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A review by bellatora
The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez
5.0
This was an extremely heartwarming book. It is definitely a middle-grade read, but this is one of those rare ones that don’t bother me with its simplicity. It’s like [b:The Wednesday Wars|556136|The Wednesday Wars|Gary D. Schmidt|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1175775828s/556136.jpg|2586820] in that regard.
I’ve never read a book about Cuba and I never really understood the big kerfuffle about Castro. He’s a dictator, yes, but he’s not like a Mugabe. But now I understand why people fled. I like that Lucia is a very ordinary girl in very extraordinary circumstances and she is able to rise to the occasion. I like that Frankie was so darn adorable and such a little brother. I like the Baxters are kind of that classic farm couple (Mrs. Baxter babbles a lot, Mr. Baxter is a stoic) and are warm-hearted, generous people. I like that Lucia’s new school life revolves around boys and friendship and mean girls and schoolwork and giggling. If this was a different YA, there would be more focus on that, but really that’s just one part of Lucia’s journey.
The book went super quickly and I was never bored or annoyed about the simplicity of the language. The characters aren’t [a:Mary Doria Russell|4007|Mary Doria Russell|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1236919634p2/4007.jpg]-complex but they all felt whole and completely real. And I will admit to tearing up at the end What?!? I’m a marshmallow.
I’ve never read a book about Cuba and I never really understood the big kerfuffle about Castro. He’s a dictator, yes, but he’s not like a Mugabe. But now I understand why people fled. I like that Lucia is a very ordinary girl in very extraordinary circumstances and she is able to rise to the occasion. I like that Frankie was so darn adorable and such a little brother. I like the Baxters are kind of that classic farm couple (Mrs. Baxter babbles a lot, Mr. Baxter is a stoic) and are warm-hearted, generous people. I like that Lucia’s new school life revolves around boys and friendship and mean girls and schoolwork and giggling. If this was a different YA, there would be more focus on that, but really that’s just one part of Lucia’s journey.
The book went super quickly and I was never bored or annoyed about the simplicity of the language. The characters aren’t [a:Mary Doria Russell|4007|Mary Doria Russell|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1236919634p2/4007.jpg]-complex but they all felt whole and completely real. And I will admit to tearing up at the end