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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
informative
reflective
medium-paced
*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*
In her memoir, Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez chronicles her life as a US citizen in a family of immigrants through her major life events. After a heartbreaking separation her freshman year of high school, Gutierrez finds herself alone in the United States with the remainder of her family in Mexico– only the promise of an education and her own grit powering her through homelessness and extreme poverty.
MY SIDE OF THE RIVER speaks on the bonds and responsibilities of family, as well as the reality of America’s aggressive immigration policy. Gutierrez chronicles her struggles with food insecurity, mental health, and the demands of corporate America on a brown girl.
In her memoir, Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez chronicles her life as a US citizen in a family of immigrants through her major life events. After a heartbreaking separation her freshman year of high school, Gutierrez finds herself alone in the United States with the remainder of her family in Mexico– only the promise of an education and her own grit powering her through homelessness and extreme poverty.
MY SIDE OF THE RIVER speaks on the bonds and responsibilities of family, as well as the reality of America’s aggressive immigration policy. Gutierrez chronicles her struggles with food insecurity, mental health, and the demands of corporate America on a brown girl.
First thank you to NetGalley for the DRC in exchange for an honest review.
I'm torn on how to review "My Side of the River". Ultimately I didn't like it. My review leans more to 2.5 stars.
It is hard to judge someone's life, how they choose to portray it. There is no disputing Gutierrez had a challenging childhood/ early adulthood. Her drive to succeed is remarkable. I, too, would be bragging at how far I had come, Gutierrez's retelling felt over the top. The book was mostly her patting herself on her back "look how amazing I am" with little mention of those that helped her along the way. There were several times I laughed out loud at her hubris.
One thing to note- in the DRC, the name of the family she lived with 9th & 10th grade changed from Hernandez to Martinez. Hopefully a good editor caught that.
I'm torn on how to review "My Side of the River". Ultimately I didn't like it. My review leans more to 2.5 stars.
It is hard to judge someone's life, how they choose to portray it. There is no disputing Gutierrez had a challenging childhood/ early adulthood. Her drive to succeed is remarkable. I, too, would be bragging at how far I had come, Gutierrez's retelling felt over the top. The book was mostly her patting herself on her back "look how amazing I am" with little mention of those that helped her along the way. There were several times I laughed out loud at her hubris.
One thing to note- in the DRC, the name of the family she lived with 9th & 10th grade changed from Hernandez to Martinez. Hopefully a good editor caught that.
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Update: just under halfway through (41%) and the combination of the author’s voice and the writing is making the whole thing sound very juvenile (at one point she talks about her “cool ass outfits” or something) … almost as though she wrote it when she was still 15
I loved the beginning, but as we got more recent the tone really changed and I realized she was recounting events rather than giving the deep reflection that I think pulled me in during the first half when she was talking about her childhood.
adventurous
emotional
reflective
fast-paced