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2.88 AVERAGE
2.88 AVERAGE
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wanted to like this book. However, I was really underwhelmed by the plot. Spoilers ahead:
It seemed trite to spend the first 2/3 of the book having the Latina protagonist idolize a white girl who had very little to offer. Apparently whiteness is so wonderful to POC that we desire it in in its worst forms (PS, we don’t). Despite being very smart, Maria is fooled by her new friend Rocky into thinking her life is wonderful, and makes really poor choices to try to be equally as subpar as Rocky. By the end of the book, Maria develops a little pride in herself and culture, but it felt like too little too late and I already hated her character so I didn’t care.
It seemed trite to spend the first 2/3 of the book having the Latina protagonist idolize a white girl who had very little to offer. Apparently whiteness is so wonderful to POC that we desire it in in its worst forms (PS, we don’t). Despite being very smart, Maria is fooled by her new friend Rocky into thinking her life is wonderful, and makes really poor choices to try to be equally as subpar as Rocky. By the end of the book, Maria develops a little pride in herself and culture, but it felt like too little too late and I already hated her character so I didn’t care.
I really liked the way Stephanie Jimenez took me to Maria's house and what her family life and experiences were. I wanted to hug her parents. She also does a fantastic job of capturing the emotions and thought processes of someone navigating different worlds. I wanted more from the story line though. https://www.goodreads.com/group
This was an Amazon First Reads pick for July, and it sounded promising and ambitious for a debut novel.
Instead I had a hard time getting through the book: the story is all over the place and it feels like the author is trying too hard to make this book about everything.
Maria is supposed to be a brilliant student with a full scholarship to a prestigious NY high school, and still she never studies, constantly misbehaves in school and at home, and spends all her time smoking weed with her loser boyfriend?
She wants to go to college but refuses to even get a summer job to help with expenses? She knows her family's financial situation but blames her parents for not getting everything her rich classmates have? Her parents are so strict and yet she can leave for a weekend in Vegas, no questions asked?
Finally, whatever the author wanted to accomplish with the Maria-Charlie infatuation I don't know, but no amount of Emerson quotes can make that bad taste go away.
Instead I had a hard time getting through the book: the story is all over the place and it feels like the author is trying too hard to make this book about everything.
Maria is supposed to be a brilliant student with a full scholarship to a prestigious NY high school, and still she never studies, constantly misbehaves in school and at home, and spends all her time smoking weed with her loser boyfriend?
She wants to go to college but refuses to even get a summer job to help with expenses? She knows her family's financial situation but blames her parents for not getting everything her rich classmates have? Her parents are so strict and yet she can leave for a weekend in Vegas, no questions asked?
Finally, whatever the author wanted to accomplish with the Maria-Charlie infatuation I don't know, but no amount of Emerson quotes can make that bad taste go away.
I really wanted to like this book but I just couldn't get behind the main character. I was concerned that maybe I just wasn't giving her enough of a chance, that not every protagonist needs to learn and grow throughout the course of a book, but in her case she ended up being less likeable than she was at the start and I found it difficult to finish. The story itself was engaging at first, and I liked the author's descriptions of her family and community. I would have liked to know a lot more about her parents than her, ultimately. Not a bad effort by the author and I hope to read something else from her soon.
i really wanted to like this but it just wasn't happening. it felt unfocused and i also saw it going down this road i didn't like.
The last two-ish chapters are awkward & don't fit with the rest of the story.