A review by iread2dream
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad

5.0

I remember the first time I read this book, I was undone. This second read was no different. Here is a story that is basically my teenage diary, down to the cucarachas. I mean, obvi not word-for-word (or story-for story?) but the differences between Julia and her parents, Julia trying to be something in a world where "a broke-ass Mexican girl from a crappy neighborhood" isn't given many opportunities and no one bats an eyelid in her direction... How great it feels to be seen. To read myself in this book. To not only relate to, but also know first-hand, the struggles the main character goes through, like navigating through two cultures that are pulling us in different directions while trying to find our way in all the chaos. I loved being in Julia's head. Probably because it was a lot like being in my own head some 20+ years ago. I especially loved the friendships that Julia had, and how even when she didn't agree with a lot of things her friends did, she was able to love them or learned to love them. I loved that she had a teacher in her corner helping her -- nay, pushing her -- to pursue her dreams. How many of us needed that? Could've used that? The ending was fantastic. Not everything is wrapped up in a little bow but Julia has hope and that's more than she had at the beginning of the book.

The best part about this book is seeing myself in it. Oh, what I wouldn't give to have had this book when I was my own version of a broke-ass Mexican girl from a crappy neighborhood in some podunk California town. Here's to all those Mexican girls. I hope this book makes you feel seen and heard, and just know that there are many of us that 'made it out' and you can too. We just don't all write books but Erika wrote a fine one for us and this is our story. Be who you want to be. Who you're meant to be. And do it with pride.
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