A review by lawbooks600
Shine On, Luz Véliz! by Rebecca Balcárcel

emotional reflective 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

4.0

Representation: Biracial (half Latina and half white,) Latino/a characters and a character with autism
Score: Seven out of ten.

Shine On, Luz Véliz by Rebecca Balcárcel is everything In The Key of Code isn't. Surprisingly, this is only the second book I've read featuring a young protagonist who programs, and this one circled my recommendations until I saw it on a library display shelf and picked it up. When I closed the final page, it was enjoyable.

Did I mention this one got me out of a streak of okay or disappointing books? It starts with Luz Véliz having to stop playing soccer for a while after she injured her knee in the opening pages. She has to find something new to do after that, so she takes on programming (or coding as she calls it) for the first time. I liked many aspects, so I'm unsure where to start, but I'll try, first, I liked the theme of redefining yourself and the message that people can change. I enjoyed reading the characters, especially Luz, since Balcárcel put in the extra effort by developing her character. I appreciated that and the support networks she has. Shine On, Luz Véliz has a subplot where Luz discovers she has a half sister, Solana, adding intrigue and another layer of development, but I would've liked to see more of the side character with autism briefly mentioned for a few pages.

The pacing was engaging enough, with a length of less than 300 pages without being too overwhelming. Unlike In the Key of Code, this novel took time familiarising me with the two ways of programming used, one language on an old Apple computer and another called Scratch (I've heard of that before.) It feels realistic since there is no unfamiliar programming languages or ones that would be too complex to understand for a person aged similarly to Luz, like Java. On the contrary, there are some Spanish phrases. I don't understand Spanish, but adding a glossary would've helped and the conclusion involving a programming competition was worth the wait as I get to see Luz doing what she is most passionate about. Wow.
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