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A review by craesreads
The Things We Didn't Know by Elba Iris Pérez
4.0
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This isn’t a book I’d generally pick up since I’m a romance girl but thought I’d give it a shot since it was gifted to me. It definitely ended up surprising me in the best way!
* If you’re Puerto Rican, an immigrant, grew up poor, or moved around a lot growing up, this book is for you! None of those options resonate with me &yet I loved this book. I think a major privilege of reading books is getting to experience things you never have or ever would. This book gave me that &taught me many things.
* First off I wanted to strangle Andrea &Pablo’s mother. How dare she take them away from the only place they know &treat them the way she did.
* Second, bless their father! He wasn’t perfect by any means but he truly loved those kids &tried his best to give them &the rest of the people around him, the life they deserved.
* Third, thank goodness for truly beautiful people, inside &out. Cecilia Martínez (Titi Machi), aunt Caridid, &cousin Socorro. Who knows where those 2 kids would be if it weren’t for those amazing humans being there for them!
* There were many challenges faced throughout the story. Things like language barriers, poverty, discrimination, assault, mental health issue, growing up earlier than planned &many more. I learned a lot through these things being represented.
* This book made me laugh, made me cry, angry, confused, disappointed, &even relieved. This wasn’t just a fiction story for me &I really hope you give it a chance! The audio was fantastic too so I would really recommend it either way.
Themes:
* LGBTQI+
* Toxic mother
* Coming of age
* Family difficulties
* Mental health representation
* If you’re Puerto Rican, an immigrant, grew up poor, or moved around a lot growing up, this book is for you! None of those options resonate with me &yet I loved this book. I think a major privilege of reading books is getting to experience things you never have or ever would. This book gave me that &taught me many things.
* First off I wanted to strangle Andrea &Pablo’s mother. How dare she take them away from the only place they know &treat them the way she did.
* Second, bless their father! He wasn’t perfect by any means but he truly loved those kids &tried his best to give them &the rest of the people around him, the life they deserved.
* Third, thank goodness for truly beautiful people, inside &out. Cecilia Martínez (Titi Machi), aunt Caridid, &cousin Socorro. Who knows where those 2 kids would be if it weren’t for those amazing humans being there for them!
* There were many challenges faced throughout the story. Things like language barriers, poverty, discrimination, assault, mental health issue, growing up earlier than planned &many more. I learned a lot through these things being represented.
* This book made me laugh, made me cry, angry, confused, disappointed, &even relieved. This wasn’t just a fiction story for me &I really hope you give it a chance! The audio was fantastic too so I would really recommend it either way.
Themes:
* LGBTQI+
* Toxic mother
* Coming of age
* Family difficulties
* Mental health representation