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lilaccoconut's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
The Soli side frustrated me. Her story was (or would be) more moving, but it fell flat. Randomly placed Spanish words for no apparent reason other than to lend "authenticity" but not really (plus simple, infuriating mistakes in Spanish), glossing over important details toward the end, neglecting her in the middle,
The other major issue I had was how heavy-handed everything was. If I'm honest, I'm picky about my books. The language in this one was too flowery for my taste from the beginning, and way too explanatory. As in, the author had a message she wanted to get across and she didn't want readers to misunderstand it, so she spelled it out. Multiple times. With quippy, cliché lines. It felt like I was being looked down on. I want authors to trust readers!
However, if you like that, and if you like all the loose ends to be resolved by the end of a novel, give it a shot. You might like it more than I did ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Deportation, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Infertility, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Kidnapping
Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Infidelity
kodi_rae'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Deportation, Grief, Infertility, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Rape, and Vomit
Minor: Blood
trupiper's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Violence, Sexual assault, Rape, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Racism, and Classism
effervescent_worm's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault
Moderate: Child death
skudiklier's review
- 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
Graphic: Child death, Infertility, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, and Violence
Moderate: Ableism, Abortion, Car accident, Cursing, Grief, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Vomit, and Xenophobia
Minor: Abandonment, Blood, Islamophobia, Slavery, and Stalking
Minor spoilers ahead:thatsssorachael's review against another edition
- 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
I loved it, but it was incredibly bleak. Significantly bleaker than the synopsis wants you to believe. There is a lot of rape in this novel, so if that triggers you I'd avoid this one.
Soli and Kavya are real, imperfect, sometimes unlikeable, often baffling characters. I liked them and their development. I never got the vibe that Kavya actually liked her husband, Rishi, but maybe that was just my perception.
I really enjoyed how morally ambiguous it is. The author allows the reader to come to their own decisions on what is right or wrong, and I really respect that this wasn't a highly politicized novel despite being about immigration at its forefront.
This is extremely relevant to our world today, but it's also a good look at what the USA's immigration policies and practices were under the Obama administration. It's honestly eye opening. The author did a ton of research for this book, and it shows on every page.
Highly recommend
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Infertility
Moderate: Miscarriage, Racism, and Police brutality
autumn_alwaysreadingseason's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Solimar is a young woman who wants to leave her life in Mexico. She finally finds a way to do so, but the journey doesn't go as planned. She meets a boy during her trip and becomes infatuated with him. Unfortunately, they don't both make it to the States. When Soli arrives at her cousin's residence in Berkeley, CA she realizes she is pregnant. Working as a housekeeper for a White family gives her what she needs and has been safe so far for her and baby Ignacio, but one day everything goes wrong.
Soli is taken to a detention center and separated from her son, who ends up with Kavya and Rishi. The lives of these women intersect even though they never meet and only one of them will end up with Ignacio.
Sekaran discusses issues of privilege, immigration, motherhood, and more.
Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, and Violence
knkoch's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Rape, Violence, Infertility, Confinement, and Miscarriage
Tough read in terms of rape, immigration, and immigrant detention. Also infertility and pregnancy loss.