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samsterrr 's review for:
Gabi, a Girl in Pieces
by Isabel Quintero
3.5 stars. Quintero shows great promise (hence her Morris Award), and I can't wait to see what she does next.
Gabi. Oh, how do you describe Miss Gabriela? She is honest, a bit crude, hysterical, a poet, boy-crazy, compassionate, obsessed with food, in love with her friends, and overall, a joy to read. Gabi has to deal with a LOT of stuff in this book: pregnancy, rape, abortion, addiction, death, sex, fights, suspension, applying to college, dating, and like everything in between. You see, it is her senior year in a small, impoverished town near the border of Mexico. Her mom is pregnant, and incredibly strict toward her girl child (Beto, her brother, just gets off with a "boys will be boys"). Her dad is a drug addict, and is hardly around. Her best friends Cindy (pregnant) and Sebastian (gay) have all kinds of drama of their own. It is literally a wonder how Gabi gets through all of this relatively unscathed.
I think it is because of poetry that she does. Gabi is in a creative writing class, which becomes her catharsis and her strength. Not to mention, the place where she meets quite a few boys :)
My only concern with this book is that parents will probably HATE it. Which is a shame, because I think it is one of the most realistic books I have read. Lots of crap happens, bad crap, but Gabi takes it all in with such strength and grace (even though I think she might argue with me about that).
The poetry, might I add, is a stand out here. Glorious.
RA notes: essentially anything objectionable you can think of is in this book. BUT IT IS HANDLED PERFECTLY AND I WHOLLY SUPPORT IT.
Gabi. Oh, how do you describe Miss Gabriela? She is honest, a bit crude, hysterical, a poet, boy-crazy, compassionate, obsessed with food, in love with her friends, and overall, a joy to read. Gabi has to deal with a LOT of stuff in this book: pregnancy, rape, abortion, addiction, death, sex, fights, suspension, applying to college, dating, and like everything in between. You see, it is her senior year in a small, impoverished town near the border of Mexico. Her mom is pregnant, and incredibly strict toward her girl child (Beto, her brother, just gets off with a "boys will be boys"). Her dad is a drug addict, and is hardly around. Her best friends Cindy (pregnant) and Sebastian (gay) have all kinds of drama of their own. It is literally a wonder how Gabi gets through all of this relatively unscathed.
I think it is because of poetry that she does. Gabi is in a creative writing class, which becomes her catharsis and her strength. Not to mention, the place where she meets quite a few boys :)
My only concern with this book is that parents will probably HATE it. Which is a shame, because I think it is one of the most realistic books I have read. Lots of crap happens, bad crap, but Gabi takes it all in with such strength and grace (even though I think she might argue with me about that).
The poetry, might I add, is a stand out here. Glorious.
RA notes: essentially anything objectionable you can think of is in this book. BUT IT IS HANDLED PERFECTLY AND I WHOLLY SUPPORT IT.