A review by theoverbookedbibliophile
Oye by Melissa Mogollon

emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.25

 
Oye by Melissa Mogollon is an incredibly moving and immensely enjoyable coming-of-age story told through the voice of a Florida Columbian-American teenager as she navigates hurricanes, dysfunctional family dynamics the imminent loss of a loved one and much more over her senior year in high school.

Luciana has a lot on her plate. As if her senior year in high school and concerns over her own plans for the future isn’t stressful enough, her mother’s reaction to her coming out deters her from being open about her sexuality and when her seventy-five-year-old Abue Emilia is diagnosed with a terminal illness, she struggles to hold her family together. Initially a reluctant confidante to her Abue, who knows exactly which buttons to push to get her own way, Luciana gets know significant facts from her family history gaining a better understanding of the women in her family and the generational trauma that has been passed down to the present day and how that impacts her as not only a member of the family but as individual on the cusp of adulthood.

The narrative, told through a series of mostly one-sided phone conversations, follows Luciana as she shares her frustrations, aspirations and revelations with her sister Mari, who is away at college and whom she misses dearly. Luciana is an endearing protagonist, and I was invested in her journey. The author captures her angst, insecurities and confusion and inner conflict perfectly. Abue is an interesting ( to put it mildly!) character and I loved how the author depicts her as a strong-willed woman who chooses to live life on her own terms. The author deftly incorporates Abue’s family history into the storyline, depicting how secrets and suppressed trauma can affect family members across generations and how openness, communication and sharing one's stories can help heal emotional wounds and fractured relationships.

The format took a while to get accustomed to, but once I did, I flew through this novel. I did feel, given the format, that the novel could have been shorter, but this did not impact my overall reading experience. With not a boring moment, at times laugh-out-loud funny yet insightful and deeply thought-provoking, this is an exceptionally well-written novel and a promising debut. I look forward to reading more from the author in the future.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Random House for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.