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maryehavens's review
5.0
The joy of browsing library shelves!!
I found this gem while weeding other books and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I laughed many times at the absurdity of the situations (drinking = situations!) and also the author's reconciling with their own teenage pasts. We've all been there, cringing at our actions as teens and tweens. These people have it on tape!
Beyond the initial humor lies a deep dive into transitioning from girl to woman and allllll the cultural nuances that goes with that. I loved how each contributor dealt with that issue in their own way, regardless of gender. The "womanhood" issue is forced into the spotlight and that's a lot for a 15 year old to deal with. Shoot, that's a lot for a 39 year old to deal with! It seems like it would be comforting to know that you have your entire family behind you...or it could be a lot of pressure. I felt like each contributor really looked at how they fit into the culture and how they felt about it. Some quinceaneras shined, others folded, some hated it, others didn't.
There was only one story that I didn't really care for because it seemed like it fiction and it felt very flat. The last story is just heartbreaking.
Great collection and a wonderful insight into quince culture!
I found this gem while weeding other books and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I laughed many times at the absurdity of the situations (drinking = situations!) and also the author's reconciling with their own teenage pasts. We've all been there, cringing at our actions as teens and tweens. These people have it on tape!
Beyond the initial humor lies a deep dive into transitioning from girl to woman and allllll the cultural nuances that goes with that. I loved how each contributor dealt with that issue in their own way, regardless of gender. The "womanhood" issue is forced into the spotlight and that's a lot for a 15 year old to deal with. Shoot, that's a lot for a 39 year old to deal with! It seems like it would be comforting to know that you have your entire family behind you...or it could be a lot of pressure. I felt like each contributor really looked at how they fit into the culture and how they felt about it. Some quinceaneras shined, others folded, some hated it, others didn't.
There was only one story that I didn't really care for because it seemed like it fiction and it felt very flat. The last story is just heartbreaking.
Great collection and a wonderful insight into quince culture!
mrsthrift's review
4.0
nonfiction, fifteen, coming of age, compiled essays, compilation, latino, latina
bites_of_books's review
4.0
I had read a few of the stories before for a class in college but this time I read the whole book.
I loved it, it is fifteen stories from different authors and their experiences with quinceañeras, the coming of age party for a 15-year-old Latina. As a Latina, I didn't have a quinceañera, I exchanged it for a trip to Disneyland (which I insist hasn't been fulfilled yet...), so it was interesting to me to see how other Latinas went about having theirs in the US. There are things that change when you go to the US, but certain traditions never will fade, such as the quinceañera.
Something that I found interesting is how quinceañeras don't only affect the girl who is being celebrated, also her parents and her guests. The chambelanes have some really interesting stories about their experiences being the arm that leads her to the dance floor for the dances, their role as "man" when they don't actually have a celebration that symbolises their coming of age.
Something else that I liked is that you get the perspectives from different cultures, Mexican, Cuban, Colombian, Puerto Rican, etc., and it is really interesting to see how they are all the same and different at the same time.
I recommend this to anyone interested in the Latino culture, the cultural transition after immigrating, or anyone who wants to remember their quinceañera party or remember why they didn't have one ;)
I loved it, it is fifteen stories from different authors and their experiences with quinceañeras, the coming of age party for a 15-year-old Latina. As a Latina, I didn't have a quinceañera, I exchanged it for a trip to Disneyland (which I insist hasn't been fulfilled yet...), so it was interesting to me to see how other Latinas went about having theirs in the US. There are things that change when you go to the US, but certain traditions never will fade, such as the quinceañera.
Something that I found interesting is how quinceañeras don't only affect the girl who is being celebrated, also her parents and her guests. The chambelanes have some really interesting stories about their experiences being the arm that leads her to the dance floor for the dances, their role as "man" when they don't actually have a celebration that symbolises their coming of age.
Something else that I liked is that you get the perspectives from different cultures, Mexican, Cuban, Colombian, Puerto Rican, etc., and it is really interesting to see how they are all the same and different at the same time.
I recommend this to anyone interested in the Latino culture, the cultural transition after immigrating, or anyone who wants to remember their quinceañera party or remember why they didn't have one ;)
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