clarissaruthless's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Timely and powerful, and overall a great debut. Occasionally the phrasing seemed a little rough and took me out of it, but the story itself is wonderful. The beliefs and practices observed by Yolanda and her family are treated with respect and reverence. The characters are well developed, their relationships ring true, and the setting comes alive.
Spoiler
I could have done without the inclusion of COVID towards the end - it didn't seem to really affect the plot line and felt like it had been added last minute. The discussion of white supremacy and school shootings is difficult and may hit too close to home for some readers, but it's important to address these issues, especially now, especially with a YA audience who are all too familiar with the threats.Graphic: Gun violence, Death, Pandemic/Epidemic, Racism, Violence, and Hate crime
Moderate: Xenophobia
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
There is a lot that happens in this book, that's packed with a lot of relevant social topics that are worth exploring! At times, though, it felt like a little too much and that the story went on for a little longer than it needed to. I was also a bit thrown off by the incorporation of COVID at the end, and I do wish there would have been a little more warning about that becuase I still think it's too soon.
But I digress! The premise of this book is lovely, even if it wasn't quite as fantasy-esque as I expected. The topics are hard hitting, and it is overall well-written; a different editor might have taken out some of the more unncessary plotlines.
All in all, I really wanted to like this one more than I actually did. But this will definitely be an author to watch in the future!
But I digress! The premise of this book is lovely, even if it wasn't quite as fantasy-esque as I expected. The topics are hard hitting, and it is overall well-written; a different editor might have taken out some of the more unncessary plotlines.
All in all, I really wanted to like this one more than I actually did. But this will definitely be an author to watch in the future!
Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, and Racism
Moderate: Death, Grief, and Violence
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic
lettuce_read's review against another edition
emotional
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Grief, Racism, Gun violence, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic
bookdragon217's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
4.75
"This is a place where an entire race has oppressed and sat above the rest. On this land, the blood-spills always bubble back up to the surface, and instead of cleaning it, the oppressors constantly cover it with cement."
The Making of Yolanda La Bruja by Lorraine Avila was my first read for Caribbean Heritage Month and it was pure perfection. The story focuses on Yolanda, a deaf Afro-Dominican teenager who is coming into her ancestral power while navigating her own anxieties about feeling that a new white student is a possible threat to her school community. She is wise beyond her years and has a heart for her Bronx community and high school made up of mostly Black and Brown students.
I loved Avila's deep exploration of themes of racism, gun violence, mental health, social and restorative justice, activism, spirituality, disability, feminism & misogyny, white supremacy and colorism and anti-blackness in the Caribbean. Her passion for youth shines through and is evident in the way she tells this story through the perspective of Bronx, NYC teenagers. It's authentic, heartfelt, gut wrenching and emotional. It really highlights how racist institutions fail BIPOC students, create anxieties and fears and silences victims. But Avila still finds ways to show teenage joy, laughter, discovering love, friendship and the ways communities of color pull together and heal.
Avila also does a great job of showing how Black women are not believed, especially if they don't conform to societal standards of behavior & spirituality. Avila celebrates Afro-Caribbean spirituality practices & gives validity to their power in helping communities in very real ways. This book would be a powerful tool in the hands of youth because of how it voices how gun violence in suburban schools has bled into the inner city. It's also a nice reminder of how much teachers care but are limited in what they can do for student safety. I'm left pondering how true social justice would look like if the affected communities were allowed to lead these movements, not the rich & politicians motivated by pandering.
Thanks to @levinequerido for the gifted copy. I highly recommend you go grab a copy.
The Making of Yolanda La Bruja by Lorraine Avila was my first read for Caribbean Heritage Month and it was pure perfection. The story focuses on Yolanda, a deaf Afro-Dominican teenager who is coming into her ancestral power while navigating her own anxieties about feeling that a new white student is a possible threat to her school community. She is wise beyond her years and has a heart for her Bronx community and high school made up of mostly Black and Brown students.
I loved Avila's deep exploration of themes of racism, gun violence, mental health, social and restorative justice, activism, spirituality, disability, feminism & misogyny, white supremacy and colorism and anti-blackness in the Caribbean. Her passion for youth shines through and is evident in the way she tells this story through the perspective of Bronx, NYC teenagers. It's authentic, heartfelt, gut wrenching and emotional. It really highlights how racist institutions fail BIPOC students, create anxieties and fears and silences victims. But Avila still finds ways to show teenage joy, laughter, discovering love, friendship and the ways communities of color pull together and heal.
Avila also does a great job of showing how Black women are not believed, especially if they don't conform to societal standards of behavior & spirituality. Avila celebrates Afro-Caribbean spirituality practices & gives validity to their power in helping communities in very real ways. This book would be a powerful tool in the hands of youth because of how it voices how gun violence in suburban schools has bled into the inner city. It's also a nice reminder of how much teachers care but are limited in what they can do for student safety. I'm left pondering how true social justice would look like if the affected communities were allowed to lead these movements, not the rich & politicians motivated by pandering.
Thanks to @levinequerido for the gifted copy. I highly recommend you go grab a copy.
Moderate: Gun violence, Racism, and Death
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