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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
Beautifully written, but devastatingly sad. This story follows a mother haunted by her own trauma while grappling with having a daughter of her own. Feeling chained to motherhood in an indescribable way. The daughter, Lara, merely tries to survive her mother and the choices she makes. A heartbreaking story of repeated cycles, loss, and poverty. I give it three stars because the writing is excellent, but the story itself is very depressing. But sometimes, I think, isn’t that the point? Isn’t it important to read how truly devastating the world can be? It can be easy to ignore, but we need to see it all.
dark
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I’m honestly not sure how I feel about this book. The characters were interesting I just didn’t care as much as I think I was supposed to?
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed reading biracial (Afro-Cuban Russian American) teen Lara's perspective about her and her tough-talking Russian mom's nomadic life.
This is listed as a coming of age story but I found it to be mostly an exploration of the relationship between the mother and the child and of life as a neglected child. I liked that Angel-Ajani resisted the tendency to over-dramatize the feelings associated with neglect that too often make such narratives cringe inducing, but it also made the reading experience a little hard to approach.
Not the easiest read but one that asks you to sit with it and contemplate its study in nuance.
Not the easiest read but one that asks you to sit with it and contemplate its study in nuance.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved both Lara and Evgenia in very different ways, and it was super hard to love Evgenia. Despite her baggage and struggle to stay on the beam, she was so courageous just to continue to live at all! Keeping Lara from the start was an act of supreme daring.
Lara was wonderful but I didn't understand how she had such excellent instincts, hence 4 stars. In addition, I was disappointed by the resolution, despite the fact that it made sense ... Don't want to include spoilers so I'll stop here.
Lara was wonderful but I didn't understand how she had such excellent instincts, hence 4 stars. In addition, I was disappointed by the resolution, despite the fact that it made sense ... Don't want to include spoilers so I'll stop here.