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A review by readerkt2
Sing Her Down by Ivy Pochoda
3.0
I have entirely mixed feelings on this book. I really don't like violent action based books. But I love character driven books. This was both. However, this was a unique character driven book, entirely lacking motivational causes for the main characters' actions. All of it is a mystery. Why Dios is after Florida to make her into what she thinks she is is unclear. With the exception of classism. Dios was a charity case for mucky mucks of upper-class guilt driven funding. Florida was the daughter of those mucky mucks. Was she trying to turn her into what she wasn't?
Florida had major issues with her parents, but they were not really spelled out for the reader. Right girl feeling ignored? Rich girl feeling like she was pushed into mature situations far earlier than ready? This was a make up your own theory kinda vibe. But we found out the most about her.
Lobos was a domestic violence survivor and had issues of her own to work through.
That all being said, none of these characters' actions were explained. This was a narrative demonstration of their anger and rage and undealt with hurt. This is the theme and is mostly reiterated by Lobos' internal soliloquy. Women hold rage, and more often than not, it remains internalized. All of the violence perpetrated is equally implemented on women from Dios' side and men from Florida. There is one exception from each. There is only one explained murder and that is Florida's exception. And to be honest, Dios is such a mystery that I thought the author was going to present her at the end as an internal voice egging Florida on to violence. But that was not the case. The ending was unexpected but lacking in my opinion for a true black and white ending. The whole story was so unexplained and lacking motivation that I thought the ending would be a clear wrap-up to explain all the characters. I was wrong. Hence, why I am feeling mixed emotions here.
As a long-time reader, I know the author owes us nothing as a reader. But I feel if you are going to give us a third-person character driven story, at least give us an explanation. I feel disappointed but also still trying to figure out the puzzle. The fact that I'm still thinking about it is why I gave it 3 stars.
Florida had major issues with her parents, but they were not really spelled out for the reader. Right girl feeling ignored? Rich girl feeling like she was pushed into mature situations far earlier than ready? This was a make up your own theory kinda vibe. But we found out the most about her.
Lobos was a domestic violence survivor and had issues of her own to work through.
That all being said, none of these characters' actions were explained. This was a narrative demonstration of their anger and rage and undealt with hurt. This is the theme and is mostly reiterated by Lobos' internal soliloquy. Women hold rage, and more often than not, it remains internalized. All of the violence perpetrated is equally implemented on women from Dios' side and men from Florida. There is one exception from each. There is only one explained murder and that is Florida's exception. And to be honest, Dios is such a mystery that I thought the author was going to present her at the end as an internal voice egging Florida on to violence. But that was not the case. The ending was unexpected but lacking in my opinion for a true black and white ending. The whole story was so unexplained and lacking motivation that I thought the ending would be a clear wrap-up to explain all the characters. I was wrong. Hence, why I am feeling mixed emotions here.
As a long-time reader, I know the author owes us nothing as a reader. But I feel if you are going to give us a third-person character driven story, at least give us an explanation. I feel disappointed but also still trying to figure out the puzzle. The fact that I'm still thinking about it is why I gave it 3 stars.