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izzys_internet_bookshelf's review
1.0
1/5
I was excited to read this book for two reasons, one because it was short and 2, because the plot sounded interesting. Thank God it was a short book though because the whole time I was reading it the characters didn't feel.. real? the author didn't dig into any of the characters or what was really doing on and I felt like I was watching a tv show that I randomly selected on tv where it was in the middle of the plot and the ending didn't make any sense
I was excited to read this book for two reasons, one because it was short and 2, because the plot sounded interesting. Thank God it was a short book though because the whole time I was reading it the characters didn't feel.. real? the author didn't dig into any of the characters or what was really doing on and I felt like I was watching a tv show that I randomly selected on tv where it was in the middle of the plot and the ending didn't make any sense
readmoreyall's review
4.0
Disturbing and heartbreaking and confusing — but I don’t think it’s meant to be linear or easy to understand. It will stick with you.
yasmineiliana's review
4.0
I only wish it was a bit longer. If I choose to reread it, it will be in the original Spanish instead of the translation (even though the translation was incredible) and maybe not literally on Christmas as it resulted in me crying on Christmas while being with my family in Mexico. It made everything very impactful, though. It might make a great Christmas gift, in hindsight. It’s easily finish-able in less than a day.
caylieratzlaff's review
2.0
DNF at 60% - received a physical ARC from the publisher from attending NCTE.
I tried...really hard to like this book. I love that it has the Spanish (original version) included and the diverse characters...but I could not get into the book. At all. There were no indications of the POV shifting. No background building. No character building.
I normally do not DNF books, but I did this one. I don't know if it was a translation mishap or what, but to echo another reviewer: "I'm not sure if it was trouble with following the switching perspectives or something that got lost in translation, but something about the narration that I still can't quite put my finger on made it really hard to connect to or even fully follow the narrative."
I think the book has merit, but I simply could not get into it to truly appreciate the complexities of human life it apparently presents.
I tried...really hard to like this book. I love that it has the Spanish (original version) included and the diverse characters...but I could not get into the book. At all. There were no indications of the POV shifting. No background building. No character building.
I normally do not DNF books, but I did this one. I don't know if it was a translation mishap or what, but to echo another reviewer: "I'm not sure if it was trouble with following the switching perspectives or something that got lost in translation, but something about the narration that I still can't quite put my finger on made it really hard to connect to or even fully follow the narrative."
I think the book has merit, but I simply could not get into it to truly appreciate the complexities of human life it apparently presents.
theforereffect's review
3.0
I don't get it.
Okay, so I'm going to put out a lot of spoilers here because, as I try to understand why people call this book unexpectant and mysterious, I can't find anyone actually talking about the ending.
It's not unexpectant or mysterious. If you read the description and have two brain cells to rub together, you can figure out the ending. Maybe not the exact ending, but you can figure out that (*SPOILER ALERT*) The Immortal Boy is the same David from the family and that all the children but him died in a shooting. Who shoots them, and where the tadpoles come in is a mystery, but I wouldn't say those revelations are unexpected. Sad, poignant even, but not a twist.
I keep seeing that the way the two stories intertwine doesn't come together until the end, but that's not true. It's clear that each perapective is the story of David, before and after the tragedy. It is clear that Nina's perspective is about how she is observing a boy her age who is a survivor of trauma.
I kept listening (I had the audio book version) even as I hrew tired of the switching perspectives of the faive children, because I was waiting for my unexpected connection of the two stories. But it never came.
That's not actually a bad thing. I don't need a twist to enjoy a story, and if I had had different expectations I probably would have enjoyed the ending more. However, if I had appropriate expectations I probably wouldn't have finished it.
The ending was anticlimacticic for me, but I think it was a good ending. I enjoyed the characters and I felt invested in the story of the children. It's a good story, and I wonder if something was lost in translation or if the author didn't intend for the connection between the Immortal Boy and David to be a surprise connection.
The only really problem with this story is the switching perspectives. I don't mine the alternating chapters between Nina and the other children, I just wish the author would have stuck with one perspective of the children, maybe Hector. Then we would have had two different stories about David, from different times and different perspectives, and that would have grounded me as the reader. Instead, keeping in mind that there was to be a bit of a "twist" at the end, I was constantly trying to figure out if I missed something.
Okay, so I'm going to put out a lot of spoilers here because, as I try to understand why people call this book unexpectant and mysterious, I can't find anyone actually talking about the ending.
It's not unexpectant or mysterious. If you read the description and have two brain cells to rub together, you can figure out the ending. Maybe not the exact ending, but you can figure out that (*SPOILER ALERT*) The Immortal Boy is the same David from the family and that all the children but him died in a shooting. Who shoots them, and where the tadpoles come in is a mystery, but I wouldn't say those revelations are unexpected. Sad, poignant even, but not a twist.
I keep seeing that the way the two stories intertwine doesn't come together until the end, but that's not true. It's clear that each perapective is the story of David, before and after the tragedy. It is clear that Nina's perspective is about how she is observing a boy her age who is a survivor of trauma.
I kept listening (I had the audio book version) even as I hrew tired of the switching perspectives of the faive children, because I was waiting for my unexpected connection of the two stories. But it never came.
That's not actually a bad thing. I don't need a twist to enjoy a story, and if I had had different expectations I probably would have enjoyed the ending more. However, if I had appropriate expectations I probably wouldn't have finished it.
The ending was anticlimacticic for me, but I think it was a good ending. I enjoyed the characters and I felt invested in the story of the children. It's a good story, and I wonder if something was lost in translation or if the author didn't intend for the connection between the Immortal Boy and David to be a surprise connection.
The only really problem with this story is the switching perspectives. I don't mine the alternating chapters between Nina and the other children, I just wish the author would have stuck with one perspective of the children, maybe Hector. Then we would have had two different stories about David, from different times and different perspectives, and that would have grounded me as the reader. Instead, keeping in mind that there was to be a bit of a "twist" at the end, I was constantly trying to figure out if I missed something.
analuisadrv's review
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
moonchildjuli's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
mcviana26's review
4.0
3.5/5 stars.
i really enjoyed the point of view switches. the way that the author handled the two viewpoints and the intertwining of both stories made a lot of sense to me. the story as a whole felt a lot like traditional latin american lit, especially like coelho. i loved the five siblings as characters, especially maria. even though it confused me, i liked the ending.
i did find the book boring at times, but not overall. i do think you need to be used to latin american literature traditions to understand the book, but i enjoyed it as a whole. i would like to read it in the original spanish at some point to see if that gives me stronger feelings about the story and the writing.
i really enjoyed the point of view switches. the way that the author handled the two viewpoints and the intertwining of both stories made a lot of sense to me. the story as a whole felt a lot like traditional latin american lit, especially like coelho. i loved the five siblings as characters, especially maria. even though it confused me, i liked the ending.
i did find the book boring at times, but not overall. i do think you need to be used to latin american literature traditions to understand the book, but i enjoyed it as a whole. i would like to read it in the original spanish at some point to see if that gives me stronger feelings about the story and the writing.