Reviews tagging 'Racism'

The Storyteller's Death by Ann Dávila Cardinal

17 reviews

amandadevoursbooks's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective medium-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? No

5.0

You know when a book arrives when you need it. The Storyteller's Death is this book for me. 

We follow Isla from 8 to her teens as she grows up between New Jersey and Puerto Rico. After her grandmother's death, Isla begins having visions of stories. They're just slightly off from how they were told. 

As Isla discovers more about her visions, she sees how classism, colonialism, and colorism impacts her family, community, and her history.

This book is so many things. It's a story about family secrets and the pain they cause and healing from unspoken. It's a mystery. It's a love song to Puerto Rico.

I loved it. I can't wait to read more from this author.
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catwhisperer's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

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bookdnbusy's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective medium-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? No

5.0

this book and this author are INCREDIBLY underrated.

not only is ann dávila cardinal a fantastic writer, but she’d managed to bring nostalgia to me by the way she described the island, the food, the tastes, the sounds, the sights as if i didn’t grow up watching, feeling, and experiencing this myself up until a few years back when i made the tough decision of moving to the states. 
the storyteller’s death tells the story of what happens when family secrets and bias are so deep-rooted into our ancestry that the domino effect that happens as each vital member passes on the grief and guilt, pain and trauma to the younger generation that at some point is as if staring at a tsunami wave growing and growing and growing but never really quite tumbles down until someone down the line decides that enough is enough. 

there are a lot of heavy topics discussed in this book, mainly: racism, colorism, and classism, but it’s done from the point of view of our heroine, isla, over the span of ten years. she’s stuck between two worlds in which she does not feel a part of fully, despite spending part of her time with her mother’s family on the island. isla tells and shows how her family’s secrets and bias affect her, and how her own secret slowly eats away at her until the passing of her great-aunt. as we say back home, “esa fue la gota que colmó la copa” and as a reader, i was so proud to finally watch her blossom and take control and face everyone, including her mother! 
i wanted to keep going, find out the truth myself, but i didn’t want it to end. i wanted more of isla, more of josé, more of maría, more of elena, more storyteller’s visions, and in the end it all comes together and leaves you feeling hopeful for her future, for her continuous learning and growth. 

ann dávila cardinal wrote and told this story phenomenally, i even forgot that the entire book is written in isla’s perspective, even as a child we see a mature thought process from little isla and her search and desire to fit in and belong. ann’s way of comparing a toothless smile with empty spaces, describing the prickling sensation of the sun on your skin after a long beach day, and the filling sensation the starchiness of plantain leaves behind was refreshingly evocative and left me wanting and searching for more of her work. 

do yourself a favor and pick up a copy for you, one for your friend, and one for a stranger, because you all deserve to live in isla’s world for a day or two. 
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yvonna_reads's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional inspiring reflective tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

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artsybrea's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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bookdragon217's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

"Don't the stories that aren't true say as much about us as the ones that are?...And we won't get into the concept of what truth really is. It's like different cameras all photographing the same object. We all experience events differently and with our own particular angle."

The Storyteller's Death by Ann Dávila Cardinal was December's pick for #ReadPuertoRican book club and it was the sleeper hit I needed to end the year with. Dávila Cardinal brings 1970's Puerto Rico to life with this generational saga full of secrets, ancestral gifts, scandals and magical realism. Ann's storytelling ability weaves this unforgettable tale that hooks you in from the very first sentence. At its conclusion, you are left thinking about the Sanchez family and wondering about everyone's fate. 

Not only was the prose in this one beautiful and rich, but the way Dávila Cardinal handled its deep themes was tender and unique. She gave us a family story that uncovered Euro-centrism, colorism, classism, himophobia, machismo, emerging feminism, stigma about storytelling and gifts,  and secrets galore. She showed us all the layers that could be hidden in one family across generations and how those secrets have repercussions for future generations. 

The character  of Isla reminds us that storytelling is as important as the storyteller. She personifies what it means to be an agent of change in your family first and how speaking up is the only way to sustain future generations. To break toxic cycles, one must confront the past head on and call out the negative behavior and traits. It's never too late to right a wrong so seeking out truths is never a wasted feat. She also reminds us about the power of storytelling and the perspective of the storyteller.  andIsla embraces the space of unbelonging and carves out a path for herself that brings healing to her family. The magical realism elements added a special touch to the story and really brought the characters and Puerto Rico to life. If you're a fan of family sagas and magical realism, pick this one up. Dávila Cardinal will keep you hanging on her every word. This is definitely one of my top ten 2022 reads. 
 
 
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goldguardie's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-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? No

5.0

I *loved* this book🥹🥹🥹
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