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tokagelizard's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Sad and an emotional trip, but keeps you on the edge of your seat. I loved the representation of vodou and the magical realism aspects.
Graphic: Gun violence, Cursing, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Deportation, Death of parent, and Police brutality
mepereyra6's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Moderate: Domestic abuse
Minor: Bullying, Death, Deportation, and Drug use
ritapena's review against another edition
2.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Murder, Drug use, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, and Gun violence
elisalasater's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Graphic: Gun violence
Moderate: Drug abuse, Violence, Deportation, and Domestic abuse
aformeracceleratedreader's review against another edition
4.0
Moderate: Alcohol, Child death, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Bullying, Drug use, Racism, Toxic relationship, Death, and Grief
steven_sahatjian's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Gun violence and Domestic abuse
templetoncecelia's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
Graphic: Death, Sexual harassment, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Deportation
Moderate: Grief, Drug use, and Bullying
abbyt152's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Gun violence, and Physical abuse
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
nannahnannah's review
4.0
Fabiola and her mother are finally coming to America from Haiti to live a better life on the corner of America and Joy street. But when her mother is detained, and the picture-perfect American ideal is dashed when she discovers life is just as dangerous here as it is in Haiti. It's not the only discovery she makes about America--or her family: her three cousins and her aunt.
This book is incredibly engaging, and what I loved most about it is probably the weaving in of religion. Though, I really hesitate to call it magical realism? I mean . . . I understand why, but at the same time, if Fab was a Christian and didn't practice Vodou--and therefore Papa Legba was an Angel and not an Lwa, would it still be magical realism or under the category Religious? Maybe that's a discussion for a different place/time . . .
Anyway, that mix of religion and contemporary fiction was so genuine and beautiful, especially because that religion wasn't Christianity (as I'm not Christian myself). It's so nice and refreshing to see a religion treated so beautifully and without judgement (especially religions practiced by non-white people) in young adult books. Then again, the author is black, so that's probably the main reason why!
I feel like I should like the secondary characters better (i.e. Fab's cousins, Pri, Donna, and Chant), but I really couldn't become as attached to them as I was for Fab. I loved the details Ibi Zoboi gave them, like that Pri uses a binder for her breasts, but they really failed to become fully fleshed to me for some reason. Also, and this is suuuuper nitpicky, but I didn't like that Pri, the only lesbian/lgbt character, was the cousin that was the most aggressive character in the book.
But anyway, a good read! A really good read.
Moderate: Drug use and Domestic abuse
brookey8888's review
- 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
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Grief, Classism, Death of parent, Deportation, Police brutality, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Violence, Drug use, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, and Racism