Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

5 reviews

amandadevoursbooks's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• 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

5.0

Well that was beautifully, heart wrenching, and heart healing. In this book, We follow two POVs one a Dominican American teenager and the other a Dominican teenager. They live in two different places and are untied by one plane crash. I can't say enough how beautiful this book is. My heart broke for all the characters. the writing and pacing were stunning. I'm so glad I read it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Medical trauma, Trafficking, and Colonisation

cardlikecredit's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Colonisation, Grief, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Death, and Death of parent

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

While predictable in some ways, this novel in verse tells the story of an imperfect man full of love for the women in his life, regardless how complex his love makes his life. The story is beautiful, the characters are strong and formidable, and the ending is exactly how it should be. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Cancer, Colonisation, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Sexual harassment, Classism, Pregnancy, Stalking, Misogyny, Death of parent, Racism, Sexual violence, Grief, and Sexual assault

cocacolor's review against another edition

emotional hopeful tense fast-paced

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

4.25

I wasn't a huge fan of Acevedo's first novel in verse, which was about poetry itself, but freed from the conceit of poetry about poetry, her writing soars in CLAP WHEN YOU LAND. The descriptions of Puerto Plata are immersive, the characters are richly drawn and even characters like Papi, whose deception touches off the plot, and Wilson, who asks for money, are treated with compassion and love, and the difference of opportunity between two sisters living in different countries, with different citizenship papers, is stark. Some themes, like (trigger warning)

Yahaira's reaction to her assault and her sexuality

, are not explored as deeply as I would like, and it seems that Camino gets the bulk of the character development and change. But overall, this is a hugely moving, rich, and satisfying story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Sexual assault, Colonisation, Violence, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Medical content and Stalking

Minor: Police brutality and Racism

dancevera's review

emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-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? No

4.75

This was the first novel written in verse I think I have ever read, and it was absolutely beautiful. When I began, I was worried it would feel a bit pretentious and unnatural, but I was drawn into the lives of Camino and Yahaira just as quickly - maybe quicker - as if it had been in paragraphs of prose.  

I loved getting both sisters' different experience of their father's loss, and felt the distinction between the two POV was clear (which is super important to me). I do wish we had a bit more time with them both in the same place - the end felt a bit rushed to me - but that is my only complaint (I'd you can call it that).

 I'll be keeping my eye out for anything else this author releases, 💯. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Sexual assault, Grief, and Death

Moderate: Sexual violence and Stalking

Minor: Cancer, Terminal illness, Medical trauma, and Colonisation