CHRONICLES OF A LUCHADOR

A young man on the verge of adulthood must choose between his dream wrestling career and his parents’ more pragmatic expectations.

In this sequel to Body Slammed! (2012), 18-year-old Jesse Baron wants nothing more than to be a professional wrestler. Only problem is, his dad was wildly successful at it—a hugely popular pro who battled under the name the Angel of Death—but his wrestling career cost him and his family greatly. Now, his parents are thrilled to send Jesse off to study mechanical engineering at the University of Texas, but little do they know how much he desires to follow in his father’s footsteps, preferably at his father’s own gym, the Ox Mulligan Pro Wrestling Factory. With the companionship of his girlfriend, Wally Morúa, and his close friends, Goose, Wendell, and Bucky, Jesse must balance his own aspirations with the expectations others have for him. The intriguing subject matter—the strange and fascinating subculture of pro wrestling—is interwoven with a sympathetically developed personal quandary as Jesse delves into duplicity while trying to figure out his future. Stilted dialogue and prose, however, mar the flow of Villareal’s earnest story; contemporary teenage characters unironically use expressions that feel corny and out of date. Most of the cast is Latinx.

An interesting premise impaired by stylistic weaknesses.