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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
Loved the voice in this. And that Quintero let her be chubby and have boyfriends. I found her funny and liked her journey. On the negative, found gay friend a little cookie cutter and I didn't think she really went deep enough with the addict father - such an interesting issue that I haven't seen a lot of books about - lost opportunity there. My favorite thing is voice, though, and it was great here.
Full review: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=5526
What I found in this book was a book of truth. While I normally find a book that has so many topics in it to be cumbersome (just some of the topics hit were: pregnancy, abortion, meth, family, religion, ethnicity, school, homosexuality, sex, death, poetry, college, rape, and gender expectations), I felt that Gabi was just truthful. Her story was just a story full of real life which just happens to be messy. I enjoyed the unique format, the diversity (not just race/ethnicity, but lbgt, body size, class, ELL, etc.), and the amazing cast of characters. Gabi’s voice rang true throughout, and even got stronger as she became more independent within the story. Well done.
What I found in this book was a book of truth. While I normally find a book that has so many topics in it to be cumbersome (just some of the topics hit were: pregnancy, abortion, meth, family, religion, ethnicity, school, homosexuality, sex, death, poetry, college, rape, and gender expectations), I felt that Gabi was just truthful. Her story was just a story full of real life which just happens to be messy. I enjoyed the unique format, the diversity (not just race/ethnicity, but lbgt, body size, class, ELL, etc.), and the amazing cast of characters. Gabi’s voice rang true throughout, and even got stronger as she became more independent within the story. Well done.
It's senior year for Gabi and her best friends, Cindy and Sebastian, and all they need to do is survive this last year and get into college. But it will be anything but easy, especially with her mother always nagging her to be a good girl and lose weight, her younger brother having freedom to do whatever he wants, and her dad constantly disappearing since his drug addiction controls his erratic behavior. If that isn't bad enough, Sebastian tells his Dad he's gay and gets kicked out of his house, and Cindy becomes pregnant and feels absolutely humiliated. As Gabi does her best to support her friends, she's having her own issues with her 4th attempt to pass Algebra II and using food as her emotional outlet. Through writing poetry, Gabi begins to find her voice and learns to creatively express her emotions. Despite all of the hardships, Gabi does her best to come to terms with her own body image as she experiences first love and a traumatic death within the family.
Told through Gabi's vulgar humor in her personal diary, Gabi: A Girl in Pieces is a bold, raw, and honest portrayal of the struggles of Hispanic teenagers to find a balance between Hispanic and American culture, build strong bonds of family and friendship, and feel love, acceptance, and support as they venture into young adulthood.
Told through Gabi's vulgar humor in her personal diary, Gabi: A Girl in Pieces is a bold, raw, and honest portrayal of the struggles of Hispanic teenagers to find a balance between Hispanic and American culture, build strong bonds of family and friendship, and feel love, acceptance, and support as they venture into young adulthood.
Started out a bit cliche, but developed in a beautiful way. Addresses so many issues omnipresent in today's young adult society. I love how this author truly writes what she appears to know and includes well-known Spanish phrases without condescending to translate in a way that is so often cumbersome.
Reading this was like seeing bits and pieces of my life play out on the page. So many events, characters, and thoughts resonated with me in a way I hadn't fully experienced before. As I continue to read Latino fiction, something I hadn't sought out before despite being one of the whitish brown people of the world, this story blew me away. The struggles between mother and daughter, a father more concerned with his next fix than his own children, and how shitty people in high school can be -- dang. I especially enjoyed the use of Spanish in the text, the poetry written by Gabi included, and the mini-rants Gabi went on in her journal. So much of it reminded me of being a teen. Simply an amazing read.
Don't let how I phrase things fool you either, I think anyone can read this. Knowing about American Latino culture would probably help, but this book has some pretty universal themes anyone can get behind.
Don't let how I phrase things fool you either, I think anyone can read this. Knowing about American Latino culture would probably help, but this book has some pretty universal themes anyone can get behind.
Hilarious, open hearted and honest, Isabel Quinetro creates a plausible journal of a high school senior as she manages dates, death and ultimately life. Gabi is like so many of my friends, it almost felt like talking to someone instead of reading. The romance between her and Michael feels almost too forced, a la Jane the Virgin. Actually, this book has big Jane energy so if you liked that or On My Block, you will probably like this book.
emotional
hopeful
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Death of parent
Moderate: Rape
emotional
funny
reflective
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:
Yes
REVIEW ORIGINALLY POSTED ON WHAT A NERD GIRL SAYS
I can’t even begin to describe how happy I am, the more that I discover Latina writers out there, especially ones that write about the difficulties of being different when you’re a teenager and part of a fairly traditional Mexican family. I was in love with Lilliam Rivera’s book and then I freaking adored Erika Sanchez’s book and I was excited to read this one, especially with Isabel being a guest at Ontario Teen Book Fest.
I loved that this was in journal format. It reminded me of The Princess Diaries, which was the first YA book I read when I was 12. I wrote in a journal from the time I was 14 until the time I was about 22 (I’m sort of doing one again) and I remember it being such a relief and I remember scribbling about the many, many boys that I was so crazy about it and writing out intense poems that I sort of laugh at now. It was the forefront to my writing career.
There’s something very personal about reading a journal and we really get a look into Gabi’s mind as she navigates her way through her last year of school, with her friends and family and boys and reachers, and there are moments that make me laugh and moments that make me so heartbroken and moments that felt so insanely familiar. There’s something about being different, individual, independent, when you’re the daughter and granddaughter and niece in a Mexican family and it’s sometimes hard to put into words…its hard enough to be a teen but its even harder when you’re one that is even more trouble than a normal teen. You want to go away to college?! You want to date and wear make up?! Why are you always reading?! What is feminism and jeans?! Of course its fine if your brother does that, but you totally cannot! Isabel does such a great job of capturing what its like to be a Mexican teen girl for sure.
I love that Isabel touches up on so many different things: the difficulties of being a teenager, having friends that are coming out or having a baby, a troublesome brother, a drug addicted father, an overbearing mother (and aunt…and well, the rest of the Mexican family that seems to always be around…) and I connected it in so many ways, even in the ways that weren’t actually personal to me. She writes a compelling story and gives Gabi such a strong voice, especially through her love and talent with poetry. I’m not one for poetry but the poetry in this novel was so raw and genuine and I loved that it really captured everything that Gabi was feeling. I’m so excited to meet Isabel next month and I can’t wait to see what more she creates.
I can’t even begin to describe how happy I am, the more that I discover Latina writers out there, especially ones that write about the difficulties of being different when you’re a teenager and part of a fairly traditional Mexican family. I was in love with Lilliam Rivera’s book and then I freaking adored Erika Sanchez’s book and I was excited to read this one, especially with Isabel being a guest at Ontario Teen Book Fest.
I loved that this was in journal format. It reminded me of The Princess Diaries, which was the first YA book I read when I was 12. I wrote in a journal from the time I was 14 until the time I was about 22 (I’m sort of doing one again) and I remember it being such a relief and I remember scribbling about the many, many boys that I was so crazy about it and writing out intense poems that I sort of laugh at now. It was the forefront to my writing career.
There’s something very personal about reading a journal and we really get a look into Gabi’s mind as she navigates her way through her last year of school, with her friends and family and boys and reachers, and there are moments that make me laugh and moments that make me so heartbroken and moments that felt so insanely familiar. There’s something about being different, individual, independent, when you’re the daughter and granddaughter and niece in a Mexican family and it’s sometimes hard to put into words…its hard enough to be a teen but its even harder when you’re one that is even more trouble than a normal teen. You want to go away to college?! You want to date and wear make up?! Why are you always reading?! What is feminism and jeans?! Of course its fine if your brother does that, but you totally cannot! Isabel does such a great job of capturing what its like to be a Mexican teen girl for sure.
I love that Isabel touches up on so many different things: the difficulties of being a teenager, having friends that are coming out or having a baby, a troublesome brother, a drug addicted father, an overbearing mother (and aunt…and well, the rest of the Mexican family that seems to always be around…) and I connected it in so many ways, even in the ways that weren’t actually personal to me. She writes a compelling story and gives Gabi such a strong voice, especially through her love and talent with poetry. I’m not one for poetry but the poetry in this novel was so raw and genuine and I loved that it really captured everything that Gabi was feeling. I’m so excited to meet Isabel next month and I can’t wait to see what more she creates.