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A review by chainingbooks
This Is the Year by Gloria Muñoz
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This book is a fantastic reminder of how we may never be able to find the answers to solve everything around us, but by doing what we can for others it can lead us to great change.
In "This Is The Year" we follow 17 year old Juli as she grapples grief, climate change, and the uncertainty of what comes next. The story feels as though we're reading directly from Juli's diary, most entries being streams of consciousness with some poems mixed in throughout. I really thought that this style of writing really gave the reader the opportunity to sit with Juli's feelings. Although it has been quite a while since I've been 17, I could relate to the anxieties that this main character was experiencing.
What I absolutely adored about this story was the way hope was expressed. In a lot of ways, especially in a dystopian future greatly impacted by global warming, it is hard to see how small actions can lead to a brighter tomorrow. However, we are shown glimpses of how kind acts and community around Juli helped her better understand her place in the world. It's a message that I wish I was able to get at a much younger age. I know I will definitely be carrying it with me in the current political state of the U.S.
As much as I appreciated the way the story was told, I almost wish it was either just diary entries or it was written as more novel-in-verse. There were times while I was reading where I felt like I was invested in Juli's latest updates but the addition of a poem would take me into a different state of mind completely. Not that the poems weren't all beautiful, but I know I have to change the way I read and analyze a poem (likely more of a me problem than anything else haha). On the other hand, some sections of the story had back-to-back poems that I felt like it would have drawn me fully in if written as novel-in-verse.
Despite that, I would definitely recommend this to others and I plan to look into the author's other works.
In "This Is The Year" we follow 17 year old Juli as she grapples grief, climate change, and the uncertainty of what comes next. The story feels as though we're reading directly from Juli's diary, most entries being streams of consciousness with some poems mixed in throughout. I really thought that this style of writing really gave the reader the opportunity to sit with Juli's feelings. Although it has been quite a while since I've been 17, I could relate to the anxieties that this main character was experiencing.
What I absolutely adored about this story was the way hope was expressed. In a lot of ways, especially in a dystopian future greatly impacted by global warming, it is hard to see how small actions can lead to a brighter tomorrow. However, we are shown glimpses of how kind acts and community around Juli helped her better understand her place in the world. It's a message that I wish I was able to get at a much younger age. I know I will definitely be carrying it with me in the current political state of the U.S.
As much as I appreciated the way the story was told, I almost wish it was either just diary entries or it was written as more novel-in-verse. There were times while I was reading where I felt like I was invested in Juli's latest updates but the addition of a poem would take me into a different state of mind completely. Not that the poems weren't all beautiful, but I know I have to change the way I read and analyze a poem (likely more of a me problem than anything else haha). On the other hand, some sections of the story had back-to-back poems that I felt like it would have drawn me fully in if written as novel-in-verse.
Despite that, I would definitely recommend this to others and I plan to look into the author's other works.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Animal death, Death, and Classism
Minor: Medical content, Kidnapping, and Car accident