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A review by cassidy_rain
Flores and Miss Paula by Melissa Rivero
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
“I hadn't considered the most fundamental factor in any plan: life happens.“
Flores and Miss Paula is a slow-paced, character driven novel that follows mother and daughter as they navigate life after the passing of their father/husband. It switches back and forth between both Flores and Paula’s perspectives.
I don’t typically read literary fiction, so do take this review with a grain of salt! Unfortunately I found the pacing to be really slow and I was quite bored from start to end. As much as I wanted to, I did not find myself invested in any of the characters.
I loved all the references to their Peruvian culture. That said, there’s lots of spanish words and phrases scattered throughout. I loved what this added to the story, however as someone who doesn’t speak spanish it was confusing at times. There was not always enough context to understand what the phrases/words meant in english and for the most part they were never translated. I found myself translating so I could better understand, but that eventually became cumbersome. If you can speak spanish then you’ll probably love this aspect!
I think the conversations and feelings about grief were so raw and relatable. Paula’s POV was really interesting to read; the way that she talks about and describes Flores as “you” in her perspective feels really personal and the reader is able to put themself right in her shoes. It’s a perfect example of “show, not tell” writing. I also loved that we got to see Flores and Paula on their own healing and transformative journeys. Though, Flores’ work storyline felt a bit dragged out and I had the hardest time keeping track of her different coworkers. The side stories were much more interesting than the main storyline and those were barely explored.
Overall, too slow for my taste, but if you like the genre it may still be a good fit for you!
Flores and Miss Paula is a slow-paced, character driven novel that follows mother and daughter as they navigate life after the passing of their father/husband. It switches back and forth between both Flores and Paula’s perspectives.
I don’t typically read literary fiction, so do take this review with a grain of salt! Unfortunately I found the pacing to be really slow and I was quite bored from start to end. As much as I wanted to, I did not find myself invested in any of the characters.
I loved all the references to their Peruvian culture. That said, there’s lots of spanish words and phrases scattered throughout. I loved what this added to the story, however as someone who doesn’t speak spanish it was confusing at times. There was not always enough context to understand what the phrases/words meant in english and for the most part they were never translated. I found myself translating so I could better understand, but that eventually became cumbersome. If you can speak spanish then you’ll probably love this aspect!
I think the conversations and feelings about grief were so raw and relatable. Paula’s POV was really interesting to read; the way that she talks about and describes Flores as “you” in her perspective feels really personal and the reader is able to put themself right in her shoes. It’s a perfect example of “show, not tell” writing. I also loved that we got to see Flores and Paula on their own healing and transformative journeys. Though, Flores’ work storyline felt a bit dragged out and I had the hardest time keeping track of her different coworkers. The side stories were much more interesting than the main storyline and those were barely explored.
Overall, too slow for my taste, but if you like the genre it may still be a good fit for you!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Death of parent