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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
I found this book really relatable at times, but others I could find the narrator a little insufferable. I know, she's a teenager. I give it a pass, because that's realistic. I was expecting a lot more from the mystery about Olga -- it ended up being incredibly anti-climactic. I'd recommend it to other Mexican women, but I'm curious about whether it would resonate for anyone else.
emotional
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
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I heard mixed reviews on this book, but I enjoyed every bit of it. Had me laughing, in tears and loving the sassy moments! I was impressed with how many topics of difficulty (from the lens of an immigrant and teenager) that she was able to hit on in such a short read. Would be nervous to have my mother read this (and she’s not even my Mexican side, she’s Irish) because I could see a mothers feelings getting hurt. However, I’m glad I read this as someone who could be a mother in the future.
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Super easy read, and yet hard to read because of the "woe is me" mentality of Julia. A story that starts off with her trying to understand her sister and yet the entire book is of her and her attitude towards everything. It had me rolling my eyes and wanting to quit reading it, but it's a book for book club, so I needed to finish it.
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
”Everything is a double entendre when you’re living a double life.”
The Story
Julia’s life has been awful since her sister’s death. She’s never been great at being who her parents expect, but Julia is left alone under their attention and pressure with Olga gone.
She wants to attend college, become a writer, and go her own way—but her parents expect her to be like Olga. She’ll never be Olga. Julia will never be perfect.
That’s when Julia learns her sister died with a few secrets. Hmm. Maybe Olga wasn’t so perfect after all.
My Verdict
Come thru, mawmaw!!!
Sentimental, introspective, mellow.
What I Loved
- Julia’s commentary on other characters was so shady I gasped and laughed out loud several times.
- A grumpy, ambitious teenager confronting her inner demons to heal herself and years of generational trauma.
- That trip to Mexico! It was such a breath of fresh air for Julia and the reader.
What You’ll Love
- A first-generation teen struggling beneath the impossible expectations of her Mexican family.
- Fantastic and relatable representation of the mental health issues rooted in mourning and feelings of inadequacy.
- A slow-moving character study with an “unlikable” protagonist harboring unresolved pain.
This review has been repurposed from content designed to be published on my Instagram, so it may be missing elements that would complete the presentation. To see more or follow other reviews, meet me on Instagram at @dbg.was.here.