kpop_reads's review against another edition
4.0
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2017 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge: A book about an immigrant or refugee
2017 Book Riot Read Harder Challenge: Read a book by an immigrant or with a central immigration narrative.
2017 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge: A book about an immigrant or refugee
2017 Book Riot Read Harder Challenge: Read a book by an immigrant or with a central immigration narrative.
rebelqueen's review against another edition
4.0
Overall story is great. I felt that some of the POVs were not necessary and I really wanted a Maribel POV. The ending was gut wrenching.
smj322's review against another edition
3.0
This book mostly enraptured me because it was set in the place where I grew up. The author does a good job of referencing specific places, so for anyone very familiar with that area of Delaware, it's easy to visualize exactly what she's talking about. If we take away the setting for my own sentimental purposes, the weaker parts of the novel were the more simplistic wording and the cliche sentences which characters would utter every once in a while.
I also had trouble with the chapters switching characters. Henriquez would switch between two main characters throughout the novel, and then intermittently switch to another character who lived in the same apartment complex, but these were usually very short chapters. They were placed appropriately to the context of the events of the novel, but it made me want to hear more from them. Just my personal opinion. I think the book could have done without these little blurbs from the neighbors. I would also add that there is a tragedy at the end, and it just seems to come on too quickly and without detail. I thought this part could have been strengthened.
I do think this is a solid novel for students to read, though, and it reminded me of the struggles immigrants face, particularly where I grew up. This work may be fiction, but it is not a lie. Growing up in Delaware, I mostly ignored the experiences of immigrants in my vicinity. During high school, I lived in front of a mulch company which primarily employed immigrants from Central America. They often stayed after work to listen to music together from their cars and dance in the parking lot. On the one hand, I was in high school, and shy, but on the other hand, I realized I never took the time to ask them how they were doing, where they were from, and if they felt welcomed - and this book reminded me of how important it can be to just ask, or to wish someone well.
I also had trouble with the chapters switching characters. Henriquez would switch between two main characters throughout the novel, and then intermittently switch to another character who lived in the same apartment complex, but these were usually very short chapters. They were placed appropriately to the context of the events of the novel, but it made me want to hear more from them. Just my personal opinion. I think the book could have done without these little blurbs from the neighbors. I would also add that there is a tragedy at the end, and it just seems to come on too quickly and without detail. I thought this part could have been strengthened.
I do think this is a solid novel for students to read, though, and it reminded me of the struggles immigrants face, particularly where I grew up. This work may be fiction, but it is not a lie. Growing up in Delaware, I mostly ignored the experiences of immigrants in my vicinity. During high school, I lived in front of a mulch company which primarily employed immigrants from Central America. They often stayed after work to listen to music together from their cars and dance in the parking lot. On the one hand, I was in high school, and shy, but on the other hand, I realized I never took the time to ask them how they were doing, where they were from, and if they felt welcomed - and this book reminded me of how important it can be to just ask, or to wish someone well.
ndgrad98's review against another edition
5.0
Fabulous book. The author paints a multicolor picture of a group of Latin American immigrants who live in the same apartment building in Delaware. She depicts the everyday struggles they deal with coming to a new country and personifies the nameless, faceless “unknown Americans”; she forces us to see them as human beings who are just like us “natives”.
I live blocks from apartments that house people just like these characters. And Latin food markets. And Western Union stations. I see the women waiting for the school bus to drop off their kids. I see the men waiting at the bus stop on the corner across from my neighborhood to go to their jobs. This book has opened my eyes a bit more and I know I’ll think about these folks differently the next time I drive through.
I live blocks from apartments that house people just like these characters. And Latin food markets. And Western Union stations. I see the women waiting for the school bus to drop off their kids. I see the men waiting at the bus stop on the corner across from my neighborhood to go to their jobs. This book has opened my eyes a bit more and I know I’ll think about these folks differently the next time I drive through.
jsledz's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
chrysfaith's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
lavenderbehindherear's review against another edition
3.0
This book is like a Latina Jodi Picoult novel. Better than a regular Jodi Picoult novel, but still akin to it
delaneybull's review against another edition
5.0
This was so sad but I loved it. I loved the different chapters from residents in the apartment building, and I liked how it didn't show the US as the most amazing place in the world, and didn't make it seem like life is automatically better there. It blended the reality of having to leave a place you love because of its political, infrastructure, whatever issues and seeing the US as the sole option for finding opportunity rather than romanticizing the US as "The American Dream" or whatever. I really enjoyed it.
faith_hirschi's review against another edition
4.0
I liked the vignettes from all the people in the apartment complex. I am not sure about the relationship but it does make you ponder about the intersection of not just ethnicity and class but disability.