romance entre a personagem principal e seu insteresse amoroso. Até os momentos de pura fofura foram toleraveis e eu me peguei gostando.
Aliás, esse é um dos poucos livros em que eu vim a ficar contente com a conclusão de um romance.Eu tenho crescido acostumada em ver nos romances lésbicos as personagens fazerem juras de amor em poucos encontros e neste livro, apesar das personagens sentirem uma imensa atração e depois ficarem juntas, elas tomam seu tempo para pronunciar os famosos "eu te amos" que parecem voar a torta e a direita nos romances lésbicos.
Definitivamente eu fiquei muito satisfeita com este livro.
Eu espero que no volume 2 Loup possa vir a ajudar seus amigos.
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Andrea S
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect
Reviewed in Italy on January 21, 2019
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Very happy with this!!
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Shellie Dawn
5.0 out of 5 stars Another amazing book
Reviewed in Canada on January 27, 2016
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Another wonderful J. Carey book with a strong & quirky female main character, as well as heart warming friendships & loyalty. I read this way too quickly!
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 23, 2013
Verified Purchase
I'm a fan of Jacqueline Carey from the Terre d'Ange novels, so picking this one up, I was worried it wouldn't live up to that standard. But it did and even went beyond in some areas. The Terre d'Ange, being based on what I imagine the romantic medieval courts (or at least the ideas of courtly love) is all mostly nicely nicely with few enough shades of grey. Even the good guys who go bad and still bad...

In Santa Olivia, that fades away and the people are far more human. It could be because of the modern/futuristic setting, so it's more relatable, but the characters were more rounded earlier in the book as well. This is far grittier than the d'Angelines, so it is enjoyable, but in a different way.

The story itself didn't seem that far fetched to me - I can easily see it happening if the circumstances fell in line, which is partly my own cynicism and partly Ms Carey's writing. The lead character is strong but has to develop and her naivety gets tarnished fairly late on really, despite all her antics.

I bought the second book when I was half way through the first one - a testiment to my enjoyment!
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Erinome
5.0 out of 5 stars Spannende und wunderschöne Coming-of-Age Geschichte
Reviewed in Germany on August 16, 2009
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Früher gehörte die Stadt Santa Olivia zu Texas, nach dem Ausbruch der großen Seuche und den darauf folgenden bürgerkriegsähnlichen Zuständen riegelte das Militär die Grenze zu Mexiko ab, um einer angeblichen Bedrohung aus diesem Gebiet vorzubeugen. Santa Olivia wurde Teil eines Außenpostens und ist ab diesem Zeitpunkt völlig von der Außenwelt abgeschottet. Die Bewohner des Städtchens sind praktisch interniert und unterstehen der direkten und oft willkürlichen Kontrolle der Armee.
Loup Garron wächst in Santa Olivia auf. Nach dem Tod ihrer Mutter landet Loup im Waisenhaus und dort dauert es nicht lange, bis sie den anderen Kindern offenbart, was sie wirklich ist: Die Tochter eines genetisch manipulierten Mannes. Loups Vater war ein Flüchtling aus einer Forschungseinrichtung der Regierung und versuchte nach Mexiko zu gelangen. In Santa Olivia verliebte er sich Loups Mutter, ihr Glück war aber nur von kurzer Dauer, da er erneut fliehen musste. Er verfügte über übernatürliche Körperkraft, Geschwindigkeit, Durchhaltevermögen und geschärfte Sinne.
Loup hat seine Fähigkeiten geerbt und will sie nun dazu einsetzen, das Leben in Santa Olivia zu verbessern. Das Schicksal schlägt jedoch gnadenlos zu und nach einem großen Verlust ändert sich Loups Leben schlagartig.

In SANTA OLIVIA wird eine Fülle von Themen angesprochen. Jacqueline Carey schreibt über das Erwachsenwerden, über Außenseitertum, über das Bewältigen scheinbar unüberwindlicher Hindernisse und über gleichgeschlechtliche Liebe.
Loup ist eine besondere Heldin. Sie verfügt nicht nur über übernatürliche Kräfte, sie ist auch vollkommen furchtlos. Carey versucht aufzuzeigen, wie ein angstfreier Mensch durch sein Leben geht, sei es nun durch normale Alltagssituationen, durch den Kampf oder durch die Liebe. Loup sieht das Leben anders und ihre Furchtlosigkeit inspiriert ihre Mitmenschen zu Taten, die sie sich ansonsten nicht zugetraut hätten.
Die Liebesgeschichte zwischen Loup und ihrer Angebeteten ist bittersüß und berührend und man fiebert mit den beiden Mädchen und hofft, dass sie ihr Happy End bekommen.
Anders als vom Klappentext angedeutet geht es in SANTA OLIVIA nur am Rande um Loups Einsatz als Einzelkämpferin, das Hauptaugenmerk liegt auf dem Boxkampf und Loups Verbindung dazu. Der General des Außenpostens veranstaltet zur allgemeinen Unterhaltung in regelmäßigen Abständen Boxkämpfe zwischen den Soldaten und den Einheimischen.

SANTA OLIVIA ist vollkommen anders als Careys KUSHIEL'S LEGACY Serie. Stilistisch und thematisch könnte es keine größeren Unterschiede geben. SANTA OLIVIA ist auch kein üblicher Kandidat aus dem Urban Fantasy-Genre. Obwohl Loups Vater als "Wolfmann" bezeichnet wird, ist Loup kein Werwolf. Es gibt auch keine Vampire, Geister oder ähnliche übernatürliche Wesen.
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