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tlaynejones's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Classism, Racism, Sexism, and Violence
Moderate: Grief, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Drug use, and Child abuse
hobbithopeful's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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? No
5.0
Powerful and moving, When We Make It follows Sarai and her experience growing up. The book follows her struggles with identity, family, and what's it like to grow up moving from place to place because of housing insecurity.
I very much enjoyed reading this, though it is very heavy. I would caution anyone wanting to check it out to look at content warnings first. Everything from domestic abuse, to sexual assault, to racism, this books dives into some very real and very hard topics. I would probably have waited to read it had I known how prevalent the sexual assault was, and the reaction of others to it.
If you like The Poet X, you'll love this.
I highly recommend! This is my first book by Elisabet Velasquez, and I can't wait to read more.
I very much enjoyed reading this, though it is very heavy. I would caution anyone wanting to check it out to look at content warnings first. Everything from domestic abuse, to sexual assault, to racism, this books dives into some very real and very hard topics. I would probably have waited to read it had I known how prevalent the sexual assault was, and the reaction of others to it.
If you like The Poet X, you'll love this.
I highly recommend! This is my first book by Elisabet Velasquez, and I can't wait to read more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Pregnancy
Moderate: Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Drug use, and Alcohol
Minor: Death, Racism, and Gun violence
bookdnbusy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
the only reason i’m giving this four stars it’s because i wanted better for saraí. i wanted her to be everything she said she wanted to be. i wanted her to be better than her mother, and her sister.
but, nonetheless…
i enjoyed this, WAY TOO MUCH! this felt like a love letter to my summers in the city, running down the block yelling after el heladero to give me my vasito de colores so that i could give him his two dollars and walk back to my building already with my mouth turning blue thanks to the helado. a love letter to dreams and the hopes and the aspirations i had as a pre-teen sitting on the danger around the corner, away, but close enough that my mother knew where to send my siblings to find me and my friends. a love letter to a better life… to hope.
this collection of poems does such a great job at driving us through saraí’s story, her pain, and her joy. the hunger and thirst she constantly felt. whether for food, love or understanding. the way it forges the story with lack of dialogue is reminiscent of her diary, and how she truly saw life and experienced it.
it’s also a big mirror to the relationship a lot of hispanic mothers have with their daughters. i found myself tightening my jaw and reminding myself that my mother was but a child, too and that i, as her firstborn, were a product of trial and error. she learned. she rectified, but the damage was done, and estrella paid a different price than her mother’s and saraí paid the price because estrella had been the first.
honestly, this is so good and i will be picking this up whenever i feel nostalgic for more. for saraí. for estrella. for mami, and tío richie. I LOVED THIS!
but, nonetheless…
i enjoyed this, WAY TOO MUCH! this felt like a love letter to my summers in the city, running down the block yelling after el heladero to give me my vasito de colores so that i could give him his two dollars and walk back to my building already with my mouth turning blue thanks to the helado. a love letter to dreams and the hopes and the aspirations i had as a pre-teen sitting on the danger around the corner, away, but close enough that my mother knew where to send my siblings to find me and my friends. a love letter to a better life… to hope.
this collection of poems does such a great job at driving us through saraí’s story, her pain, and her joy. the hunger and thirst she constantly felt. whether for food, love or understanding. the way it forges the story with lack of dialogue is reminiscent of her diary, and how she truly saw life and experienced it.
it’s also a big mirror to the relationship a lot of hispanic mothers have with their daughters. i found myself tightening my jaw and reminding myself that my mother was but a child, too and that i, as her firstborn, were a product of trial and error. she learned. she rectified, but the damage was done, and estrella paid a different price than her mother’s and saraí paid the price because estrella had been the first.
honestly, this is so good and i will be picking this up whenever i feel nostalgic for more. for saraí. for estrella. for mami, and tío richie. I LOVED THIS!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Gun violence, Violence, and Addiction
Minor: Sexual assault, Mental illness, Police brutality, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Rape, Death, Pregnancy, and Miscarriage
the main character and main character's family are Pentecostal, and the book has descriptions of scripture and sometimes blasphemy (as a lot of forced religious kids do).
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