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rikkir77's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked the setting - all events were leading up to the San Francisco earthquake of 1989. And you get to learn about eczema and refugees in this story.
miszjeanie's review against another edition
4.0
The Magical Imperfect is an incredibly moving verse novel about friendship, family, body image, and community. Set in 1989 San Francisco, this middle grade book highlights the ever changing landscape of a place, especially with immigration and people coming in and out of our lives.
With a protagonist dealing with selective mutism, a character with severe eczema and a parent checking into a mental health facility, this book touches on mental and physical health conditions and how they can affect the way we view ourselves, but also how the best kind of healing we can find is from love, friendship and connection.
Read my full review on my blog.
Many thanks to the author and publisher for an eARC of this book.
With a protagonist dealing with selective mutism, a character with severe eczema and a parent checking into a mental health facility, this book touches on mental and physical health conditions and how they can affect the way we view ourselves, but also how the best kind of healing we can find is from love, friendship and connection.
Read my full review on my blog.
Many thanks to the author and publisher for an eARC of this book.
sierranorgan's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
3.5
VRC #9! I enjoyed the book but I did find it a little repetitive at times.
kiperoo's review against another edition
5.0
Ooooh, I loved this so much! I am a sucker for historicals in verse, and I love how the poetry here captures this time and setting so well. The friendship between these teens is indeed magical!
estein80's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.5
abanas's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-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
3.0
al3xa's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
sreddous's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? Yes
5.0
Lovely, gentle, compassionate. But doesn't shy away from just how hard things can be sometimes with family relationships, disabilities, and peer relationships.
I adored both Etan and Malia as characters. (And, honestly, pretty much everyone else in their community!) Both characters are struggling with forms of disability. In my opinion, this book strikes a very careful balance -- there is enough triumph that shows that people who have health issues and disabilities can still follow their dreams and go on adventures in nature and create art and such. But I also don't think it's unrealistic to show how sometimes, disabilities are, in fact, disabling -- Malia truly suffers, and I don't think it's inherently or automatically ableist to show her wishing there could be some relief with things like "magical clay" and such. In my opinion, this book handles this balance with nuance.
The real-life events that happen around the plot are weaved in nicely, too. At first it's clear that this setting is the San Francisco area, and there are little notes about playing baseball in 1989 and using technology like tape cassettes, but when my brain actually accepted that it was 1989, I gasped out loud, "oh, no!" knowing what happened in San Francisco in 1989. It made the stakes and simmering way more urgent. So this plot accomplishes two things really well: the real life geological problems happening in the area, and the inter-personal problems between all the characters. Really, really good stuff with the pacing on both of those lines.
Etan's interactions with his grandfather, and therefore his connection to his Jewish heritage, is well-built-up and does a good job guiding his decisions.
The writing and in-verse style is lovely, the dialogue is believable and wise and shows people working through serious problems. This takes young readers seriously while also offering hope and patience.
Really lovely stuff. Another new favorite.
I adored both Etan and Malia as characters. (And, honestly, pretty much everyone else in their community!) Both characters are struggling with forms of disability. In my opinion, this book strikes a very careful balance -- there is enough triumph that shows that people who have health issues and disabilities can still follow their dreams and go on adventures in nature and create art and such. But I also don't think it's unrealistic to show how sometimes, disabilities are, in fact, disabling -- Malia truly suffers, and I don't think it's inherently or automatically ableist to show her wishing there could be some relief with things like "magical clay" and such. In my opinion, this book handles this balance with nuance.
The real-life events that happen around the plot are weaved in nicely, too. At first it's clear that this setting is the San Francisco area, and there are little notes about playing baseball in 1989 and using technology like tape cassettes, but when my brain actually accepted that it was 1989, I gasped out loud, "oh, no!" knowing what happened in San Francisco in 1989. It made the stakes and simmering way more urgent. So this plot accomplishes two things really well: the real life geological problems happening in the area, and the inter-personal problems between all the characters. Really, really good stuff with the pacing on both of those lines.
Etan's interactions with his grandfather, and therefore his connection to his Jewish heritage, is well-built-up and does a good job guiding his decisions.
The writing and in-verse style is lovely, the dialogue is believable and wise and shows people working through serious problems. This takes young readers seriously while also offering hope and patience.
Really lovely stuff. Another new favorite.
Content Warnings
Minor: Antisemitism and Ableism
cloizon's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
lostinausten's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-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
3.5
Two new friends help each other through some difficult times.
This book is written in verse and the story is told alongside an impending earthquake so it made it interesting. I appreciated all the discussions of religion, Angel Island, mental health and the 1989 San Francisco earthquake. Everything was weaved together nicely. As typical with kids books, I wish we were given more depth with the topics of mental illness and immigration. There was alot of potential for more emotional conversations, that, unfortunately, never took place.
This book is written in verse and the story is told alongside an impending earthquake so it made it interesting. I appreciated all the discussions of religion, Angel Island, mental health and the 1989 San Francisco earthquake. Everything was weaved together nicely. As typical with kids books, I wish we were given more depth with the topics of mental illness and immigration. There was alot of potential for more emotional conversations, that, unfortunately, never took place.