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readingspells's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
I will admit that about a couple of hours into the audio once we switched away from Cuba to present day Miami I found myself struggling to relate the beginning of the story of where we were now. It is a big jump and I was very involved in the early Cuba story and this was a bit jarring but I am really glad I stuck with it and just trust in the author to fill in the missing pieces
This book is about women and I loved that whilst there are male characters in the book none of them are given a voice. All of it told and centres the women's stories in them. However as it is about women it is also about male violence, impossible or complicated choices, identity, Motherhood and grief.
It is also very much about immigration and who no two immigrants experiences are the same and how even within immigrant communities hierarchies form round immigrants who are viewed as 'lesser' in some way.
The book is a little disjointed in places and I wish we had more of Cecily's story and even her Mother as well as maybe more of Carmen. They felt incomplete but maybe that is the history of women and so is fitting in some way
The ending is both devastating and hopeful and whilst some of the flips from past to present and the various women is a little jarring at times overall I really enjoyed this one.
Graphic: Child abuse and Domestic abuse
michelle_my_belle's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Drug abuse, Misogyny, Blood, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, Racism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Sexual violence, Addiction, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Cancer, Child abuse, Colonisation, Animal death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, Deportation, Grief, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Rape, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: War
catherinew's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Moderate: Cancer, Colonisation, Sexual assault, Addiction, Child abuse, Grief, Incest, Drug use, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Death, and Child death
lorayray's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, and Addiction
reads2cope's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Deportation, Sexual violence, Sexism, Sexual assault, Incest, Drug abuse, Murder, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death of parent, Infidelity, Rape, Grief, Xenophobia, and Addiction
lovealwaysadi's review against another edition
- 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
3.25
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Classism, Cursing, Death of parent, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Rape, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Deportation, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, War, Xenophobia, Addiction, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, and Drug abuse
vera_cologne's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Murder, War, Racism, Xenophobia, Drug use, Child abuse, and Rape
jcapati's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Deportation, Pedophilia, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, and Racism
siebensommer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
This is a jail baby-proofed for babies who should not be in jail.
Graphic: Alcohol, Deportation, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Blood, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Racism, Sexual assault, and Addiction
Moderate: War and Child abuse
danitza's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
My main issue is the flow of the book as a whole. Some of the stories didn’t feel like they made sense together, particularly the stories of Gloria/Ana and Jeannette. I also think the novel struggled with the non linear story telling.
I listened to an interview with the author at the end of the audiobook and found out this novel was originally a series of short stories, which I think explains my issues with the connectivity and flow of the book over all. I am looking forward to what Garcias will publish in the future.
Graphic: Child abuse and Drug abuse