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leafblade's review
4.0
I recieved an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I initially asked for this book because I had recently seen the Turkish movie Mustang, about five teenage sisters that lived with their controlling father. It quickly became a favorite coming of age story for me, and I have been looking for similar books, movies and tv shows ever since. This book was it, in the same way.
This book is a contemporary, set in a family of four sisters and a widowed dad. He has a lot of rules for the house they live in, and one of them is none of the girls can let any boys in the house, so the older has to sneak out of her room's window to see the various boys (and men) she's dating. One night she ends up dying while she was climbing down the tree outside of her window to go see her boyfriend, and so the plot starts. The little town they live in is almost exclusively latinx, and the story is told through feminist lenses, though it may not seem at first in the beginning because the message it's giving isn't exactly spelled out for the reader to see.
All of the sisters, even the dead one you don't even get to actually see throughout the book, have very distinct personalities and voices. The chapters alternate with their respective PoVs, and eventually one of a group of boys that live opposite them. If the chapters weren't named after the PoV girl, I would've still recognized which one of them it was.
Jessica is the second oldest after Ana, the one who died. So now she has to work to pay for the expenses that their drunk dad can't afford to pay. She's in a really really toxic relationship that I loved-hated reading about. Jessica is such a strong-minded person, but she became submissive when John was around, and some people are starting to notice.
Iridian kept her dead sister's books right after she died, so now her biggest passion is writing paranormal romance, and she does so whenever and wherever she can. She's the shy one, the snarky one, the look-at-me-and-I'll-bite-you one. I really liked her connection with Ana, because it wasn't as direct as the other two girls', but rather through books and stories and thinking what did Ana find in those that Iridian was not finding herself.
And then Rosa is the youngest one. She's like caught in fairyland: speaks to animals, to her sister's ghost, likes to feel for the hidden forces in everyone and everything. She spends the whole book chasing a wild animal that ran away from a zoo, just because she's like that.
What I found most interesting about this book was the everyday life of these three sisters after the death of the oldest one, seeing them cope and finding out through spread-out flashbacks what happened immediately after Ana died one year ago. I liked that we only got like one scene that was set in school, because I really don't think this book would've benefitted from being a high school drama. I think it's not even mentioned if Rosa goes to school or not. We focus on their neighborhood, Jessica's job at a pharmacy, and the church Rosa goes to every week, and that's it.
The paranormal bit was really well done. I loved that it wasn't explained that much, and that the sisters didn't get all detective-like when they found out what was happening. I liked what it meant for the boys that live opposite them, and I FUCKING LOVED John's scene with it near the end. It merged really well with the end of the story, and because it wasn't really flashy it didn't seem out of place.
What I didn't like was the lenght, lol. I would've made it 200 pages longer, so maybe we could've explored the side characters a bit more. Poor Walter didn't deserve to be in only like 10 pages.
I initially asked for this book because I had recently seen the Turkish movie Mustang, about five teenage sisters that lived with their controlling father. It quickly became a favorite coming of age story for me, and I have been looking for similar books, movies and tv shows ever since. This book was it, in the same way.
This book is a contemporary, set in a family of four sisters and a widowed dad. He has a lot of rules for the house they live in, and one of them is none of the girls can let any boys in the house, so the older has to sneak out of her room's window to see the various boys (and men) she's dating. One night she ends up dying while she was climbing down the tree outside of her window to go see her boyfriend, and so the plot starts. The little town they live in is almost exclusively latinx, and the story is told through feminist lenses, though it may not seem at first in the beginning because the message it's giving isn't exactly spelled out for the reader to see.
All of the sisters, even the dead one you don't even get to actually see throughout the book, have very distinct personalities and voices. The chapters alternate with their respective PoVs, and eventually one of a group of boys that live opposite them. If the chapters weren't named after the PoV girl, I would've still recognized which one of them it was.
Jessica is the second oldest after Ana, the one who died. So now she has to work to pay for the expenses that their drunk dad can't afford to pay. She's in a really really toxic relationship that I loved-hated reading about. Jessica is such a strong-minded person, but she became submissive when John was around, and some people are starting to notice.
Iridian kept her dead sister's books right after she died, so now her biggest passion is writing paranormal romance, and she does so whenever and wherever she can. She's the shy one, the snarky one, the look-at-me-and-I'll-bite-you one. I really liked her connection with Ana, because it wasn't as direct as the other two girls', but rather through books and stories and thinking what did Ana find in those that Iridian was not finding herself.
And then Rosa is the youngest one. She's like caught in fairyland: speaks to animals, to her sister's ghost, likes to feel for the hidden forces in everyone and everything. She spends the whole book chasing a wild animal that ran away from a zoo, just because she's like that.
What I found most interesting about this book was the everyday life of these three sisters after the death of the oldest one, seeing them cope and finding out through spread-out flashbacks what happened immediately after Ana died one year ago. I liked that we only got like one scene that was set in school, because I really don't think this book would've benefitted from being a high school drama. I think it's not even mentioned if Rosa goes to school or not. We focus on their neighborhood, Jessica's job at a pharmacy, and the church Rosa goes to every week, and that's it.
The paranormal bit was really well done. I loved that it wasn't explained that much, and that the sisters didn't get all detective-like when they found out what was happening. I liked what it meant for the boys that live opposite them, and I FUCKING LOVED John's scene with it near the end. It merged really well with the end of the story, and because it wasn't really flashy it didn't seem out of place.
What I didn't like was the lenght, lol. I would've made it 200 pages longer, so maybe we could've explored the side characters a bit more. Poor Walter didn't deserve to be in only like 10 pages.
chuskeyreads's review
4.0
Hauntingly beautiful story about three sisters each struggling with the grief over the death of Ana, their oldest sister, and coming to terms with their identities as individuals and as sisters.
Jessica - the angry one who tries to become Ana to the point that she loses her identity. She also cleans up her father’s drunken messes, takes care of her sisters, and longs to escape.
Iridian - the introspective loner who sees everything but hides from the world. She spends most of her time writing in notebooks and re-reading the same tattered Anne Rice novel.
Rosa - the youngest sister with an affinity for animals. She questions everything and is the strongest (emotionally) of the three. She becomes almost obsessed with finding a hyena that has escaped from the local zoo.
The format is quite different from other multiple viewpoint books I’ve read. The section begins with a title (e.g., “The Night the Torres Sisters Tried to Runaway from Southtown”) narrated in first person from one of the boys across the street at Hector’s house who frequently watch the Torres sisters from their upstairs window. These chapters serve to set up the events of that day.
The remaining chapters in each section are all dated the same, but titled for one of the sisters. These subsequent girls’ chapters are written omnisciently about that same day but from each sister’s perspective.
I’m not 100% sure, but I think the narrator of the boys’ chapters (the ones with the titles) is Peter, as he is the only character of the “we” in those sections who isn’t named. I find it interesting that the only first-hand view of the Torres sisters we get is from a group of teenage boys spying on the girls from across the street. Such a clever trope!
I read the first chapter, put the book aside for two days (distracted by a project), and picked it back up on the third
day consuming the rest of the book within an hour and a half.
I can’t fully explain what it is about the story that sucked me into their world, but I couldn’t put it down until I reached the end. I have to admit that I wasn’t satisfied with the ending. I felt that it ended too abruptly - that there was more to reveal about Ana’s ghost, her unfinished business, and John. What happened to John? I suppose it’s up to the reader to make those inferences.
Jessica - the angry one who tries to become Ana to the point that she loses her identity. She also cleans up her father’s drunken messes, takes care of her sisters, and longs to escape.
Iridian - the introspective loner who sees everything but hides from the world. She spends most of her time writing in notebooks and re-reading the same tattered Anne Rice novel.
Rosa - the youngest sister with an affinity for animals. She questions everything and is the strongest (emotionally) of the three. She becomes almost obsessed with finding a hyena that has escaped from the local zoo.
The format is quite different from other multiple viewpoint books I’ve read. The section begins with a title (e.g., “The Night the Torres Sisters Tried to Runaway from Southtown”) narrated in first person from one of the boys across the street at Hector’s house who frequently watch the Torres sisters from their upstairs window. These chapters serve to set up the events of that day.
The remaining chapters in each section are all dated the same, but titled for one of the sisters. These subsequent girls’ chapters are written omnisciently about that same day but from each sister’s perspective.
I’m not 100% sure, but I think the narrator of the boys’ chapters (the ones with the titles) is Peter, as he is the only character of the “we” in those sections who isn’t named. I find it interesting that the only first-hand view of the Torres sisters we get is from a group of teenage boys spying on the girls from across the street. Such a clever trope!
I read the first chapter, put the book aside for two days (distracted by a project), and picked it back up on the third
day consuming the rest of the book within an hour and a half.
I can’t fully explain what it is about the story that sucked me into their world, but I couldn’t put it down until I reached the end. I have to admit that I wasn’t satisfied with the ending. I felt that it ended too abruptly - that there was more to reveal about Ana’s ghost, her unfinished business, and John. What happened to John? I suppose it’s up to the reader to make those inferences.
roseleaf24's review
4.0
Worth staying up to read under the covers. This ghost story holds the balance between the creepiness of the supernatural, the brutality of real life, and the comfort of family and community.
ladytiara's review
4.0
The Torres girls are a mess since their oldest sister Ana died last year. Jessica is angry at the world and in a bad relationship with Ana's controlling ex. Iridian never leaves the house and loses herself in writing. Rosa has turned to religion and believes she can communicate with animals. Their father is mostly drunk and has abdicated responsibility for his daughters.The sisters are shaken when they start to think that Ana's ghost may be lingering.
I loved this book. Mabry is such a distinctive writer, and her prose style works really well in this mostly realistic story that's laced with some magical realism. Her descriptive writing really evokes the setting (a Latinx community in San Antonio) and the sisters, who are all very distinctive characters.
The book is slightly reminiscent of The Virgin Suicides because the story is partly told through the point of view of a group of boys who are mildly obsessed with the sisters. This part of the narration is told in first person, and I liked the switch from the third person narration of the sisters' narratives.
This is a ghost story of sorts, but it's not terribly scary (although there are a few tense moments). It's really more of a family story, about sisters torn apart and finding their way back to each other. I love books about siblings with rough relationships, so this was very much in my wheelhouse. It's a really lovely book.
Trigger warning for an abusive relationship.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
I loved this book. Mabry is such a distinctive writer, and her prose style works really well in this mostly realistic story that's laced with some magical realism. Her descriptive writing really evokes the setting (a Latinx community in San Antonio) and the sisters, who are all very distinctive characters.
The book is slightly reminiscent of The Virgin Suicides because the story is partly told through the point of view of a group of boys who are mildly obsessed with the sisters. This part of the narration is told in first person, and I liked the switch from the third person narration of the sisters' narratives.
This is a ghost story of sorts, but it's not terribly scary (although there are a few tense moments). It's really more of a family story, about sisters torn apart and finding their way back to each other. I love books about siblings with rough relationships, so this was very much in my wheelhouse. It's a really lovely book.
Trigger warning for an abusive relationship.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
laflormorada's review
5.0
The men in the Torres sister's lives leave them wanting. A father who is consumed by grief, a boyfriend who is never satisfied and the neighborhood boys who are always watching. Ana was the one everyone loved and everyone wanted to be, but now she's dead and all they're left with is an empty hole. They attempt to fill it in different ways; Jessica by becoming her idol, Iridian by escaping into words, and Rosa by searching for magic. When strange things start happening to each of them in turn, they must first reconcile with each other in order to confront the truth: Ana Is Back.
Beautiful poetic writing tells a haunting story about the power of women and sisters. This book was pretty much perfect, and I couldn't put it down. It's all about the characters, and the reader gets to know the inner workings of each sister one by one.. the good, the bad and the very complicated. The story felt so real and it's written in a way that is both all-consuming and magical to read. I cannot recommend it enough.
Beautiful poetic writing tells a haunting story about the power of women and sisters. This book was pretty much perfect, and I couldn't put it down. It's all about the characters, and the reader gets to know the inner workings of each sister one by one.. the good, the bad and the very complicated. The story felt so real and it's written in a way that is both all-consuming and magical to read. I cannot recommend it enough.
hclaire_spence's review
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
emmay8's review
5.0
Kept getting better
YA lit isn’t my favorite, but this fit a prompt in a reading challenge I’m doing. I really liked this book. It kept me interested and it kept getting better. The character development was really good, Maury’s use of language and imagery was far better than most YA books. My daughters favorite book is The Virgin Suicides. I’ll be suggesting this to her as well!
YA lit isn’t my favorite, but this fit a prompt in a reading challenge I’m doing. I really liked this book. It kept me interested and it kept getting better. The character development was really good, Maury’s use of language and imagery was far better than most YA books. My daughters favorite book is The Virgin Suicides. I’ll be suggesting this to her as well!
sunshine169's review
3.0
Tigers, Not Daughters is about 4 sisters and their efforts to escape their lives with their emotionally and financially absent father. The story takes place a year after the oldest sister, Ana, tragically dies from a fall. Mabry does an excellent job of making you feel the emotions of the sisters, especially Jessica and Iridian. Rosa was the sister with a calming affect. There is a trigger warning for domestic violence.
Thank you to Netgalley for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. I will be recommending this to my YA readers.
Thank you to Netgalley for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. I will be recommending this to my YA readers.
erincataldi's review
4.0
Dark, haunting, and ethereal - this young adult novel chronicling the Torres' sisters and the aftermath of their oldest sister's death is chilling and powerful. A year after Ana falls out her window to her death; her three sisters cope with it in different ways. Jessica the now oldest, deals with it by slowly trying to turn into Ana. She wears her clothes and makeup, tries to pick up smoking, and even dates the same boy that Ana had been sneaking off with in the night. Iridian has turned into a total recluse and barely leaves her room let alone the house. She re-reads all of Ana's old books and is trying to drown her sorrows in her writing. Rosa, the youngest tries to talk to the neighborhood animals, finding peace in nature and in church. Their father, well their father is useless; a shell of a man. A year after Ana's death - her ghost inexplicably starts inhabiting the house and the week following her "return" is one that will turn the girls lives upside down. Magical realism at its best!