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hobbithopeful'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? No
5.0
I very much enjoyed reading this, though it is very heavy. I would caution anyone wanting to check it out to look at content warnings first. Everything from domestic abuse, to sexual assault, to racism, this books dives into some very real and very hard topics. I would probably have waited to read it had I known how prevalent the sexual assault was, and the reaction of others to it.
If you like The Poet X, you'll love this.
I highly recommend! This is my first book by Elisabet Velasquez, and I can't wait to read more.
Graphic: Misogyny and Pregnancy
Moderate: Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Drug use, and Alcohol
Minor: Death, Racism, and Gun violence
kayladaila'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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Grief, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Miscarriage, Rape, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gun violence, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Abandonment, Body shaming, Drug use, and Addiction
bookdnbusy's review
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
but, nonetheless…
i enjoyed this, WAY TOO MUCH! this felt like a love letter to my summers in the city, running down the block yelling after el heladero to give me my vasito de colores so that i could give him his two dollars and walk back to my building already with my mouth turning blue thanks to the helado. a love letter to dreams and the hopes and the aspirations i had as a pre-teen sitting on the danger around the corner, away, but close enough that my mother knew where to send my siblings to find me and my friends. a love letter to a better life… to hope.
this collection of poems does such a great job at driving us through saraí’s story, her pain, and her joy. the hunger and thirst she constantly felt. whether for food, love or understanding. the way it forges the story with lack of dialogue is reminiscent of her diary, and how she truly saw life and experienced it.
it’s also a big mirror to the relationship a lot of hispanic mothers have with their daughters. i found myself tightening my jaw and reminding myself that my mother was but a child, too and that i, as her firstborn, were a product of trial and error. she learned. she rectified, but the damage was done, and estrella paid a different price than her mother’s and saraí paid the price because estrella had been the first.
honestly, this is so good and i will be picking this up whenever i feel nostalgic for more. for saraí. for estrella. for mami, and tío richie. I LOVED THIS!
Graphic: Misogyny, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Gun violence, Violence, and Addiction
Minor: Sexual assault, Mental illness, Police brutality, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Rape, Death, Pregnancy, and Miscarriage
the main character and main character's family are Pentecostal, and the book has descriptions of scripture and sometimes blasphemy (as a lot of forced religious kids do).starrysteph'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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Fatphobia, Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Miscarriage, Addiction, Drug use, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Sexism, Child death, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Body shaming, Ableism, Religious bigotry, Child abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death, Gun violence, Racism, Toxic relationship, Classism, Sexual harassment, and Police brutality
readswithrachel's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Gun violence, Drug use, Death, and Child abuse
ritareadstrash'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? No
4.0
Moderate: Physical abuse, Gun violence, Drug abuse, Death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Pregnancy
Minor: Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Racism, and Racial slurs
armontheroad's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Miscarriage, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Mental illness, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Ableism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Rape, Pregnancy, Police brutality, Death, Car accident, Gun violence, Religious bigotry, and Toxic relationship