Scan barcode
bluesapphiremoon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Racism and Classism
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Suicide
m_artyna's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Rape and Suicide
camilleberedjick's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Rape, Suicide, and War
haleyshort's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The story itself was stellar. I can’t remember the last contemporary fiction book I’ve read with as much depth and humanity. Every character is flawed and beautiful and complete, with so much growth and vulnerability. I so appreciated the multifaceted political perspective, which has such a difficult balance to strike. I feel so grateful to have been lost in this story for the past week, Olga’s life and challenges and growth shortening my commutes and forcing me to consider the deeper impacts of the pain of colonization and imperialism. Of course I am drawing parallels to the colonial genocide that is happening as we speak, and taking inspiration from the very flawed but incredibly honorable revolutionaries that live through this story. Pallante.
Graphic: Homophobia, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, and Abandonment
Moderate: Rape
drbookishbiologist's review against another edition
4.0
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Rape, Suicide, Abortion, and Death of parent
Minor: Drug use
ceciliabereadin's review against another edition
Graphic: Suicide
khaleesimod93's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This book is as emotionally charged as they come. I love Olga and her brother, Prieto. They are both such complex characters who are so alike and yet so different. Olga is the one I truly connected with. She is so successful, well they both are, yet there is something missing. It shows that you can have everything and still not be fully satisfied. There were so many themes tackled in the story. It made for a complex and sometimes overwhelming reading experience. Regardless of the complexities, I truly enjoyed the book. I felt how angry and hurt and frustrated Olga was. Pietro pulled at the heart strings just as much. Their struggles as people jumped off the page. But not only their individual struggles, but the racism and stereotypes perpetrated by society because of their culture. It hurt, but it's so accurate. My only issue with the book was the back and forth between time frames and characters. It made it really hard to keep up with the story. But, I did get used to it. I just wish it hadn't been such a struggle.
Moderate: Drug use and Suicide
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
mattyvreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Here are some things that I think that the author does quite well:
> Has a meaningful and nuanced dialogue about parental neglect, emotional abuse, and exploitation, in an otherwise less-than-subtle story.
> Centers gay people and women.
> Was genuinely exciting in parts.
> Has moments of emotionality and tenderness.
> Has a beautiful book cover. The best I’ve seen all year.
Okay, that’s about it.
Honestly, once I suspended disbelief, I enjoyed a lot of the story, particularly the middle third which was really successful for me. The characters themselves are very intriguing, and the plot kept me guessing. I thoroughly enjoyed a lot of it. Other times, it was a chore to turn the page.
Here are things about the book I don’t care for:
> The dialogue and actions of the characters is ultra-stylized and over-the-top. That style didn’t really click for me.
> I found all the characters vaguely annoying. All of them.
> Some of the talking points in the book felt entirely unfinished, unearned, or even sometimes, disrespectful. (Many made contextual sense! These moments were really successful: a thorough discussion of closeted homosexuality and the pressures of a Catholic upbringing. Emotional abuse and neglect. The problematicism of white social justice warriors. Colorism. A denouncement of “elevating” foreign food. Talking about the lack of mainland aid from America in the wake of Hurricane Irma and Maria. That was all fascinating and so successful.) The talking points which felt unearned or disrespectful: random invocation of unrelated national tragedies and genocide. A quick and unresolved discussion of sexual assault. Seemingly, a few misguided jabs at the leftist youth of America?
The author would sometimes make actual critique, but I often wondered what point the author was trying to make, or if there was a point with those latter topics. Mostly it felt that the author was almost saying something, and then chose not to. Saying a lot, but saying nothing —
Olga briefly mentions that she refuses to think about the incident as it would “make her a victim.” As if people who are survivors of sexual assault are somehow inferior? Or just the way that they respond to it makes them somehow inferior? Hmm… It’s a deeply troubling sentiment.
When she reveals this news to her boyfriend, the author had the chance to say something in that moment. Instead he responds with some unimpressive remark, and then proceeds to scold her about other elements of their relationship! And that’s the last we hear of it!! Like….? I just don’t get it.
And one could make the argument that sometimes people don’t know what to say, and maybe this is the realistic response for that character, but the rest of the book doesn’t have realistic dialogue! Why should we just settle for this right before the “happily ever after”?
Oh also, at one point, the protagonist randomly sh!ts on sex workers, and there’s another part where her niece corrects her brother to say “queer” instead of “gay”. Those moments gave me slight pause. It does center a gay character, but the text oozed heterosexuality in a way that was confusing and disinteresting to me.
Overall, I liked parts of the book, but would probably not read it again.
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Suicide, and Abandonment
Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Outing, and Colonisation
khakipantsofsex's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Drug abuse, Homophobia, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Suicide
Minor: Cancer and Death of parent
astoriareader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.5
- Olga & Pedro (“Pierto”) Acevedo are siblings, who were born & raised in Brooklyn. Olga is a wedding planner for rich folks, and Pierto is a Congressman. They are in their 40s.
- Both siblings are smart, savvy, educated, and Puerto Rican.
- Their father died when they were young, and their mother abandoned them prior to their dad’s death. Their mother is an estranged radical, who is fighting for the liberation of Puerto Rico.
- When Hurricane Maria hits, many issues come up for the siblings.
- I wanted to like this novel, as it nice to see Puerto Rican representation in literature, but this fell flat for me. Although, clearly, I am an outlier with the rave reviews.
- There were too many plots going on at once.
- The writing style felt very juvenile, YA to me.
- I didn’t find the two main characters very likable. I also didn’t like how the author portrayed them.
- I didn’t find being closeted in NYC in 2017 to be very believable.
- Some of the characters felt like caricatures & not realistic.
- I appreciated a lot of points made about colonization & Puerto Rico, but I felt the author wasn’t clear where she actually landed. The “radical” group of revolutionaries are vilified throughout the book, and government intervention is equally criticized. It makes it unclear what route people should support.
Graphic: Abandonment and Colonisation
Moderate: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Minor: Abortion