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nadiagrace's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
anitaxham's review against another edition
2.0
The Truth Is tackles a lot of important issues and I appreciate the diverse characters, but the writing was quite disjointed. Verdad had a really unique voice, but her train of thought was very choppy. A good story about activism and finding oneself; the writing just wasn't for me.
claraluvmusic's review
adventurous
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
It does talk about homelessness and getting disowned for being LGBTQ+. Kinda heavy, but still kinda fun.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia
larksnest's review against another edition
5.0
Really good realistic fiction. TW for racist attitudes.
I went into this book without too much information, and I think it's wonderful. It's a coming of age story. Its about dealing with your grief and life moving on, seemingly without you. It tackles first awareness of attraction, of developing feelings for someone who isn't "right" for you. It tackles living with a mental disorder and mental health. It talks about becoming aware of your own ingrained prejudices about race, and LGBTQ people- I think it's very honest and messy to see a character come to terms with the messed up things she had always been taught to say, to believe.
There were several really great characters. I liked Danny a lot; Blanca was so lovable. I thought there was a lot of diversity in characters and the author tried to set them apart, make them unique. A whole group of LGBTQ individuals is introduced to the main character, and you see her adapt her own preconceptions and get to know them as people. I admit, Verdad's calling everyone in racist, generic terms in the beginning was hard for me to read... but it was included in there to be true to her journey. When her walls start coming down, a little, she realizes that this name-calling, even in her own head, is shity behavior.
I read through it quickly and I'd recommend it to anyone who wants a good YA.
I went into this book without too much information, and I think it's wonderful. It's a coming of age story. Its about dealing with your grief and life moving on, seemingly without you. It tackles first awareness of attraction, of developing feelings for someone who isn't "right" for you. It tackles living with a mental disorder and mental health. It talks about becoming aware of your own ingrained prejudices about race, and LGBTQ people- I think it's very honest and messy to see a character come to terms with the messed up things she had always been taught to say, to believe.
There were several really great characters. I liked Danny a lot; Blanca was so lovable. I thought there was a lot of diversity in characters and the author tried to set them apart, make them unique. A whole group of LGBTQ individuals is introduced to the main character, and you see her adapt her own preconceptions and get to know them as people. I admit, Verdad's calling everyone in racist, generic terms in the beginning was hard for me to read... but it was included in there to be true to her journey. When her walls start coming down, a little, she realizes that this name-calling, even in her own head, is shity behavior.
I read through it quickly and I'd recommend it to anyone who wants a good YA.
literallymya's review against another edition
5.0
NoNieqa Ramos does it again!
Disturbed Girl's Dictionary was one of my top books last year and this is even better. A Puerto Rican girl named Verdad, reeling from the death of her best friend, finds her life getting a lot more complicated once she meets the mysterious and adorable Danny (gender unknown). As she grows closer to Danny, she learns to re-examine her biases about love, sexuality, gender, and even race and racism.
I feel like we rarely see a teenager figuring certain stuff out in YA. They usually start out woke to racial issues, like Starr in Angie Thomas' The Hate U Give . Here, though -- we get to see Verdad unlearn toxic things and grow into a much more mature, more knowledgable human.
I especially loved Verdad's complicated relationship with her heritage. As a fellow Puerto Rican who can't speak much Spanish -- I feel you girl. Also, the representation of a young queer group of friends is the most accurate I've seen probably ever. Everything felt believable.
So, 10 out of 10. Can't wait to see what Ramos does next!
Disturbed Girl's Dictionary was one of my top books last year and this is even better. A Puerto Rican girl named Verdad, reeling from the death of her best friend, finds her life getting a lot more complicated once she meets the mysterious and adorable Danny (gender unknown). As she grows closer to Danny, she learns to re-examine her biases about love, sexuality, gender, and even race and racism.
I feel like we rarely see a teenager figuring certain stuff out in YA. They usually start out woke to racial issues, like Starr in Angie Thomas' The Hate U Give . Here, though -- we get to see Verdad unlearn toxic things and grow into a much more mature, more knowledgable human.
I especially loved Verdad's complicated relationship with her heritage. As a fellow Puerto Rican who can't speak much Spanish -- I feel you girl. Also, the representation of a young queer group of friends is the most accurate I've seen probably ever. Everything felt believable.
So, 10 out of 10. Can't wait to see what Ramos does next!
theorojas's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I was really into the back of the book but I found the mc very unlikable from the start. The author tried to make this book about so many different identities and intersectionality but with the books length nothing was fleshed out (contrary to what it says in the acknowledgements). The mc was supposed to discover her queer identity and get past any racist, homophobic, and transphobic ideas she has but the pacing of this book is too fast for it to feel realistic. The friendships formed with no real chemistry and it just felt overall like they just decided to mash a bunch of topics together and thought that would make a good book. I really didn’t see a plot for the book and just felt like the author had to wrap everything up and it just felt like they realized they had nowhere to go so just kinda ended it? Honestly an overall disappointment but wasn’t the worst book I read this year at least.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Transphobia
Moderate: Gun violence
m_l_valentine's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
tsudonkuwali's review against another edition
4.0
Appropriately finished on the first day of Pride Month.
I believe this is the first book I've read with a trans character. Ramos modeled pronoun usage well, demonstrating the assumptions of the main character as well as her resistance to the way people have stereotyped her. Necessary depiction of the struggles that LGBTQ+ adolescents face.
I believe this is the first book I've read with a trans character. Ramos modeled pronoun usage well, demonstrating the assumptions of the main character as well as her resistance to the way people have stereotyped her. Necessary depiction of the struggles that LGBTQ+ adolescents face.
fireheart9's review against another edition
4.0
“Funny how homophobic people think being gay or transgender leads to misery but never consider that they’re the ones who cause it. Never consider that they are the ones who separate God from their kids.”
mellomorissa's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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