Reviews with content warning for Death of parent - Na ostrym ogniu

Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Na ostrym ogniu by Elizabeth Acevedo

76 reviews

nytephoenyx's review against another edition

emotional inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

Elizabeth Acevedo‘s writing is always immersive, beautiful, and emotional. This is partially good storytelling, but a lot of it is because she’s a poet first and lyricism blossoms in her prose. This is the second book I’ve read by Elizabeth Acevedo, and I liked it just as much if not more than The Poet X.

Emoni lives with her abuela and takes care of her young daughter while finishing senior year and working part time at the local burger joint. It might not be the life she would have chosen for herself originally, but she loves it, and she loves her daughter Emma more than anything. There is a trend of contemporary young adult books that portray stereotypical negative images in a positive light, and in many ways, With the Fire on High is one of those. It’s a story of acceptance and love. It’s about embracing the unexpected and not giving up on yourself.

As a main character, I really enjoyed Emoni because she was imperfect, but not in the way too many readers may assume. She’s also multi-faceted and interesting. She is stubborn but hard-working. She is positive and encouraging, but hopelessly hard on herself. She’s extremely responsible but also extremely self-sacrificing. I really enjoyed the way Acevedo took us through her year using food as a guide. Through this medium, Acevedo was able to show Emoni’s passion and individualism, making her a person and not just a silhouette. I was hungry every time I listened to the audiobook – I want food like Emoni makes: bursting with flavor and filled with emotion and memory.

It’s always amazing to listen to an author read their own audiobook. Most of them read excellently, but there’s something particularly special about listening to a poet. I know Elizabeth Acevedo is so much more than her poetry, but let’s be real. Her poetry is incredible, beautiful, and thought-provoking. She knows how to present words verbally. She knows how to evoke images in her lilts and tones and she does it marvelously. I really enjoyed listening to her read this book and I’m so glad she was the narrator.

With the Fire on High was an easy book to love and I devoured it. I already recommended this one to folks before I finished it, so I absolutely recommend it to you, dear reader. It’s one I’m going to add to my personal collection.

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srhi96's review against another edition

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hopeful inspiring 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

4.5

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le3713's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful 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? Yes

4.0

Highly recommend Elizabeth Acevedo on audio!

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libraryghost's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring 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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strawberrytheauthor's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

It used the phrase “I let go of a breath I didn’t realize I was holding” 1 too many times. Which is to say 3 times in total. It is fast paced though and I loved the characters for the most part. It is an easy read and if you just need to get out of a slump I recommend.

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amandalorianxo's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful relaxing 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

5.0

Everything Elizabeth writes turns to gold and this novel is no exception. We learn about a young mother’s ability to juggle raising a two year old, finishing senior year and navigating her desire to achieve her dreams aka becoming a chef. It isn’t easy but we get to learn more than just the dreams of our narrator. We get a glimpse of the complicated relationship she has with her father, the blossoming love between her best friend and a girl she’s been dating for a while, the race discussion when someone questions her heritage and wanting to be a part of her mother’s side of the family even if her mother is no longer alive to help enrich those relationships.

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