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A review by johannawithbooks
What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez by Claire Jiménez
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
This has been one of my most surprising reads of the year, it was nothing like what I expected it to be. The debut novel is unique, captivating, and an ode for all the girls of color who go missing.
The story follows a Puerto Rican family in Staten Island still grappling after the disappearance of Ruthy Ramirez twelve years ago. One day Ruthy, the middle sister, doesn’t return home after track practice and a family is left to grief without answers, move forward with no direction, and live. Claire Jimenez gives us a microscope into the lives of those impacted when one of our girls is taken and we exist in a system to designed to fail them.
One night, sisters Jessica and Nina see a woman on a messy reality tv show that they believe could be Ruthy. When their mother, Dolores finds out about their suspicions, she insists on going with them on a road trip to find this possible Ruthy. From the outside, it must look like the Ramirez women should be okay and have been able to move in. Oldest sister Jessica has her own family, but is holding on to secrets that haunt her. Nina, the youngest graduates college, but grew up in the shadow of a missing sister. Their mother, Dolores, has found a community in church, but no real place to hold her grief.
In the juxtaposing stories of the women in the book, from the Ramirez family to friends to reality tv stars, we see how women are judged for their survival but not the system that puts them in danger every day. This is a call for the resources and support to respond to childhood survivors of abuse, to take the missing lives of black and brown girls seriously, and to remember that survival is complex and can many times look messy.
What Happened To Ruthy Ramírez is a character driven story on the themes of sisterhood, generational trauma, survival, guilt, resentment, and family love.
The story follows a Puerto Rican family in Staten Island still grappling after the disappearance of Ruthy Ramirez twelve years ago. One day Ruthy, the middle sister, doesn’t return home after track practice and a family is left to grief without answers, move forward with no direction, and live. Claire Jimenez gives us a microscope into the lives of those impacted when one of our girls is taken and we exist in a system to designed to fail them.
One night, sisters Jessica and Nina see a woman on a messy reality tv show that they believe could be Ruthy. When their mother, Dolores finds out about their suspicions, she insists on going with them on a road trip to find this possible Ruthy. From the outside, it must look like the Ramirez women should be okay and have been able to move in. Oldest sister Jessica has her own family, but is holding on to secrets that haunt her. Nina, the youngest graduates college, but grew up in the shadow of a missing sister. Their mother, Dolores, has found a community in church, but no real place to hold her grief.
In the juxtaposing stories of the women in the book, from the Ramirez family to friends to reality tv stars, we see how women are judged for their survival but not the system that puts them in danger every day. This is a call for the resources and support to respond to childhood survivors of abuse, to take the missing lives of black and brown girls seriously, and to remember that survival is complex and can many times look messy.
What Happened To Ruthy Ramírez is a character driven story on the themes of sisterhood, generational trauma, survival, guilt, resentment, and family love.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Kidnapping and Grief