Reviews with content warning for Infidelity - Clap When You Land

I adored this story so much. I really enjoyed the writing style and the POV’s from both Yahaira and Camino. Acevedo just really has a way of pulling you into these stories with so much emotion and background and you can literally feel and hear the surroundings. I could hear the sounds from the ocean and see the little garden on the fire escape. The girls were layered and complex, the things they experienced daily as ladies of color and even the relationship they had with their dad. Completely pulled at my heart strings on this one.

And the ending, loved it! This story really is focused around family and what that means and what that looks like. There is no one right or wrong way to be a family (I mean what Dad did was frowned upon but) even his reasonings I guess, still have you giving him a little bit of empathy. Between feeling like this is what society says I need vs this is my authentic love. So many emotions!

Content Warnings

twistykris's review against another edition

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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? Yes

5.0

"How can you lose an entire person, only to gain a part of them back in someone entirely new?"

I saw a TikTok that recommended listening to the audiobook version and I'm so glad I took that advice. I can imagine reading this novel in verse would be beautiful, but as a white woman living in America, listening to it was SO impactful. Elizabeth Acevedo and Melania-Luisa Marte's voices truly add to the experience that is this book, making the verse sound natural and powerful.

I loved the dual perspective between the two girls, from finding about their father's death, their grief, discovering each other's existence, and the joy and struggles of newly found sisterhood. Filled with power, emotion, and culture, this is a beautifully written work and my first- but certainly not my last- Elizabeth Acevedo novel.

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marissasa's review against another edition

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emotional sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

I listened to the audiobook while reading along with the physical book, and it was an amazing experience. I highly recommend the audio as the performances by Elizabeth Acevedo and Melania-Luisa Marte were so powerful and it really elevated the story to hear both sisters narrated with different voices. The story itself is full of grief and drama, which is highly relatable to anyone who has suffered a loss in their immediate family and/or discovered new truths about someone they thought they knew. The sisters both felt so real and I loved how complicated and messy their emotions and actions were, showing the reality of pain and loss and love especially when you are going through it as a teen girl. The writing was gorgeous and there were certain scenes like Carline giving birth, the sisters meeting for the first time, and the women saving Camino at the beach that left me breathless. There are a ton of beautiful words strung together in this book and it was such a treat to read/hear.

"How can you lose an entire person, only to gain a part of them back in someone entirely new?"

Content Warnings

kaylabooks's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

This book gutted me. It is incredibly emotional, heart-wrenching, and brimming with complex feelings.

And the writing is absolutely beautiful. Told in verse, the story uses language so wonderfully while remaining seamless to read.

I just. Thoroughly loved this book.

Content Warnings

rebeccarudisill's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

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hayleythegoose's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional reflective sad tense slow-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? Yes

4.0

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roaringmamalion's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

A quick and engaging novel in verse about two teen girls who lose their father in a plane crash as he returns to the Dominican Republic for the summer - only…they don’t know that he’s father to both of them. Told from alternating perspectives the young women wrestle with grief, the pain of learning the truth, and how their dreams can possibly move forward now. The crash was real - shortly after 9/11 - but the mention and use of social media threw me for a loop, as that wasn’t in consistent use on 2001. Other than the anachronism, the book is lyrical and beautiful.

Content Warnings

mrsmonty503's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

4.5⭐️

This was a powerful and beautifully written story.

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