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4.22 AVERAGE
4.22 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Terminal illness
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Panic attacks/disorders
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
dark
reflective
sad
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:
Complicated
This book was powerful and heart-wrenching, and so real. Getting to see the brother grow in their relationships with each other and the world around them felt incredibly believable and important. While I didn't enjoy all of the chapters on sex etc, I think having books that highlight these conversations and confusions, especially in queer kids growing up, is deeply important. I also wish the later chapters had been longer. I felt like we were just seeing glimpses into their lives as they became adults.
Overall deeply personal and moving.
Overall deeply personal and moving.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
emotional
medium-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-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:
No
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Enjoyed reading this coming of age story. It was heartbreaking and uplifting, but by the end I was left feeling like there could’ve been something more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts
reflective
sad
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Homophobia, Racism
Colorism, AIDS
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This coming of age (and through a full if short life) tale of two gay brothers raised in a very Catholic traditional Mexican American family spanning decades from the 1970s is a necessary story. Written for a YA audience the narrators are well constructed with a purpose of connection to own voice readers. Which is needed in the marketplace and our society as a whole. The love between the two brothers, and the colorism Pedro experiences are highlights of this read.
I will say that like many (especially YA) books I’ve read in the last few years with a strong message, this book is a little too kitchen sink. Erebia manages to force just about every experience he can come up with into this book, which dilutes some of the book’s power. Moving from a tale of self-discovery and brotherly love into almost an encyclopedia of experience. That need for message over story makes some of the dialogue really heavy handed and unrealistic, it also villainizes the mother to a point that the reader struggles to understand why Daniel would maintain a relationship with her. There is so much going on we don’t get enough between the brothers on the mother to explain why they choose such different paths around her (both are valid, I just want to have a better understanding as a reader of why).
I hope at some point to be able to flip through the physical as it is illustrated, and I think that element will enhance the reading.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I'm not even sure where to start with this one. This is a hard story to hear. It's filled with abuse, neglect, homophobia, AIDS, and death.
The writing feels like it leans a bit towards literary fiction in its artistic style and composition. It is competent writing. But it was a challenging read for me. The pacing is slow and the subject matter is stressful and depressing—tense with the lingering theme of abuse. I could only read this in small doses.
Very unsettling. This is a life that children should not have to live, but it is a regrettable reality for some. An important story that needs to be told.