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thisboricuareader 's review for:
Love of My Lives
by Yamile Saied Méndez
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
I’ll start off this review by saying I am Puerto Rican. Born, raised, wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. Obviously because of this I’m gonna be nit picky of some information. I love this Island. I love the people and I will protect at all cost.
To me this book needed maybe more than one person that lived in Puerto Rico to confirm research done by the author. A lot of the information feels like historical info dumping and some ideas of the story would've worked in different parts of the island. I will state that my living experience in Puerto Rico will not the same as other Puerto Rican in the island, but still these are all my thoughts and opinion about this book.
I’m only 25% in and I feel like it's becoming too much. I'll do the big things first and then smaller ones at the end.
First thing that made me feel extremely uncomfortable was when Mariela (the taxi driver or Uber) is telling them about old San Juan and says “don’t go there cause that is a caserio” then talks about la Perla and how you shouldn’t go in there unless you’re invited because it dangerous. The whole thing made me uncomfortable because it keeps adding negative connotations to these area. Caserios are apartment building subsidized by the government for people with love income. Like many of us know these kind of places have been given bad reputations through the years, but just because you live there doesn't mean you're a drug dealer or part of a gang. These are negative ideas of these places and the author by saying that adds to it. I’m not saying la Perla is safe for outsiders, just respect the people that live there, don’t film while being there and you’re good.
Secondly, in one chapter Madi talks about how there are no beaches in Old San Juan only el Paseo de la princesa which is a beach that mostly functions as wave breaker for the for all over the old city. I have seen people in this beach by way of where the old bridge used to be in boats or by jumping the rocks. The next chapter its night already and Madi talks about meeting up with friends to see the bonfire in the beaches and she's still in Old San Juan. Like one minute there are no beaches and the next there are magic beaches with bonfires on them? If the bonfires were so important to the story, Madi and her friend could've stayed in another part of San Juan that is close to Old San Juan and literary has beaches right next to it. You could'v used Condado, Isla Verde or even use the Caribe Hilton Hotel and it has a private beach and a beach right next to it.
The whole Noche de San Juan thing, cause they even dip into the beach that is not a beach in old San Juan, is just weird to me. I really feel she could've picked another night like las fiesta de San Sebastián or going to la placate to dance Salsa in the street. You can go can go and hang out a night in old San Juan everyday, but like Saturday night is the night that actual locals go to hang out there.
Thirdly, the whole cell reception thing not working in old San Juan drives me up a wall. Cell service on metro area is not bad. It gets bad when you're in the mountain or areas that were affected by Hurricane Maria. I kind of wanted to brush it off to something paranormal that it's destiny and that's why her phone doesn't work, but you had to have JR say "This happens on the island all the time, Nothing to be alarmed over". Maybe deeper in the island but not in Old San Juan.
Fourth, the book feels very much like an info dump of information about the island and the struggles Puerto Rican's face every day from people who have been on the island for less than 5 years (Not judging). If you're gonna have a character that talks about the damages after Hurricane Maria, maybe make it someone that was in the island during Maria not someone who came to the island to "help" out the economy. Plus have this same person, that's been on the island for 3 years talks bad about la Ley 22. The info dump is taking more of a focus than the actual relationship or romance.
Fifth, if you're gonna go to a Bioluminescent bay in Puerto Rico... VIEQUEZ! (they closed it during after Maria to protect it) but Viequez has the brightest Bioluminescent bay in the world. I'm done. I promise. (JK I have 13% left)
I finished. Finally. This book to me felt more like a romance story with the island than an actual romance. Very insta love and I just didn't see the connection between the characters. She is kind if naive and I don't know. I just didn't like it.
Felt like the story needed at least someone that lives in Puerto Rico to like add or remove some things cause you're experience in Puerto Rico is not the same one as me, someone who actually lives on the island. Maybe I expected to much for a story that is set in Puerto Rico.
Little things that bothered me, airport is in Carolina not San Juan. It’s “buen provecho” not “provecho”, I've never heard el hotel el Convento called Casa Grande Hotel.
To me this book needed maybe more than one person that lived in Puerto Rico to confirm research done by the author. A lot of the information feels like historical info dumping and some ideas of the story would've worked in different parts of the island. I will state that my living experience in Puerto Rico will not the same as other Puerto Rican in the island, but still these are all my thoughts and opinion about this book.
I’m only 25% in and I feel like it's becoming too much. I'll do the big things first and then smaller ones at the end.
First thing that made me feel extremely uncomfortable was when Mariela (the taxi driver or Uber) is telling them about old San Juan and says “don’t go there cause that is a caserio” then talks about la Perla and how you shouldn’t go in there unless you’re invited because it dangerous. The whole thing made me uncomfortable because it keeps adding negative connotations to these area. Caserios are apartment building subsidized by the government for people with love income. Like many of us know these kind of places have been given bad reputations through the years, but just because you live there doesn't mean you're a drug dealer or part of a gang. These are negative ideas of these places and the author by saying that adds to it. I’m not saying la Perla is safe for outsiders, just respect the people that live there, don’t film while being there and you’re good.
Secondly, in one chapter Madi talks about how there are no beaches in Old San Juan only el Paseo de la princesa which is a beach that mostly functions as wave breaker for the for all over the old city. I have seen people in this beach by way of where the old bridge used to be in boats or by jumping the rocks. The next chapter its night already and Madi talks about meeting up with friends to see the bonfire in the beaches and she's still in Old San Juan. Like one minute there are no beaches and the next there are magic beaches with bonfires on them? If the bonfires were so important to the story, Madi and her friend could've stayed in another part of San Juan that is close to Old San Juan and literary has beaches right next to it. You could'v used Condado, Isla Verde or even use the Caribe Hilton Hotel and it has a private beach and a beach right next to it.
The whole Noche de San Juan thing, cause they even dip into the beach that is not a beach in old San Juan, is just weird to me. I really feel she could've picked another night like las fiesta de San Sebastián or going to la placate to dance Salsa in the street. You can go can go and hang out a night in old San Juan everyday, but like Saturday night is the night that actual locals go to hang out there.
Thirdly, the whole cell reception thing not working in old San Juan drives me up a wall. Cell service on metro area is not bad. It gets bad when you're in the mountain or areas that were affected by Hurricane Maria. I kind of wanted to brush it off to something paranormal that it's destiny and that's why her phone doesn't work, but you had to have JR say "This happens on the island all the time, Nothing to be alarmed over". Maybe deeper in the island but not in Old San Juan.
Fourth, the book feels very much like an info dump of information about the island and the struggles Puerto Rican's face every day from people who have been on the island for less than 5 years (Not judging). If you're gonna have a character that talks about the damages after Hurricane Maria, maybe make it someone that was in the island during Maria not someone who came to the island to "help" out the economy. Plus have this same person, that's been on the island for 3 years talks bad about la Ley 22. The info dump is taking more of a focus than the actual relationship or romance.
Fifth, if you're gonna go to a Bioluminescent bay in Puerto Rico... VIEQUEZ! (they closed it during after Maria to protect it) but Viequez has the brightest Bioluminescent bay in the world. I'm done. I promise. (JK I have 13% left)
I finished. Finally. This book to me felt more like a romance story with the island than an actual romance. Very insta love and I just didn't see the connection between the characters. She is kind if naive and I don't know. I just didn't like it.
Felt like the story needed at least someone that lives in Puerto Rico to like add or remove some things cause you're experience in Puerto Rico is not the same one as me, someone who actually lives on the island. Maybe I expected to much for a story that is set in Puerto Rico.
Little things that bothered me, airport is in Carolina not San Juan. It’s “buen provecho” not “provecho”, I've never heard el hotel el Convento called Casa Grande Hotel.