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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Death, Pandemic/Epidemic, Racism, Violence, and Hate crime
Moderate: Xenophobia
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