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carlyoc's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book is told in verse from two fictional point of view characters, a teenage girl in DR and one in New York who both lost a father on that flight. Although Camino and Yahaira have had very different upbringings in different countries, their grief brings them together and they soon realize they have even more in common.
Not my usual genre and definitely emotional, but glad I read it. I had no idea about this second-most deadly plane crash in American history that occurred just a few months after 9/11. And that is part of Acevedo's reason for writing about it. The event rocked the worlds of the Dominican community but hardly made a dent in the mainstream news cycle after initial concerns that it was another terrorist attack were debunked.
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Grief, Infidelity, Stalking, Xenophobia, and Sexual assault
Features attempted sexual assault that is stopped in time and traumatic groping on public transit.achedester's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Xenophobia, Stalking, Death of parent, and Violence
kitty_may12's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Stalking
Moderate: Medical content, Medical trauma, Grief, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Cancer, Sexism, and Xenophobia
tinyjude's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
It was beautiful. I was surprised by the way it was presented (in verse) and I loved every second of Camino explaining and being proud of their traditions, her Tía, etc
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Death of parent, and Stalking
Moderate: Xenophobia, Pregnancy, Classism, Trafficking, and Infidelity
jojo_'s review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Abandonment, Medical content, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Stalking
Minor: Alcohol, Cancer, Vomit, Xenophobia, and Trafficking
foreverinastory's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Rep: Dominican-American lesbian female MC, Dominican female MC, BIPOC sapphic female side character, Dominican and Dominican-American side characters.
CWs: Death of parent, sexual assault, grief, death, stalking, infidelity, sexual violence, sexual harassment, pregnancy & birth on page, sexism, violence, parental abandonment, plane crash (not on page but discussed), misogyny, racism, xenophobia. Moderate: medical content, cancer, cursing, pedophilia, rape, panic attack. Minor: Drug use, trafficking, vomit, police brutality, blood.
Graphic: Xenophobia, Stalking, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Racism, Death of parent, Death, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Grief, Sexism, and Misogyny
Moderate: Cancer, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Cursing, Pedophilia, and Rape
Minor: Drug use, Police brutality, Vomit, Trafficking, and Blood
lucystolethesky's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Stalking
Moderate: Abandonment, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, and Xenophobia
plumpaperbacks's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I think I like this one even more than The Poet X. Admittedly, for the first hundred pages or so, I struggled to differentiate between Camino and Yahaira and get invested in their story. But despite my rocky start, I ended up quite invested in both girls and the way their stories intertwined. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book quite like Clap When You Land, in that regard—one that writes sibling relationships in such a unique way, examines family secrets and love and how loss can lead to gain in unexpected ways.
Only when I started reading did I realize that Acevedo based this story off of a real tragedy, the AA587 plane crash in November 2001. That realization intensified the emotions within the pages, even though the novel is in verse. Sometimes such a method means detachment from what you’re reading, but not here. Yet another one of the author’s talents, honestly.
I’m tired (as I write this, it’s 2 a.m.) and I’m not sure how much sense I make, but I did quite enjoy this book. It wasn’t a favorite, but I’d recommend it regardless. I look forward to reading more from Elizabeth Acevedo, hopefully soon.
Representation
- Afro-Dominican protagonist
- Latinx protagonist
- established sapphic romance
- side characters of color
Graphic: Death, Grief, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Sexism, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Violence, Emotional abuse, and Xenophobia
Minor: Cancer, Homophobia, Drug use, Racism, Blood, Medical content, and Trafficking
snowhitereads's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death, Grief, Sexual assault, Sexism, Pedophilia, Xenophobia, Rape, Infidelity, Trafficking, Medical content, and Emotional abuse