Scan barcode
bestknownfor's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Racism, Domestic abuse, and Murder
Moderate: Eating disorder and Bullying
bekkah_co's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I wish more characters had substance instead of falling into their archetypes. Jack was a cut and paste villain from a Lifetime movie. I hated it. He was someone that could have easily had depth, given the time we spent in his POV. He would have been someone easy to make not just villain shitty, but scary villain shitty It wasn't until Anita's death that we began to break away from the general "villain" vibes.
Anita was frustrating in the most understandable away. I would change nothing about her, frankly. I just wish we knew more about her art and the conflicts with the art world that she had while alive. Instead, I felt like all of her problems were caused by Jack...
Raquel was equally as frustrating. She was insta-loved with Nick and I hated it. While Nick wasn't "that bad" at the start, after she was consistently belittled and continued to excuse his behavior, I was over it. I wanted more time with Raquel and her work. I wanted to see her researching Anita and bringing someone who was lost to time back. I wisht that was the focus of the book.
It wasn't until the last quarter of the book that I found myself enjoying the book for its content. I wish that this book focused more on the premise of Raquel
The ending was exceptional. It was what one would expect for contemporary fiction. It was artful and ultimately satisfying.
Now, with all this being said, upon looking at reviews here and on Goodreads, it does appear that there is some controversy surrounding this novel. Apparently, the "Ana" that is mentioned in the dedication is in reference to a real artist, Ana Mendieta. Ana's own death at the hands of her husband appears to be the "inspiration" between Anita's death. However, after researching further on my own, I struggled to distinguish between fact and fiction - from their art to their shitty husbands.
Gonzalez did not consult the Mendieta estate regarding the similarities between Ana and the fictional Anita. Gonzalez centers Anita's story on being forgotten and having to be unearthed by a new generation. However, Mendieta's family has vehemently argued against Ana being forgotten.
Graphic: Racism, Domestic abuse, Murder, Death, and Sexism
Moderate: Eating disorder
rltcoach's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Eating disorder, Murder, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Cultural appropriation, Violence, Colonisation, Toxic relationship, Classism, Domestic abuse, and Racism
dr_aimz's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Alcohol, Bullying, and Death
meg_merr's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Classism, Murder, Colonisation, Misogyny, Sexism, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, and Death
Moderate: Eating disorder
ashleypedz's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Domestic abuse
ukponge's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Xenophobia, Racism, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Homophobia
elliehoney's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Murder, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, and Racism
twirlsandwhirls's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was a harder read for me than I expected because it touched a lot on experiences I thought I'd buried, of being a Black face in a sea of white ones within my academic field and overall college experience. Of working in white spaces, of being in art museums and not hearing much about artists of color. Robert Jones Jr.'s quote on the back of the book says that this book is an "affirmation for anyone who's ever had to 'work twice as hard to get half as much.'" I felt that strongly as I read through.
The depiction of relationships between Latina artists and white ones were tough to read because there was so much that rang true about them (Raquel and Nick being from different New Yorks, for example) but more so because those relationships brought so much pain. They weren't equal or equitable. The white artists had money, power, and access in a way that exotified the Latina artists and made them look like gold diggers. I feel like I read so much about Nick Fitzsimmons and Jack Martin, more than my fill really, but I didn't need to because I'd heard of folks like them before.
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Murder
spookymartinireads's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Violence and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Racism