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maryehavens's review against another edition
1.0
I just couldn’t get into it. Too trippy for my particular needs at the moment. Lozado-Oliva worried about disrespecting Selena’s image and that concern is legit. Living in Texas, I can attest to the very real Selena worship.
Going to put this at the Little Free Library at work and I hope someone else will appreciate this work.
Going to put this at the Little Free Library at work and I hope someone else will appreciate this work.
kristalc8's review against another edition
2.5
I wanted more? I feel SUPER ick about the justifications (?) made on Yolanda’s behalf? I genuinely don’t know what I was expecting and feel like this book was reaching for the surrealism we see in Carmen Machado’s writing but it kind of flopped for me. I love me a metaphor, I love me some trauma, I loooove me some generational and cultural storylines but Melissa lost me with this one.
kelssweetie's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
_valles's review against another edition
3.0
favorite poem - - part III yo se perder: “i made you a playlist to get the real you back even though real you doesn’t listen to the lyrics”
read: on a balcony swing, on a plane, in bed on a sunday night.
read: on a balcony swing, on a plane, in bed on a sunday night.
thelostbook's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Sexual assault and Lesbophobia
nicollettereads's review against another edition
3.0
The concept for this novel was great, but it was not well-executed.
The author does that weird thing where sometimes you're not sure what part of the story you're in. It was also weirdly short. The whole thing was just weird. I'd still recommend it because I loved how the author described Selena when she was speaking to other people and other people's reactions to Selena.
The author does that weird thing where sometimes you're not sure what part of the story you're in. It was also weirdly short. The whole thing was just weird. I'd still recommend it because I loved how the author described Selena when she was speaking to other people and other people's reactions to Selena.
cafecitoyt's review against another edition
4.0
This was definitely one of the strangest books I've read and I can't say I was prepared for the ride. That being said, I recommend you read it!
Lozada-Oliva does a good job at creating a mystical space where we could bring Selena - and inevitably other pop icons - back to "life". Her sneak disses (and not so subtle jabs) at media consumption / hyper-fanaticism / the Quintanilla family and folks who capitalize on the death of a loved one bring the book together nicely. I can't say I loved every single page because there were parts where I was like ಠ_ಠ what's goin on right now?? BUT there were gems in there that forced self-reflection and would be great to discuss with a friend / in a course / at a book club.
See below for a gem of a verse:
"And who are your friends, do you think?
And do you believe you are loved?
Tell me, is every party you throw
just to see who would show up at your
funeral? I know; you think I'm an extreme.
You think I am an accelerationist.
You think I am imbalanced.
You think I need help.
But please,
tell me the name of the person you woud
die for. Tell me about your precious career.
Tell me about your confessional poetry.
Tell ne about how you've turned everyone
you've ever met into a poem. You can't
immortalize everybody. You can't just bring
people back to life. I killed her, okay.
I killed her just to see myself better. But
what are you doing here,"
Thank you to NetGalley & Astra House for the advanced copy
Lozada-Oliva does a good job at creating a mystical space where we could bring Selena - and inevitably other pop icons - back to "life". Her sneak disses (and not so subtle jabs) at media consumption / hyper-fanaticism / the Quintanilla family and folks who capitalize on the death of a loved one bring the book together nicely. I can't say I loved every single page because there were parts where I was like ಠ_ಠ what's goin on right now?? BUT there were gems in there that forced self-reflection and would be great to discuss with a friend / in a course / at a book club.
See below for a gem of a verse:
"And who are your friends, do you think?
And do you believe you are loved?
Tell me, is every party you throw
just to see who would show up at your
funeral? I know; you think I'm an extreme.
You think I am an accelerationist.
You think I am imbalanced.
You think I need help.
But please,
tell me the name of the person you woud
die for. Tell me about your precious career.
Tell me about your confessional poetry.
Tell ne about how you've turned everyone
you've ever met into a poem. You can't
immortalize everybody. You can't just bring
people back to life. I killed her, okay.
I killed her just to see myself better. But
what are you doing here,"
Thank you to NetGalley & Astra House for the advanced copy
gnomemami's review against another edition
2.0
I understand that this was meant to be experimental but the narrative ended up taking one too many liberties for my liking. Often found myself confused and disliked where the story took it's turns. Almost like the pacing was off.
princessraya's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- 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
4.0
What can I say about this book? I’ve never read a novel in verse, and this was deliciously strange and gruesome and emotional. I didn’t know what was going on most of the time, and yet I didn’t really mind that.