A review by shronlee
How the García Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.25

This book was a banger in the 90s, but I can't imagine it would be received well now in the post-woke era. First, there are several mentions of fair-skinned conquistador pride which is.... ok. And the plot entirely focuses on a rich family in DR and their lavish lifestyles. The servant girls are treated as afterthoughts. Ignorant country girls or, in the case of the Haitians, backwards.

Idk, the book kinda gave me the ick. I feel there was no meaningful exploration of the Latin American identity, and mental health breakdowns are used more as a cheap plot tool