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readingwithcoffee's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
2.25
I do really like the topics Garcia wanted to tackle, the relationships between women and cycles of abuse and I completely agree with the author that there is no “one” immigrant story in her short interview with Roxane Gay but I think she really needs to re-examine how she writes non white characters and characters her Mexican and Cuban family don’t fit into since those characters suffered the most. I do really like that she wrote about racism and classism in Mexico and the resentments between different Latino groups even if again that sometimes felt clunky. I especially loved the Cuban families divided less by borders and more by interpersonal issues and with very different and strong political opinions.
Graphic: Classism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Racism, Violence, War, Chronic illness, Grief, Death, Deportation, Self harm, Child abuse, Infidelity, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Cancer, Misogyny, Colonisation, Racial slurs, Abandonment, Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Terminal illness
theonlybaillie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Mental illness, Drug use, Grief, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Murder, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Rape, Sexism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Death of parent, Alcohol, Cursing, Gun violence, and Misogyny
Minor: Chronic illness, Child abuse, and Gaslighting
miaaa_lenaaa's review against another edition
- 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
The complexity of the characters was intense, each had a quite realistic side of themselves that they weren’t sharing with the others but not in a frustrating way.
The writing was poetic but not unclear.
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, and War
writemare31's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
There is a lot to appreciate in this book. The depictions of women are diverse, each character with their distinct personality and troubles, all of them portrayed with depth and care.
This book did not hit five stars for me because the plot was sprawling. If you asked me to outline the events, I could only name two that actually bring cohesion to the book, and the last one is in the final chapter. The ending felt slightly rushed or forced. I was often fighting confusion as I read through this, despite the clear artistry in the writing. Sometimes a little structure is needed to help bring that artistry to its full potential.
If I had read almost any of these chapters as stand alone stories, they likely would've earned five stars.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual content, and Racism