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A review by laurenbookishtwins
With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
5.0
I received an eARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you kindly to HarperTeen for my review copy.
With The Fire on High follows Emoni, an Afro-latina teen mom with a passion for food and cooking. The kitchen is the one place that she can let go of her responsibilities, adding something magical to everything she does. With her abuela and her young daughter to support, Emoni feels like her dreams of working in a real kitchen is an impossible feat. Yet despite the tough decisions, once she starts cooking Emoni knows she only has one choice ahead of her: to realize her dreams.
Elizabeth Acevedo has done it again. I was blown away by The Poet X, Acevedo’s novel in verse released last year, so it comes as no surprise to me that I adored everything about With The Fire on High. This review with probably not do this book justice because you can feel the passion and the love poured into these pages and my writing talents are definitely too subpar to adequately express how much I loved this book. But I’ll try.
First of all, let’s talk about Emoni, our protagonist. She is a kind, passionate, and talented protagonist and her narration is beautiful. At the heart of With The Fire on High is motherhood. And it is done masterfully. The love Emoni has for her daughter is one of my favourite aspects of the book. It doesn’t shy away from the fact that she has a tough road ahead of her, but it also doesn’t shame her for being a teen mother. It shows that motherhood does not mean you have give up on your dreams, and that forging a career path does not make you a bad mother. It is such a positive message for teen mothers. You have a responsibility to your child, but also to yourself.
“I’m not ashamed of my baby. I’m not ashamed I had a baby. I’m not ashamed I’m a mother."
Another central theme in this book is family. Family is so important to Emoni, and she has a strong support system surrounding her. She has her abuela who not only raised her, but has helped raise her daughter too. Her ex-boyfriend and father of her child, Tyrone, who is a steady presence in his daughters life. Emoni has her best friend Angelica, and a budding romance with Malachi, a new boy in town. No one judges her for being a teen mother, and she has nothing but unwavering support from those closest to her.
“There’s so much I want for her that sometimes I think the seams of my skin aren’t enough to contain every hope I have.”
Food is obviously such a huge part of the book too. It’s split into four sections, and at the start of each, it features a recipe that will have your mouth watering for a taste. I am an absolutely terrible cook, so I could never make anything as good as what Emoni made, but I loved reading about it. Reading how passionate she was, and how many hopes and dreams she had for her future, was such a heart-warming experience.
Overall, With The Fire on High is filled with so much passion, family, and love. If you haven’t read anything by Elizabeth Acevedo yet you’re missing out.
With The Fire on High follows Emoni, an Afro-latina teen mom with a passion for food and cooking. The kitchen is the one place that she can let go of her responsibilities, adding something magical to everything she does. With her abuela and her young daughter to support, Emoni feels like her dreams of working in a real kitchen is an impossible feat. Yet despite the tough decisions, once she starts cooking Emoni knows she only has one choice ahead of her: to realize her dreams.
Elizabeth Acevedo has done it again. I was blown away by The Poet X, Acevedo’s novel in verse released last year, so it comes as no surprise to me that I adored everything about With The Fire on High. This review with probably not do this book justice because you can feel the passion and the love poured into these pages and my writing talents are definitely too subpar to adequately express how much I loved this book. But I’ll try.
First of all, let’s talk about Emoni, our protagonist. She is a kind, passionate, and talented protagonist and her narration is beautiful. At the heart of With The Fire on High is motherhood. And it is done masterfully. The love Emoni has for her daughter is one of my favourite aspects of the book. It doesn’t shy away from the fact that she has a tough road ahead of her, but it also doesn’t shame her for being a teen mother. It shows that motherhood does not mean you have give up on your dreams, and that forging a career path does not make you a bad mother. It is such a positive message for teen mothers. You have a responsibility to your child, but also to yourself.
“I’m not ashamed of my baby. I’m not ashamed I had a baby. I’m not ashamed I’m a mother."
Another central theme in this book is family. Family is so important to Emoni, and she has a strong support system surrounding her. She has her abuela who not only raised her, but has helped raise her daughter too. Her ex-boyfriend and father of her child, Tyrone, who is a steady presence in his daughters life. Emoni has her best friend Angelica, and a budding romance with Malachi, a new boy in town. No one judges her for being a teen mother, and she has nothing but unwavering support from those closest to her.
“There’s so much I want for her that sometimes I think the seams of my skin aren’t enough to contain every hope I have.”
Food is obviously such a huge part of the book too. It’s split into four sections, and at the start of each, it features a recipe that will have your mouth watering for a taste. I am an absolutely terrible cook, so I could never make anything as good as what Emoni made, but I loved reading about it. Reading how passionate she was, and how many hopes and dreams she had for her future, was such a heart-warming experience.
Overall, With The Fire on High is filled with so much passion, family, and love. If you haven’t read anything by Elizabeth Acevedo yet you’re missing out.