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edzee_lcnm's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
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
3.75
I read this one in preparation of seeing Julia Alvarez at the 2024 Santa Fe Literary Festival (where she'll be supporting her latest novel - at age 74! - 'The Cemetery of Untold Stories) -- plus this one felt like it was a classic (and indeed it appears to be the first 'major' novel from a Dominican Republic author) and now having read it, quite autobiographical as well - so I feel a better prepared now to see Alvarez (tho I am fairly certain I read her novel "Yo!" way back when, pre-Goodreads ... so does it even count??).
It's easy to see why Alvarez is one of the grand dames of Latin/Hispanic American literature. This felt more like a collection of related short stories versus a novel, tho it is still a complete story (told in reverse!) of the Garcia family and four sisters of their early life in the Dominican Republic and their immigration to the United States. Given it being told in reverse, it is a bit confusing at times and I felt there were probably more connections I should have been making -- i.e. something that I was currently reading in the past explained what had happened in the future (got that?). And like short story (or linked story) works, I connected with some stories/chapters better than others. But the book is filled with (many!) colorful characters and with great authenticity and sincerity.
Overall, 3.75 stars.
It's easy to see why Alvarez is one of the grand dames of Latin/Hispanic American literature. This felt more like a collection of related short stories versus a novel, tho it is still a complete story (told in reverse!) of the Garcia family and four sisters of their early life in the Dominican Republic and their immigration to the United States. Given it being told in reverse, it is a bit confusing at times and I felt there were probably more connections I should have been making -- i.e. something that I was currently reading in the past explained what had happened in the future (got that?). And like short story (or linked story) works, I connected with some stories/chapters better than others. But the book is filled with (many!) colorful characters and with great authenticity and sincerity.
Overall, 3.75 stars.
breathehopebooks's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Oof okay so
I remember waaaaaay back in the day—i must’ve been like 11 or 12? My mom made me check this book out and read it. Idk if my mom read this at one point and thought i’d like it, or if it was required summer reading, or if she pick it randomly as “YA book for girl by Hispanic author”. It was probs one of the second two, from what i recall.
ANYWAY. I’m really glad 11 year-old me couldn’t get through this book because THERE’S NO WAY MY MOM ACTUALLY WANTED ME TO READ THIS AT THAT AGE.
I kept thinking of this as a Hispanic “Little Women”, which is to say they are very similar in that it’s a book, told mostly in vingettes with a very loose plot to tie up at the end, about four sisters coming-of-age in a changing country. One of them is a writer called Jo/Yo, one is a flirt, and one becomes very ill for no reason. It’s literally about these four daughters growing up and their parents’ experiences with them in a new society.
But all the sexual content described? Probs not appropriate for an eleven-year-old, Mom.
I remember waaaaaay back in the day—i must’ve been like 11 or 12? My mom made me check this book out and read it. Idk if my mom read this at one point and thought i’d like it, or if it was required summer reading, or if she pick it randomly as “YA book for girl by Hispanic author”. It was probs one of the second two, from what i recall.
ANYWAY. I’m really glad 11 year-old me couldn’t get through this book because THERE’S NO WAY MY MOM ACTUALLY WANTED ME TO READ THIS AT THAT AGE.
I kept thinking of this as a Hispanic “Little Women”, which is to say they are very similar in that it’s a book, told mostly in vingettes with a very loose plot to tie up at the end, about four sisters coming-of-age in a changing country. One of them is a writer called Jo/Yo, one is a flirt, and one becomes very ill for no reason. It’s literally about these four daughters growing up and their parents’ experiences with them in a new society.
But all the sexual content described? Probs not appropriate for an eleven-year-old, Mom.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Eating disorder, Sexual content, Body shaming, Bullying, Mental illness, Pregnancy, and War
hurtadomeli's review against another edition
4.0
This book doesn't have a dramatic plot. Instead, the narrator just explores the diverse experiences and perspectives of sisters who immigrate at a young age from the DR to the U.S. With this book, Julia Alvarez once again centers the voices of immigrant, bilingual women. In the future, I would love to see a book like this one explore even more nuanced identities, such as class differences, diverse sexualities, etc. This book is so important for the latinx community, since we rarely see our voices represented outside of tropes and stereotypes.
rookeatsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty
adholmes3's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
mpoper's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
slichto3's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this. I enjoyed the world the book created, I enjoyed being around the people in the story. They were comfortable - relatable but different. But there were some things that I didn't really like. I didn't feel the reverse chronological order of the stories worked very well - it made it much more difficult to follow what was going on, and, I feel, took away from the feeling and the bonding you might have felt with the characters. The sisters were also difficult to distinguish for much of the book, and I feel that the ordering of the stories contributed. So my feelings are mixed, but How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents is still very much worth reading - for fun and to learn.