A review by ali1311
Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo

emotional reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

This book was very intimate and Elizabeth Acevedo has a formidable way with words. That said, this story fell a bit flat for me, which I was disappointed by. I loved all the characters and even though there were a lot of people to remember and perspectives, I liked knowing about each of them. However, the narrative felt a bit disjointed and I only figured out the narrative style about halfway through the book. I would read a full book about any of these characters, and while that’s praise for Acevedo’s ability to create background in a person’s story, it also means it felt like it wasn’t diving into anyone’s one perspective as deeply as it could’ve. The end was bittersweet but somewhat predictable and there were certain times I felt like I was just being inundated with information that wasn’t contributing to the story as much as I would’ve enjoyed. Overall, it was a worthy read and the themes and characters were handled with care and a poetic intimacy that rivals no one, but I wanted a bit more out of the story as a whole.
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