Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

21 reviews

incigiru's review against another edition

emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Racism, and Infidelity

cocacolor's review against another edition

emotional hopeful tense 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? No

4.25

I wasn't a huge fan of Acevedo's first novel in verse, which was about poetry itself, but freed from the conceit of poetry about poetry, her writing soars in CLAP WHEN YOU LAND. The descriptions of Puerto Plata are immersive, the characters are richly drawn and even characters like Papi, whose deception touches off the plot, and Wilson, who asks for money, are treated with compassion and love, and the difference of opportunity between two sisters living in different countries, with different citizenship papers, is stark. Some themes, like (trigger warning)

Yahaira's reaction to her assault and her sexuality

, are not explored as deeply as I would like, and it seems that Camino gets the bulk of the character development and change. But overall, this is a hugely moving, rich, and satisfying story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Sexual assault, Colonisation, Violence, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Medical content and Stalking

Minor: Police brutality and Racism

foreverinastory's review against another edition

emotional slow-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

4.0

This was so good.

Rep: Dominican-American lesbian female MC, Dominican female MC, BIPOC sapphic female side character, Dominican and Dominican-American side characters.

CWs: Death of parent, sexual assault, grief, death, stalking, infidelity, sexual violence, sexual harassment, pregnancy & birth on page, sexism, violence, parental abandonment, plane crash (not on page but discussed), misogyny, racism, xenophobia. Moderate: medical content, cancer, cursing, pedophilia, rape, panic attack. Minor: Drug use, trafficking, vomit, police brutality, blood. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Stalking, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Racism, Death of parent, Death, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Grief, Sexism, and Misogyny

Moderate: Cancer, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Cursing, Pedophilia, and Rape

Minor: Drug use, Police brutality, Vomit, Trafficking, and Blood

books_in_a_basket's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Pedophilia, Racism, Stalking, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault

izzydelaya's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and Racism

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Sexual harassment

malloryfitz's review against another edition

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Grief

Moderate: Cursing, Death of parent, Infidelity, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Sexism

Minor: Homophobia, Racism, and Police brutality

diammendes's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, and Stalking

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Drug use, Sexual harassment, Trafficking, Rape, Pregnancy, and Racism

jessspeake'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

I listened to this as an audiobook, and it was phenomenal.

I've disliked the audiobooks I've read recently, and wondered if maybe I wasn't a fan of the audiobook format. However, this book made it clear it's not the format I didn't like before, but the writing. Thank goodness, Elizabeth Acevedo's writing is magical.

Absolutely magical. She writes with such a deep reverence for her characters, and a true understanding of the written word. I can't imagine ever being able to assemble sentences as beautifully as she does. She is an artist.

Books written in verse have always intimidated me, so I thought listening to the audio would be an easier way for me to take in her words. While I highly recommend the audio, I also wish I could read this book again for the first time, as a physical copy. I have no doubt I will get so much from a second read, but I wish I could experience it again for the first time.

The characters in this book were incredibly lovable, and my this story made my heart ache for them.

I consider this book to be heart-wrenching, but not heart-breaking. In so many ways, my heart broke for everyone involved. But in just as many ways, the love and compassion that permeated this book stitched my heart back together again.

So, I cannot say my heart was broken. In fact, in reading this story about finding (and losing) family, Elizabeth Acevedo has expanded my heart and filled me with tender love and hope.

If you have not read this book, I highly recommend it. There are not words to describe what a truly beautiful book this is.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, Sexual assault, and Stalking

Moderate: Trafficking

Minor: Vomit, Cancer, and Racism

ncoletti's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Death of parent

Minor: Racism

plumpaperbacks's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This is the second book I’ve read by Acevedo, and I’ll happily repeat countless others when I say that she’s an extremely talented writer. I also partially listened to the audiobook, and Acevedo is one of two narrators; I love listening to her narrate her work.

I think I like this one even more than The Poet X. Admittedly, for the first hundred pages or so, I struggled to differentiate between Camino and Yahaira and get invested in their story. But despite my rocky start, I ended up quite invested in both girls and the way their stories intertwined. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book quite like Clap When You Land, in that regard—one that writes sibling relationships in such a unique way, examines family secrets and love and how loss can lead to gain in unexpected ways.

Only when I started reading did I realize that Acevedo based this story off of a real tragedy, the AA587 plane crash in November 2001. That realization intensified the emotions within the pages, even though the novel is in verse. Sometimes such a method means detachment from what you’re reading, but not here. Yet another one of the author’s talents, honestly.

I’m tired (as I write this, it’s 2 a.m.) and I’m not sure how much sense I make, but I did quite enjoy this book. It wasn’t a favorite, but I’d recommend it regardless. I look forward to reading more from Elizabeth Acevedo, hopefully soon.

Representation

• Afro-Dominican protagonist
• Latinx protagonist
• established sapphic romance
• side characters of color

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Sexism, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Violence, Emotional abuse, and Xenophobia

Minor: Cancer, Homophobia, Drug use, Racism, Blood, Medical content, and Trafficking