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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
This is the best book I’ve read in a long time. It was beautiful.
Listened to this for Hispanic Heritage month. I was not anticipating a YA novel for some reason, and I am also reading a YA novel... so this was a bit too much teen angst at once. That being said lots of good takeaways for the young crowd. A frustrating main character who has a frustrating life. Overall pretty good, not great.
There is so much to love about this book.
Julia, the main character, is a sarcastic but also hilarious and creative teen, who views herself as the black sheep of her mexican family.
This book beautifully weaves an exploration of Julia's psyche, while also expanding Julia's perspective as she slowly grows from learning secrets those around her have.
Julia is not always a likable character, she at times is whiny, obtuse, or self-involved, but she feels incredibly authentic. It felt like she was a teen that I have worked with, and I loved the bursts of insight into the people important to her.
Sanchez manages to explore issues of immigration, sexual health, poverty, race, and grief, thru a candid and often heart wrenching exploration of Julia's life after personal tragedy strikes. Amazingly, rarely is Julia a character garnering pity, sympathy completely, but her strength and perspective means she rarely feels like a tragic figure.
Well worth a read for any fans of YA fiction, probably some of the best examination of grief and depression I have read.
Julia, the main character, is a sarcastic but also hilarious and creative teen, who views herself as the black sheep of her mexican family.
This book beautifully weaves an exploration of Julia's psyche, while also expanding Julia's perspective as she slowly grows from learning secrets those around her have.
Julia is not always a likable character, she at times is whiny, obtuse, or self-involved, but she feels incredibly authentic. It felt like she was a teen that I have worked with, and I loved the bursts of insight into the people important to her.
Sanchez manages to explore issues of immigration, sexual health, poverty, race, and grief, thru a candid and often heart wrenching exploration of Julia's life after personal tragedy strikes. Amazingly, rarely is Julia a character garnering pity, sympathy completely, but her strength and perspective means she rarely feels like a tragic figure.
Well worth a read for any fans of YA fiction, probably some of the best examination of grief and depression I have read.
challenging
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
I wish I had this book as a teen. It's about a teenaged girl processing the death of her sister and trying to come to terms with the expectations set on her as a result. This book has it all: mental illness, love interests, abuse, Spanish vocab, Joy Division, and Hot Cheetos, to name a few things. Its strength is that its themes are universal. The details in the main character Julia's life and home will be familiar to most Mexican American readers; in fact, this book felt like a love song dedicated to Mexican-Americans and Mexican immigrants at the same time that it dealt with issues like mental illness and sexual abuse that a wider audience could identify with. As a daughter of Mexican immigrants who didn't meet expectations of what a daughter should be, I identified strongly with Julia. But folks of other ethnicities who struggled with mental illness at some point would also identify with her. The refrain of "I am not your perfect daughter" is overdone at times, but you can't help but feel and cheer for Julia as she comes to terms with the changes in her life and simply tries to survive. Again, I wish I had this book as a teen - it would have meant a lot to read about another Mexican-American girl confused about her place at home and in society.
emotional
sad
medium-paced
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
A stunning story about grief, mental health, and intergenerational trauma… a must read for children of immigrants
I have really conflicting emotions about this book. On the one hand, I loved the insight into Mexican culture, Julia's journey of self-discovery, and the mental health representation. On the other hand, I really didn't care for Julia. I'm the type of reader who really needs to connect with the characters and I couldn't connect with Julia. She was very confrontational and whiny, and while I see some of the explanations for these behaviors, it doesn't make it any more enjoyable.
Still, the storyline and messages were all great, so I'd give this 3.5 stars.
Full review: https://picturethisliteraturecom.wordpress.com/2020/01/16/i-am-not-your-perfect-mexican-daughter/
Still, the storyline and messages were all great, so I'd give this 3.5 stars.
Full review: https://picturethisliteraturecom.wordpress.com/2020/01/16/i-am-not-your-perfect-mexican-daughter/