A review by katreadstoomanybooks
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

This was really close to a 5 star read for me, but the formatting could have been better.  Sentences seemed to run on or end abruptly.  Maybe it was because I was reading the ebook?  I would also have liked to have a glossary for non-Spanish speakers.  I relied on my high school Spanish at times, since there were quite a few parts that remained untranslated.  It might be difficult for readers who have no foundation in Spanish.

Still, this is a beautiful novel written in verse from two perspectives.  Acevedo adds another layer by basing it on real events, modeled after flight AA587, which crashed 2 months after 9/11, on route from NYC to DR.  Sadly, this tragedy didn’t get a lot of press, in the wake of 9/11.  Many passengers on the plane were Dominican.  Before reading this book, when I imagined white people clapping when a plane lands (a common joke).  Now, I will always think of the Dominican Republic and the relief you feel when you return “home.”  It’s Acevedo’s love letter to DR.
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