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avidreader76's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
moth_dance's review against another edition
5.0
Captures the true spirit of coming-of-age in Queens, NY at the end of the 1990s and start of the 2000s.
And I'll keep saying it, we need more authentic representation of not only female friendships but BIPOC female friendships.
The Girls in Queens does it all beautifully and realistically with a slice of life kind of slow burn.
*TW: SA*
And I'll keep saying it, we need more authentic representation of not only female friendships but BIPOC female friendships.
The Girls in Queens does it all beautifully and realistically with a slice of life kind of slow burn.
*TW: SA*
sunshine608's review against another edition
4.0
A coming-of-age story in the '90s, with the backdrop of baseball? Yes, Please.
This story is absolutely haunting and intricate and just a true glimpse of the imperfections that lie within all of us and how a lot of people we befriend as children create a set of blinders that when peeled back or illuminated offer a true glimpse of our own selves.
Everyone in this story was battling their own tragedies and it made this book and the characters feel so much more real. I wish we had more of Kelly but overall I enjoyed this book. It did not turn into a #metoo book with a sensationalist story which is what I was expecting based on the synopsis but it was more a very slow book on the flawed journeys we take to self-discovery.
This story is absolutely haunting and intricate and just a true glimpse of the imperfections that lie within all of us and how a lot of people we befriend as children create a set of blinders that when peeled back or illuminated offer a true glimpse of our own selves.
Everyone in this story was battling their own tragedies and it made this book and the characters feel so much more real. I wish we had more of Kelly but overall I enjoyed this book. It did not turn into a #metoo book with a sensationalist story which is what I was expecting based on the synopsis but it was more a very slow book on the flawed journeys we take to self-discovery.
omgitsofg's review
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sogladtoreadyou's review against another edition
5.0
this book is about the growing relationship between brisma and kelly. you will read about their ups and downs and you will learn just how strong their relationship is even when they don’t see eye to eye.
this book has a lot to do about their friendship, their relationships with their families and friends, their life struggles that shape them to be who they are. you read about how their lives in queens are when they are tweens and when they are young adults.
brisma has to make a few major life decisions that will change her life and also change the relationship she has with kelly.
this was a very well written book. i didn’t grow up in queens, but lived there for a few years and i have to say that there are a lot of details that seem to be on point. i loved reading about how strong brisma and kelly’s relationship was.
this book has a lot to do about their friendship, their relationships with their families and friends, their life struggles that shape them to be who they are. you read about how their lives in queens are when they are tweens and when they are young adults.
brisma has to make a few major life decisions that will change her life and also change the relationship she has with kelly.
this was a very well written book. i didn’t grow up in queens, but lived there for a few years and i have to say that there are a lot of details that seem to be on point. i loved reading about how strong brisma and kelly’s relationship was.
elvira73's review against another edition
4.0
@christinekandictorres ' debut novel THE GIRLS IN QUEENS is a study of female friendship. Told in alternating timelines, Latinas Brisma and Kelly meet when they are 11 years old in Queens and grow a fiercely loyal friendship. They know each other intimately, and always have each others back. They face poverty, abuse, crime, bullying, insecurity, first periods, you name it, but always together. As they grow to adulthood and boys are introduced into the mix, their relationship is tested. When an ex-boyfriend is accused of sexual assault, the friends have to reconcile their traumas with their responsibility to tell the truth. Several things resonated with me. The competition in their friendship, stemming from unhappiness or envy or low self esteem that blinded Kelly. Observing two vastly different ways of dealing with trauma and abuse. The imposter syndrome Brisma felt. Also as a Latina growing up in a city, the representation of harassment we live from childhood and on is so accurate. I loved how candid and at times, brutal, the story was. I'm overjoyed that our stories are being told. #christinekandictorres #girlsinqueens #latinaauthor #latinxstories #bipocstories
campychick001's review against another edition
3.0
Brisma and Kelly are two best friends growing up in New York in the 90's. Their friendship and journey into adulthood is quite traumatic and tumultuous. On the cusp of entering adulthood, their friendship is truly tested when they are forced to choose sides when a childhood friend, and Brisma's ex-boyfriend, is accused of a heinous crime. This story touches upon many poignant topics that still plague many young Hispanic women - struggles with family dymanics, religion, racial self-identity, poverty, crime, friendship, and sexual assault. While many of these scenarios are experienced by all races and genders, the author does a great job spotlighting these issues as encountered by the Hispanic community. Although the topics of this book are quite heavy, I really enjoyed the trip down memory lane with all the 90's references.
katlashw's review against another edition
3.0
The first half was painfully slow and I can dangerously close to giving up. But the plot quickly picked up in the second half and I couldn’t pick it down once the action started.