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kellijoy's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoyed the story but did not care for the ending. I did appreciate the positive ending for the characters and the representation in the story. I felt that it was rushed towards the end. But all in all, YA's need to see representation like this: immigrants and lesbians.
lattelibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
Wow, just wow. Villasante has taken on the task to write a novel encompassing science fiction, a PTSD survivor, a lesbian main character, asylum-seekers, a mourning family, jealous friends, the struggle between assimilation and retaining one's culture, and how able one is to "withstand" trauma based on the color of one's skin. HOO BOY. That's a lot. And she succeeds at every inch of it.
When Marisol and Gabi, her younger sister, decide to leave the border camp after their request for asylum was denied, they figure it's better than the alternative--waiting even longer for the request to go through, or be sent back to El Salvador where Marisol might be killed. But the woman who picked them up as hitchhikers gives Marisol an interesting proposition: in exchange for keeping someone's grief for one month, the last stage of an important experiment, she will grant both her and her younger sister a green card. Well, how hard could it be?
As per the experiment's guidelines, Marisol is paired up with a girl her age. And this girl is wild. She's cut off all her hair, she's trying to sneak out at night, and she threatens suicide. She also refuses to take part of the experiment. Without the experiment, Marisol might be sent back to El Salvador, so she takes it upon herself to get this girl--Rey--to agree to the experiment.
Villasante immediately brings up some of the most important questions this book asks. Why is it okay to transfer someone's grief to another? Everyone says that Marisol can "withstand" so much. But does she have a choice? And regardless, why did they choose her of all people, to help a white girl with her grief when she already has so much of her own? And then, of course, are the romantic questions. If we only know someone's grief, can we ever truly know them? Can we truly know people across language boundaries? And then, of course, the class questions. How possible is it to accept somebody else's way of living when they can't even remember others who look like you? How can somebody be so incredibly distraught and sad when they've had everything handed to them? And then, of course, the questions about family. When there are no parents, must you assume that responsibility? Are secrets best kept from each other, and can forgiveness help heal?
This is the science fiction that I'm into. I don't want outer space or alien take-overs or anything like that. I want realistic experiments that have a deviously and deceptive downside to their ethics. After all, what use is taking someone's grief and trauma away from them if it's only going to contribute to those searching for asylum and immigration entries? What's the ethical side of it all? How many people will such experiments help? And how many--and who--will it harm?
Just, oh my god. This book, this BOOK. There are very few books that I check out from the library that I immediately place into my shopping cart, but this is one of the few that have felt so important that I've used my credit card as a bookmark. Here's to poignant writing and copious amounts of creativity!
Review cross-listed here!
When Marisol and Gabi, her younger sister, decide to leave the border camp after their request for asylum was denied, they figure it's better than the alternative--waiting even longer for the request to go through, or be sent back to El Salvador where Marisol might be killed. But the woman who picked them up as hitchhikers gives Marisol an interesting proposition: in exchange for keeping someone's grief for one month, the last stage of an important experiment, she will grant both her and her younger sister a green card. Well, how hard could it be?
As per the experiment's guidelines, Marisol is paired up with a girl her age. And this girl is wild. She's cut off all her hair, she's trying to sneak out at night, and she threatens suicide. She also refuses to take part of the experiment. Without the experiment, Marisol might be sent back to El Salvador, so she takes it upon herself to get this girl--Rey--to agree to the experiment.
Villasante immediately brings up some of the most important questions this book asks. Why is it okay to transfer someone's grief to another? Everyone says that Marisol can "withstand" so much. But does she have a choice? And regardless, why did they choose her of all people, to help a white girl with her grief when she already has so much of her own? And then, of course, are the romantic questions. If we only know someone's grief, can we ever truly know them? Can we truly know people across language boundaries? And then, of course, the class questions. How possible is it to accept somebody else's way of living when they can't even remember others who look like you? How can somebody be so incredibly distraught and sad when they've had everything handed to them? And then, of course, the questions about family. When there are no parents, must you assume that responsibility? Are secrets best kept from each other, and can forgiveness help heal?
This is the science fiction that I'm into. I don't want outer space or alien take-overs or anything like that. I want realistic experiments that have a deviously and deceptive downside to their ethics. After all, what use is taking someone's grief and trauma away from them if it's only going to contribute to those searching for asylum and immigration entries? What's the ethical side of it all? How many people will such experiments help? And how many--and who--will it harm?
Just, oh my god. This book, this BOOK. There are very few books that I check out from the library that I immediately place into my shopping cart, but this is one of the few that have felt so important that I've used my credit card as a bookmark. Here's to poignant writing and copious amounts of creativity!
Review cross-listed here!
elissarodriguez22'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? It's complicated
3.0
I really wanted to love this book. It touches on how undocumented people/ people of color have always been used as medical experiments for the US. How we can not trust government officials, the difficulties of being queer and POC, and being in a new country.
But it fell just a bit short, I wanted it expanded on more, flushed out. The ending just feels like “welp, that’s that on that”
Anyway, loved the concept, wasn’t the happiest with the execution
But it fell just a bit short, I wanted it expanded on more, flushed out. The ending just feels like “welp, that’s that on that”
Anyway, loved the concept, wasn’t the happiest with the execution
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Lesbophobia, Medical trauma, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
ifyouhappentoremember's review against another edition
3.0
I was intrigued by the premise but there were two major issues for me that kept me from fully enjoying the book. The first was the pacing. My copy clocks in at around 300 pages and I think the story could have used about 50 pages more. Things happen in this book so quickly, I felt like information was being thrown at me without time to absorb or reflect on what is happening (so the ending, I definitely did not like it - it felt so rushed and ham-fisted). The second issue is the nature of the experiment. I was willing to accept that science had found a way for a person to take someone's grief as their own. What I couldn't understand was why this device was made in the first place. Yes, I understand it works as a metaphor for America's immigration policy, that immigrants are willing to do whatever it takes for a safer, more prosperous life in America for themselves and for their families, no matter what the cost to themselves. But seriously, who approved of this experiment in the first place? Because just the premise alone sounds dangerous and unethical (the Hippocratic Oath doesn't exist in this universe?) and I am expected to believe that the scientists involved in this experiment are shocked! Simply shocked at how it could all go wrong. I simply could not buy it. Maybe in a scenario where this was already accepted technology, I wouldn't have been so incredulous.
I realize most of this review is a complaint but there are elements that I liked. The relationship between Marisol and her sister was well done and the characterization of Rey was really interesting.
I realize most of this review is a complaint but there are elements that I liked. The relationship between Marisol and her sister was well done and the characterization of Rey was really interesting.
laurajnelson's review against another edition
emotional
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? Yes
5.0
_coco_'s review against another edition
3.25
The first half to two-thirds of this book had a lot of potential. I found the technology and politics of the experiment interesting and the protagonist’s attempts to balance culture, family, and safety very endearing. However, it felt like it lost its footing after this, trying to do too much at some times and then ultimately ending too simply with disregard for many of the conflicts introduced at the beginning.
The romance was definitely the main issue of this book. Firstly, it is introduced too early and then only picks up too late in the book, resulting in a weird genre flip from speculative fiction to a general romance novel. Marisol’s struggles and past experiences and attempt to seek asylum in the United States are completely overshadowed by this relationship. It also seems odd to me that Marisol is only shown properly meeting two women her age, and she falls in love with both of them. I think the book would have been much stronger if it focused on Marisol and her family and displayed the damaging nature of being in a romantic relationship borne from deception and exploitation, rather than romanticising it.
A disappointment as the premise is really interesting but the story just didn’t hold up.
yilys's review against another edition
2.0
this book hits close to home in a lot of ways. so, i expected to love it. sadly, i ended up having issues with certain aspects of the story. i did not like how marisol's sexuality suddenly ended up being the main source of conflict in her past. i also went into this book completely unaware of the synopsis, so i was a bit confused about genre while i was reading. but that's ultimately my fault. i understand why someone would love this book, but it just wasn't for me.
mkiyxxmi's review against another edition
4.0
3.75? 3.8? It was really good, but parts of the ending were a bit sudden. The lgbt characters were accurately represented though, as well as what it’s like to live with trauma
figsjuice's review against another edition
3.0
Indranie deserves nothing short of absolute hell. Not sure why the author doesn’t want us to hate her.