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pizza_hunt's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
4.25
Fantastic read, especially for a debut novel. Andrés N. Ordorica masterfully illustrates navigating identity, grief, and growth through Daniel’s journey. I had to put the book down at times from the weight of the substance. I felt the climax of the book was a little rushed/something wasn’t quite there, but the finale and themes were strong.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief
bibliomich's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- 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
4.0
Andrés N. Ordorica begins the epilogue to his novel How We Named the Stars by explaining to the reader that it is not a memoir. This disclaimer stood out to me, not because it matters if the story is true or not, but because the writing feels so profoundly true to the human experience, that as a reader, I never even stopped to question if it might be fiction.
Ordorica writes with such viscerally emotional prose that even if you have never gone through the specific experience(s) of his protagonist, you can still deeply relate to the feelings attached to these moments. As I watched Daniel fall in love for the first time, I also felt those feelings of falling. Just as his heart was broken for the first time, my heart also broke. In addition to the central love story of the novel, Daniel is also navigating the triumphs and challenges of being a first-generation Latinx college student at a predominantly white university, exploring his identity as a young gay man, connecting with his family in México, and facing grief in the wake of unimaginable loss.
Ordorica writes with the slow, careful prose of a poet, and I highly recommend taking your time moving through this story. Also, please check the content warnings (included in the comments).
Thank you to NetGalley and Tin House for my advanced copy of this beautiful novel.
Ordorica writes with such viscerally emotional prose that even if you have never gone through the specific experience(s) of his protagonist, you can still deeply relate to the feelings attached to these moments. As I watched Daniel fall in love for the first time, I also felt those feelings of falling. Just as his heart was broken for the first time, my heart also broke. In addition to the central love story of the novel, Daniel is also navigating the triumphs and challenges of being a first-generation Latinx college student at a predominantly white university, exploring his identity as a young gay man, connecting with his family in México, and facing grief in the wake of unimaginable loss.
Ordorica writes with the slow, careful prose of a poet, and I highly recommend taking your time moving through this story. Also, please check the content warnings (included in the comments).
Thank you to NetGalley and Tin House for my advanced copy of this beautiful novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Grief
Moderate: Alcohol, Car accident, Classism, Racism, and Death
Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Physical abuse
emzireads's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
jayisreading's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.25
This queer coming-of-age novel was so full of love, even if the overall tone was one of sadness. It really warmed my heart to know that the protagonist, Daniel, who is a young gay Mexican American, received so much support from his loved ones. Whether it was while he was trying to find his footing at an elite Northeast US university as a first-gen scholarship student, or in México where he reflected further on his identity and family history, he always had a support system brimming with love. I found it refreshing that Ordorica leaned into writing this novel from a place of tenderness as a way to frame Daniel’s journey of self-acceptance. One way this was shown was through Daniel’s friendship with his roommate, Sam, which became something more as time passed. I really appreciated seeing such gentle acts of care between these two young men, and my heart ached when it became clear that Sam wasn’t fully ready to accept this change in their friendship. A second form of tender love that moved me was Daniel’s relationship with his family, particularly his abuelo. It was wonderful to see how often Daniel’s family said “te amo” to him, to know that they would always be there for him. I think this particularly struck me because, as a queer person of color from an immigrant family like the protagonist, I feel that “I love you” is something many of us rarely hear, so it made me happy that Daniel’s life was filled with te amos.
Structurally, I found it effective that we not only got Daniel’s first-person perspective for this novel, but that it was done in a journal-like form that was being written to Sam (who was addressed as “you” throughout). I thought it really brought Daniel’s introspective personality to the forefront, allowing the reader to really understand what he’s going through. As a result, all the intimate moments that Daniel had (especially with Sam) were especially powerful and heartbreaking.
I did feel the ending was a little abrupt, but overall, this was a beautiful debut novel from Ordorica that made me long for more coming-of-age novels that centered care and gentle love for QTBIPOC.
Note: I would like to thank the publisher for sending me an ARC.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Death, Grief, and Homophobia
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Car accident
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