katiepope86 's review for:

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

4.0

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I picked this book up as part of Hispanic Heritage Month and expected an easy-read YA. Spending a few years living with a partner from Mexico, getting to know his family, spending time with our friends, and speaking Spanish in the home, I was looking forward to hearing from some familiar voices. While an entire culture cannot be depicted in one family dynamic, of course, I did hear those voices, and I loved it. At times, I felt a vague sense of home that felt really heartwarming.

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter's main character Julia is angsty and confrontational - really not an enjoyable personality, at times. Her circumstances though - an overbearing, manipulative, anxious mother, an absent father, and the pressure of a "perfect" sister - give her reason to be. I was surprised when the book took emotional turns, and felt deeply for Julia as she grappled for some form of identity; searched for her own voice. The way her mother suffocated her with attempts to control, yet called it "love" and "worry" were intensely believable, and the book tackles several other heavy topics in a meaningful way.

I also really enjoyed the interactions between Julia and her sarcastic, feisty best friend Lorena, especially on the audiobook version.

This book was more than first met the eye.