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A review by bciskfb
Gabi, a Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero
1.0
Man i got so much to say.
i was looking for a book that explores the latinx identity in the united states, that wasn't too on the nose or felt super forced.
if you're also looking for that, DO NOT PICK THIS UP!!!
honestly it just felt like this book was trying to check off all the boxes.
pregnant teen mexican? check
gay mexican w/ super unsupportive parents? check
machismo treatment of brother vs sister? check
drug addict dad? check
SA? check
and listen. i know these situations can be very real realities for people. trust me, i know it too well.
but damn it felt so forced. like when shows make the only latin character speak with random spanish words. something like "but john! you know my familia would never approve!! ay no!!" or something.
the protag/narrator is gabi. she is supposed to be a senior in HS but the way it is written you would think she was in middle school.
Gabi is a “gringa” mexican. She is described as lighter skinned, with curly hair and a bigger body.
The whole gringa thing particularly made me google the author. And it kinda seems like a bit of a self insert
I don't have a problem with that, every individual harbors their own unique perspective and I believe it is important to expand beyond your own. And who better to describe your own unique experience than yourself?
Still, it kinda annoyed me as a brown skinned mexican growing up around colorism lol.
the book is written with diary entries- that combined with the very simple writing led me to conclude that this book just was not for me...
i think this book is for grades 8-10 maybe? i am not in HS anymore so i felt a lot of cringe reading this.
but I thought, okay, so this isn't for me; perhaps it's for those who are struggling in a similar manner to those brought up in the book. they would want something like high school to look forward to, and put themselves in. I could possibly see a younger, 13-year-old me reading this with high school and college prospects.
Even with the heavy topics, i think the ages aligning with those of grades 8-10 are the target audience. kids go through heavy things too.
so okay then. fine. ill excuse the writing.
but the rest...
like i said, it felt like it was trying to check of ALLL the boxes. it was trying to be inclusive and diverse, but it just ended up being soooo stereotypical. I swear to god, gabi brought up her love of tacos and other popular mexican foods so often.
Instead of gabi feeling like a real, insecure, little mexican girl trying her best- the overbearing stereotypes on her (and every other character) made gabi feel more like a caricature.
it was confirmed in my head that the author was trying to check off every box when its not that these things cant happen, but that it was not hinted at all beforehand, and felt very thrown in there. just so distasteful.
It was really painful to read this. Out of respect for my friend's recommendation (reconsidering our friendship) I wanted to finish. I am just glad it is over.
Maybe I can save someone else from this ..
i was looking for a book that explores the latinx identity in the united states, that wasn't too on the nose or felt super forced.
if you're also looking for that, DO NOT PICK THIS UP!!!
honestly it just felt like this book was trying to check off all the boxes.
pregnant teen mexican? check
gay mexican w/ super unsupportive parents? check
machismo treatment of brother vs sister? check
drug addict dad? check
SA? check
and listen. i know these situations can be very real realities for people. trust me, i know it too well.
but damn it felt so forced. like when shows make the only latin character speak with random spanish words. something like "but john! you know my familia would never approve!! ay no!!" or something.
the protag/narrator is gabi. she is supposed to be a senior in HS but the way it is written you would think she was in middle school.
Gabi is a “gringa” mexican. She is described as lighter skinned, with curly hair and a bigger body.
The whole gringa thing particularly made me google the author. And it kinda seems like a bit of a self insert
I don't have a problem with that, every individual harbors their own unique perspective and I believe it is important to expand beyond your own. And who better to describe your own unique experience than yourself?
Still, it kinda annoyed me as a brown skinned mexican growing up around colorism lol.
the book is written with diary entries- that combined with the very simple writing led me to conclude that this book just was not for me...
i think this book is for grades 8-10 maybe? i am not in HS anymore so i felt a lot of cringe reading this.
but I thought, okay, so this isn't for me; perhaps it's for those who are struggling in a similar manner to those brought up in the book. they would want something like high school to look forward to, and put themselves in. I could possibly see a younger, 13-year-old me reading this with high school and college prospects.
Even with the heavy topics, i think the ages aligning with those of grades 8-10 are the target audience. kids go through heavy things too.
so okay then. fine. ill excuse the writing.
but the rest...
like i said, it felt like it was trying to check of ALLL the boxes. it was trying to be inclusive and diverse, but it just ended up being soooo stereotypical. I swear to god, gabi brought up her love of tacos and other popular mexican foods so often.
Instead of gabi feeling like a real, insecure, little mexican girl trying her best- the overbearing stereotypes on her (and every other character) made gabi feel more like a caricature.
it was confirmed in my head that the author was trying to check off every box when
Spoiler
candace revealed that she was raped.Spoiler
then gabi went and made it all about her. literally initiated a fight with the abuser...It was really painful to read this. Out of respect for my friend's recommendation (reconsidering our friendship) I wanted to finish. I am just glad it is over.
Maybe I can save someone else from this ..