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abigailcarol 's review for:
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter
by Erika L. Sánchez
Follow me on Instagram @bookmarkedbya / instagram.com/bookmarkedbya and see the full review at my blog: https://bookmarkedbya.wordpress.com/2019/11/05/i-am-not-your-perfect-mexican-daughter-erika-l-sanchez/
*Thanks to Penguin Random House for sending me a free copy of this book.
The introspective story of the struggles a teen faces when she can't - and doesn't want to - live up to the expectations of her Mexican parents, especially after her upstanding sister dies.
I love Young Adult novels; I love how raw and honest they are, and this one is no exception. The story shares so much about Mexican culture and, very uniquely - I think, melds that with how cultural expectations can have negative effects on those they have been placed upon. Our main character, Julia, finds it impossible to come to terms with what she wants in life and what her parents want for her. This aspect of the novel is so moving, eye-opening, and honest. What I didn't love was the voice Sanchez chose for Julia. She is extremely negative - which I can forgive because she struggles with mental illness - but coupled with surface-level emotional sincerity, I ultimately found the writing lacking. For what it’s worth, I generally enjoy YA writing - I'm fine with a more juvenile voice, but it must also be deeply rooted in emotion. I didn’t quite find that here. That said, this novel is so worth reading and is rich in culture and inclusivity; it sends a wonderful message that so many need to hear. While the writing left me wanting more, I enjoyed Julia's story and how the American and Mexican cultures she knows are at play to mold her hopes and dreams for her life and her relationship with her family.
*Thanks to Penguin Random House for sending me a free copy of this book.
The introspective story of the struggles a teen faces when she can't - and doesn't want to - live up to the expectations of her Mexican parents, especially after her upstanding sister dies.
I love Young Adult novels; I love how raw and honest they are, and this one is no exception. The story shares so much about Mexican culture and, very uniquely - I think, melds that with how cultural expectations can have negative effects on those they have been placed upon. Our main character, Julia, finds it impossible to come to terms with what she wants in life and what her parents want for her. This aspect of the novel is so moving, eye-opening, and honest. What I didn't love was the voice Sanchez chose for Julia. She is extremely negative - which I can forgive because she struggles with mental illness - but coupled with surface-level emotional sincerity, I ultimately found the writing lacking. For what it’s worth, I generally enjoy YA writing - I'm fine with a more juvenile voice, but it must also be deeply rooted in emotion. I didn’t quite find that here. That said, this novel is so worth reading and is rich in culture and inclusivity; it sends a wonderful message that so many need to hear. While the writing left me wanting more, I enjoyed Julia's story and how the American and Mexican cultures she knows are at play to mold her hopes and dreams for her life and her relationship with her family.