danaaliyalevinson's review against another edition
emotional
funny
fast-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
4.0
I liked this one a lot. A teenage Colombian immigrant moves to Miami with her mentally ill mother and alcoholic grandmother and has her queer awakening while volunteering at the local evangelical church... as one does.
For what sounds like it could be a super heavy story, the book is written in first person and the voice of the main character is sardonic and whip smart the whole way through. Also, as some other reviews note, the narrators voice is written in some pretty unapologetic Spanglish. I don’t speak a word of Spanish, and I had no problem getting through the text. So if you’re not a Spanish speaker, don’t be daunted by that fact! It’s still very much accessible to non Spanish speakers.
My only criticism is sometimes it was more alienating than it needed to be in moments where I really wanted to sit in the emotionality of a moment. But a fun snappy read nonetheless!
My only criticism is sometimes it was more alienating than it needed to be in moments where I really wanted to sit in the emotionality of a moment. But a fun snappy read nonetheless!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Alcoholism, Classism, Body shaming, Homophobia, Mental illness, and Sexual content
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