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A review by ngreader
No Filter and Other Lies by Crystal Maldonado
2.0
Okay.
So, this book is not a book I would've read if it wasn't for the fact that I had to for another project. Mainly because it's full of tropes I hate - the biggest being lying. I appreciate the end and how Kat has to take a lot of consequences because of her (massive) mistake and that it wasn't downplayed nor was it treated as something that was okay.
HOWEVER, Kat was not a great character. The constant joke about Kat *kat*fishing was not cool nor did it seem like she was actually learning something. The way that she jerked around her friend Hani as she tried to figure out whether she wanted to be friends or wanted to date him was not cool. The way Luis treated Kat - calling her out for not being Pueto Rican enough because she didn't speak Spanish or that she was "too white" for liking dogs was VERY not cool. Also the way Luis treated Kat just in general - - NOT at all cool.
The friendships - specifically Kat and Luis - seemed more toxic than anything. While there were some redeeming factors behind this book - exploration of family, the exploration of lying on social media and the effects of lying on relationships - were great, overall, it did not redeem this book. Kat was called out as being very self-focused and I would agree with that assessment. To the end, she remained very self-centered and while I think this book has some great exploration for teenagers (helping them learn about the dangers of lying on social media to allow them to see long-term consequences without actually having to live it), I don't plan on recommending it anytime soon.
So, this book is not a book I would've read if it wasn't for the fact that I had to for another project. Mainly because it's full of tropes I hate - the biggest being lying. I appreciate the end and how Kat has to take a lot of consequences because of her (massive) mistake and that it wasn't downplayed nor was it treated as something that was okay.
HOWEVER, Kat was not a great character. The constant joke about Kat *kat*fishing was not cool nor did it seem like she was actually learning something. The way that she jerked around her friend Hani as she tried to figure out whether she wanted to be friends or wanted to date him was not cool. The way Luis treated Kat - calling her out for not being Pueto Rican enough because she didn't speak Spanish or that she was "too white" for liking dogs was VERY not cool. Also the way Luis treated Kat just in general -
Spoiler
acting as if her coming out as bi made her "cool"The friendships - specifically Kat and Luis - seemed more toxic than anything. While there were some redeeming factors behind this book - exploration of family, the exploration of lying on social media and the effects of lying on relationships - were great, overall, it did not redeem this book. Kat was called out as being very self-focused and I would agree with that assessment. To the end, she remained very self-centered and while I think this book has some great exploration for teenagers (helping them learn about the dangers of lying on social media to allow them to see long-term consequences without actually having to live it), I don't plan on recommending it anytime soon.