itsjustcam 's review for:

Like Happiness by Ursula Villarreal-Moura

4.0

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This is a poetically written story of a young Chicana woman who is keenly aware of the white spaces she occupies. The vast majority of the book involves her wresting herself from what is ultimately a predatory relationship with a much older cis het man. The author deftly describes the relationship from the protagonist’s point of view, altering her perception slowly over the course of the book, as she ages. She gradually realizes just how much she was manipulated. The bisexual protagonist has clearly landed on her feet and has a female partner. Bisexual people who may or may not have relationships with both sexes will see themselves in this story. It’s rare to find a bisexual story where that fact is not fetishized or demonized; it’s just another trait that she possesses. While I do wish the story of how she came to be with her partner was explained, I am still thinking about this book long after I finished it, which says to me that others would like it, too.