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orangesloth1's review
5.0
Book 3 in my Alphabet Reading Series.
I would recommend this book to anyone. The honest, raw narration from this book is amazing.
I would recommend this book to anyone. The honest, raw narration from this book is amazing.
kathryndouglas's review against another edition
3.0
Lizet was annoying. Fuck Omar. Lourdes needed to realize how valuable her family really was, yet stop being a helicopter parent and being jealous of what her kid had. Ethan was mid. Lizet was a boring main character and the whole story was pretty bland.
fionac326's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
witchythey's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
the pace of this book was either breakneck or dragging. it felt like i had skipped pages at points because the main character would do things so out of left field. the complicated and emotional family dynamic is excellently written and full of dissatisfaction and nuance, which feels so universal and real. but i had a huge issue with the novel's use of an elian gonzalez stand in -- ariel hernandez. it felt pretty insensitive to the people who had been traumatized by that extremely public situation, and i wish the plot had been more distanced from real events. the book's nonsensical final chapter ends in a lackluster sentence alluding to the 2000 election, which i found both milquetoast and hackneyed. overall the book was emotionally gripping and very relatable in terms of having an identity crisis via higher education, and the strife of being a marginalized person surrounded by ignorant peers and simpering adults. but the ending left an awful taste in my mouth, which soured what good opinion i may have harbored for the novel itself.
emmylou52's review
3.0
3.5 stars. I was young enough when the Elian Gonzalez story broke to not quite understand what was happening - this novel, which is tangentially connected to his case, allows us to reflect on how much progress has been made in the past 20 years in our immigration system (none? Backwards progress?).
Having attended a small New England college like the one Lizet did, I enjoyed reading about the experience of a first generation college student who was dropped into college life without much more than a few orientation sessions. Coming from a rural public school with a handful of AP classes I often felt out of place at college, both academically but also when learning about things like boarding schools and people “summering” places, etc. I could imagine how Lizet’s journey was an even steeper uphill battle, especially without the support or understanding of her family.
Having attended a small New England college like the one Lizet did, I enjoyed reading about the experience of a first generation college student who was dropped into college life without much more than a few orientation sessions. Coming from a rural public school with a handful of AP classes I often felt out of place at college, both academically but also when learning about things like boarding schools and people “summering” places, etc. I could imagine how Lizet’s journey was an even steeper uphill battle, especially without the support or understanding of her family.
bookmindedmag's review
5.0
This book had me going through so many emotions, but the one that had me on edge through most of the book was frustration. I was frustrated with Lizet, the young Cuban-American from Miami who found her way to a fancy college; her family, who seemed to not want her to do anything at all but stay in Miami; and several people at her school who just seemed oblivious to pretty much anything outside of their white bubble.
I decided to read this book after the appalling events at Georgia Southern which literally had us watching students burn the author’s book. And after reading this novel I know why the did it, aside from being spoiled, privileged racists. The novel was burned because they recognized themselves in the story and didn’t like what they saw. They didn’t like the microagressions towards Lizet at every turn, the lack of empathy for Ariel Hernandez, the young Cuban boy who became part of a media and political storm in the late 90s, and they especially didn’t like the constant feeling Lizet had of not belonging, even though she was born in America. It is a feeling many students of color and poor whites have in college and throughout their lives.
I did reserve some judgement towards Lizet because of how she handled some things. But I had to remember that although I would have done so many things differently, it is because I had a more supportive family when it came to my education. My family encouraged my decision to go away for college and I never felt like I didn’t belong there. If anything, Lizet was seen as the enemy for having the audacity to want more for herself, something many of my friends had to struggle with. Too many times, I wanted to shake Lizet and tell her to stop worrying about all that and just concentrate on her grades. But I would have been wrong to ignore her problems and feelings. She deserved to be heard, to want a different life, to be told she was worth more.
I’m definitely looking forward to reading more of the author’s other work. She is a fantastic writer.
I decided to read this book after the appalling events at Georgia Southern which literally had us watching students burn the author’s book. And after reading this novel I know why the did it, aside from being spoiled, privileged racists. The novel was burned because they recognized themselves in the story and didn’t like what they saw. They didn’t like the microagressions towards Lizet at every turn, the lack of empathy for Ariel Hernandez, the young Cuban boy who became part of a media and political storm in the late 90s, and they especially didn’t like the constant feeling Lizet had of not belonging, even though she was born in America. It is a feeling many students of color and poor whites have in college and throughout their lives.
I did reserve some judgement towards Lizet because of how she handled some things. But I had to remember that although I would have done so many things differently, it is because I had a more supportive family when it came to my education. My family encouraged my decision to go away for college and I never felt like I didn’t belong there. If anything, Lizet was seen as the enemy for having the audacity to want more for herself, something many of my friends had to struggle with. Too many times, I wanted to shake Lizet and tell her to stop worrying about all that and just concentrate on her grades. But I would have been wrong to ignore her problems and feelings. She deserved to be heard, to want a different life, to be told she was worth more.
I’m definitely looking forward to reading more of the author’s other work. She is a fantastic writer.
zoooeeeggg's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This is one of those books that I’ll recommend to everyone but I won’t ever reread. It made me ache and reminded me too much of the relationships I have with my parents. Focuses on family and switching between identities and leaving and staying and forgiveness and the deep ache of loneliness you get when you leave for college
sagejenn47's review
4.0
I work with a lot of first-generation college students, and this book felt incredibly important. The disconnect Lizet felt between her home life and her college life was shocking; all I could do was sit back and absorb it. These kinds of stories are so important to tell, especially in privileged settings like prestigious colleges. This would make a great book to read during orientation for incoming students.
lauralynnwalsh's review
2.0
This book started out strong for me. The scenario of going off to college in a culturally different environment is partly my story, too. But the story veered off for me when it spent so much time on the Ariel Hernandez incident. Yes, I know it was important to the MC, but it wasn't important enough to me as a reader. It wasn't the MC's concern, but the concern of her mother and her mother's community - too far removed from the character we really were interested in.
simplymeg's review
4.0
Well-written presentation of the view within and across cultures: young Cuban-American woman from a disadvantaged Miami neighborhood goes off to an exclusive college in the North.