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A review by _askthebookbug
With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
5.0
| Book Review | With The Fire On High.
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"People say that you're stuck with the family you're born into. And for most people, that's probably true. But we all make choices about people. Who we want to hold close, who we want to remain in our lives, and who we are just fine without"- Elizabeth Acevedo.
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I am so glad I read this book at a time I needed it the most. My previous book was quite heavy and heartbreaking, which put me in a dreary mood for couple of days. This was my very first book by Elizabeth and I absolutely loved it. So much so that I immediately messaged @melodramaticbookworm to discuss about how special this book was. And I know for sure that this will not be my last book by her. Compared to other complex books that I read, this one was very easy. I breezed through it in a day and felt happier when it ended. Even though this is a work of fiction, it does manage to imbibe few morsels of truth and morality into the minds of readers. With The Fire On High is a book of values and there's not a single flaw in it.
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Emoni is a seventeen year old Afro-Latina who lives with her Abuela (grandmother) in Philadelphia. Emoni's life is not the same as other teenagers because she has a high-school to attend, job at a burger joint and a daughter to tend to. Yet, she has no complaints about her busy life. She manages to juggle all the three quite well in addition to whipping up delicious dishes at home. People know for a fact that Emoni's hands hold magic for they are transported back to their memories by just tasting her food. People forget about their present and drift happily into reliving a memory that's dear to them. Emoni's dream is to own a restaurant but she knows it's impossible because she is not rich. Being brought up by her Abuela, Emoni is a fierce and strong lady and takes everything in her stride. Ever since Emma's arrival, her entire world begins to revolve around her daughter and she promises to offer her the best life.
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When a culinary arts class is added to her syllabus, she's ecstatic and slowly makes an impression on the Chef. She curates different dishes adding a touch of her own and when she goes on a class trip to Spain, she realises that there are so many things for her to learn from. Having stayed away from boys after getting pregnant and breaking up with the father of the baby, she finds solace in a new transfer student, Malachi. Emoni feels like a woman even at just seventeen for the amount of hardships and sacrifices she had to make for having Emma. This novel focuses on relationships: especially motherhood. It was heartwarming to read many beautiful instances when Emoni describes Emma. Her own relationship with her father is written sensibly.
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I was thrilled to see girls empowering girls in this novel. About how important it is to have a girlfriend who's there to hold your hand and raise your spirits when one's desolate. Female friendships are so important and this book shows why. There are a lot of things that one can take away from this book. To never stop chasing something that your heart desires, to never lose faith, to trust and finally to just let go. A wonderful read and I'd recommend it to everyone.
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Rating - 5/5
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"People say that you're stuck with the family you're born into. And for most people, that's probably true. But we all make choices about people. Who we want to hold close, who we want to remain in our lives, and who we are just fine without"- Elizabeth Acevedo.
•
I am so glad I read this book at a time I needed it the most. My previous book was quite heavy and heartbreaking, which put me in a dreary mood for couple of days. This was my very first book by Elizabeth and I absolutely loved it. So much so that I immediately messaged @melodramaticbookworm to discuss about how special this book was. And I know for sure that this will not be my last book by her. Compared to other complex books that I read, this one was very easy. I breezed through it in a day and felt happier when it ended. Even though this is a work of fiction, it does manage to imbibe few morsels of truth and morality into the minds of readers. With The Fire On High is a book of values and there's not a single flaw in it.
•
Emoni is a seventeen year old Afro-Latina who lives with her Abuela (grandmother) in Philadelphia. Emoni's life is not the same as other teenagers because she has a high-school to attend, job at a burger joint and a daughter to tend to. Yet, she has no complaints about her busy life. She manages to juggle all the three quite well in addition to whipping up delicious dishes at home. People know for a fact that Emoni's hands hold magic for they are transported back to their memories by just tasting her food. People forget about their present and drift happily into reliving a memory that's dear to them. Emoni's dream is to own a restaurant but she knows it's impossible because she is not rich. Being brought up by her Abuela, Emoni is a fierce and strong lady and takes everything in her stride. Ever since Emma's arrival, her entire world begins to revolve around her daughter and she promises to offer her the best life.
•
When a culinary arts class is added to her syllabus, she's ecstatic and slowly makes an impression on the Chef. She curates different dishes adding a touch of her own and when she goes on a class trip to Spain, she realises that there are so many things for her to learn from. Having stayed away from boys after getting pregnant and breaking up with the father of the baby, she finds solace in a new transfer student, Malachi. Emoni feels like a woman even at just seventeen for the amount of hardships and sacrifices she had to make for having Emma. This novel focuses on relationships: especially motherhood. It was heartwarming to read many beautiful instances when Emoni describes Emma. Her own relationship with her father is written sensibly.
•
I was thrilled to see girls empowering girls in this novel. About how important it is to have a girlfriend who's there to hold your hand and raise your spirits when one's desolate. Female friendships are so important and this book shows why. There are a lot of things that one can take away from this book. To never stop chasing something that your heart desires, to never lose faith, to trust and finally to just let go. A wonderful read and I'd recommend it to everyone.
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Rating - 5/5