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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
Gabi is one of the most memorable YA narrators I've encountered in awhile. This text is intersectionality at it's finest, and shows a young protagonist dealing with issues that aren't frequently discussed (such as having a parent who is addicted to drugs). Gabi's coming-of-age is messy and wonderful.
I finding love representation and unique voices in books. This one came recommended as a fat positive read I had to try. I wanted to love it... I really did. But I just didn’t. (I really waffled between giving this book two or three stars.)
The journal style writing and Gabi’s scattered thoughts just had me frustrated. Moments that should have been sad and poignant ended up feeling flat and insignificant. The author seemed to want to cover every hot button topic in one book. In the end, the story scratched the surface of so many things that I felt myself not really caring about any of them.
The journal style writing and Gabi’s scattered thoughts just had me frustrated. Moments that should have been sad and poignant ended up feeling flat and insignificant. The author seemed to want to cover every hot button topic in one book. In the end, the story scratched the surface of so many things that I felt myself not really caring about any of them.
I loved the tone and voice of this. Gabi is fully realized and incredibly honest and powerful. The combination of prose and poetry was well incorporated and offered a unique perspective.
Just go and read it now. I promise you won’t regret it. The cover is a shame, but will make sense once you read it. The story, however, will have you hugging the book in no time flat. Hands down this has become one of my favorite books.
Full Review at Book Blather
Full Review at Book Blather
Graded By: Brian
Cover Story: Pablo, Meet Freda
Drinking Buddy: ¡Salud!
Testosterone Estrogen Level: No Easy Answers
Talky Talk: Telenovela
Bonus Factors: Zines, Diversity/LGBTQ
Bromance Status: The Ethnic Friend I Quickly Forgot Was 'Ethnic'
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: Pablo, Meet Freda
Drinking Buddy: ¡Salud!
Talky Talk: Telenovela
Bonus Factors: Zines, Diversity/LGBTQ
Bromance Status: The Ethnic Friend I Quickly Forgot Was 'Ethnic'
Read the full book report here.
I finished this book not having any real clue how I want to rate it. Straight up honesty - I enjoyed reading it the whole way through. Also straight up honesty - I thin the author really missed the mark on several things.
I really liked Gabi herself. Her voice is fresh and fun and feels authentic. She asks herself a lot of the questions that I had when I was a teen, but she won't ask her parents (I didn't either). These questions range from anything to do with sex, to religion, to eating disorders, to calling out her parents on their own hypocrisy. She struggles with a screwed up relationship with food, a meth-addict dad, an over-stressed hormonal mother, a screwed up (thanks mom & dad) younger brother, and crazy extended relatives. Add to that boy troubles, a pregnant best friend, a just-came-out gay other best friend, school, college applications, and bullying.
This book was quick and easy to read, written in diary format with an illustrated zine randomly in the middle. (Don't worry, it fits in the story). In some ways this was great because we really got to know Gabi herself. In other ways it was tough because some of the relationships felt funky because we never got any real dialogue. Some of the characters who felt like they should have been major characters (her best friend, her boyfriend, her dad) felt more like caricatures.
I think what it comes down to is that the author tried to deal with too many issues in one fairly short book (despite how realistic it might be that one teen deals with that many issues at once). As a result, none of the issues felt adequately dealt with - they were all mostly glossed over. I wish the author had just focused on one or two of them, I feel like she has the skills to do them justice in a more in-depth manner if given the chance of less issues or a longer book. All the things in my trigger warning list below list are dealt with at some point in this 284 page novel. Yeah, I agree, that's way too many to do any of them justice.
TW: eating disorders, slut-shaming, rape, suicide, drug use, homophobia, teen sexuality, family dysfunction, abortion, and racism.
I would recommend this book to readers 14+. It was a short, fun read; just don't expect in-depth treatment of anything. 3 stars.
I really liked Gabi herself. Her voice is fresh and fun and feels authentic. She asks herself a lot of the questions that I had when I was a teen, but she won't ask her parents (I didn't either). These questions range from anything to do with sex, to religion, to eating disorders, to calling out her parents on their own hypocrisy. She struggles with a screwed up relationship with food, a meth-addict dad, an over-stressed hormonal mother, a screwed up (thanks mom & dad) younger brother, and crazy extended relatives. Add to that boy troubles, a pregnant best friend, a just-came-out gay other best friend, school, college applications, and bullying.
This book was quick and easy to read, written in diary format with an illustrated zine randomly in the middle. (Don't worry, it fits in the story). In some ways this was great because we really got to know Gabi herself. In other ways it was tough because some of the relationships felt funky because we never got any real dialogue. Some of the characters who felt like they should have been major characters (her best friend, her boyfriend, her dad) felt more like caricatures.
I think what it comes down to is that the author tried to deal with too many issues in one fairly short book (despite how realistic it might be that one teen deals with that many issues at once). As a result, none of the issues felt adequately dealt with - they were all mostly glossed over. I wish the author had just focused on one or two of them, I feel like she has the skills to do them justice in a more in-depth manner if given the chance of less issues or a longer book. All the things in my trigger warning list below list are dealt with at some point in this 284 page novel. Yeah, I agree, that's way too many to do any of them justice.
TW: eating disorders, slut-shaming, rape, suicide, drug use, homophobia, teen sexuality, family dysfunction, abortion, and racism.
I would recommend this book to readers 14+. It was a short, fun read; just don't expect in-depth treatment of anything. 3 stars.
emotional
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This book is a quick, simple read. It deals with themes of familial relationships, friendship, romance, and culture. It kind of reminds me of The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I enjoyed it very much.
This book puts into words so many of the double standards that are forced upon women. It tells the story of a girl who realizes that her worth is not her weight, that "boys will be boys" is bullshit, and that being true to yourself is the only way to be happy. Love. It.
Would have appreciated more translation, but the poetry was beautiful.