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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.75⭐️ I love a short powerful novel. This was heartfelt and honest and raw. Writing that felt like a song.
But something felt disjointed in the story that kept me from a higher score. Perhaps the fables—which I know are part of Columbia’s culture—or the few chapters with the siblings as narrators.
Regardless, it’s worth your time. A story about family that everyone alive can relate to.
But something felt disjointed in the story that kept me from a higher score. Perhaps the fables—which I know are part of Columbia’s culture—or the few chapters with the siblings as narrators.
Regardless, it’s worth your time. A story about family that everyone alive can relate to.
Loved loved loved it! The relationships of the love and family are beautiful.
2 stars up until the end were I bumped it up to a 3
Well.... I think I liked it?
I'm generally a big fan of character driven books and that became my main gripe with this one: I only started caring about the characters at the end. This book is great for anyone looking for a thought provoking read about the history of immigrants and the sort of "bigger picture" impacts of deportation. However, I still didn't love the writing. To me it felt clunky at times and really gave me a limited understanding of how the characters felt or what they were actually going through. That being said, the ending hit me like a punch in the gut because of the writing and, although I didn't like the random first-person for the other kids, it was still I nice read.
Well.... I think I liked it?
I'm generally a big fan of character driven books and that became my main gripe with this one: I only started caring about the characters at the end. This book is great for anyone looking for a thought provoking read about the history of immigrants and the sort of "bigger picture" impacts of deportation. However, I still didn't love the writing. To me it felt clunky at times and really gave me a limited understanding of how the characters felt or what they were actually going through. That being said, the ending hit me like a punch in the gut because of the writing and, although I didn't like the random first-person for the other kids, it was still I nice read.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The entwing of Adean myths and different character narrative was beautiful, well crafted, and moving. The thin book manages to pack in difficult and complex themes orbiting, immigration, citizenship (legal and cultural), deportation, womanhood, intergenerational relationships, diaspora, assault, racism, ambitious morality, addiction and more. It is heartbreaking and yet hopeful, a balancing of emotional dichotomies all too familiar to immigrant families. My heart panged at the passages that felt all too close to home. But because of the brevity of the book, it felt hard to fully catch my stride with the characters and would have liked more time to connect to each and savor the story. But still a lovely read!
finished this book crying!! wasn't expecting the waterworks but wow.. Engel made me care and feel for these characters so deeply. i saw pieces of my family within them and i felt every characters emotions so intensely. this book was beautifully written!