kaneebli's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-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
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual assault, Hate crime, and Death of parent
Minor: Vomit, Rape, and Incest
reebeee's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
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? Yes
4.0
A moving, devastating narrative of Latinx immigrants' complex relationships with the United States and each other. I especially enjoyed the inclusion of chapters from the POV of minor side characters, explaining why they immigrated and what their personal history and outlook on life is; it added an extra layer of vibrancy to the community in the apartments and drove home the message that immigrants aren't a monolith or just a category of public policy, but people with their own stories and motivations.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Stalking, Racism, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Ableism, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, and Injury/Injury detail
carolinefaireymeese's review
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
4.5
Henriquez lets us (as readers) know exactly what she is doing, where she is going, from the start, and that transparency invites her readers to trust her to ferry us through. Alma and Mayor, her two central characters, circle each other, joined by their love of Maribel (Alma's 16-year-old daughter with minor brain damage from an accident a year ago, and Mayor's new neighbor in Delaware), are divided by the nature of that love. Alma feels protective love for her, but cannot see past her own memories of the girl that Maribel used to be; Mayor loves her for who she is, which Alma finds dangerous, and her husband finds disturbing. Henriquez subtly builds tension, performing sleight-of-hand with Alma's concern for her husband's job, her English lessons, her worry about the boy (Garrett) she saw trying to assault Maribel early in their days there, climbing to a well-earned and painful climax.
Throughout, Henriquez lends equal weight to various voices from the building, a conglomerate of immigrants (new and old) from Hispanic countries in South and Central America. There is no central line of messaging from all of them--some feel completely at home, some feel anger towards the racism they still experience, some have been able to thrive and flourish in their dreams in America, others have been run down and beaten by this country that was supposed to provide new life. The point is to know them, and to listen to the myriad of voices, to treat each story as important and worthwhile.
Another note: Henriquez is brilliant at portraying the voice of a teenager here. Often, work that takes teenagers' seriously is relegated to YA, but Henriquez treats Alma and Mayor with equal interest in their worldviews. One truly feels the righteous anger of a teenager, the rush of early love, the secrets and misunderstandings and fear of parents' power again when inhabiting Mayor's perspective.
Throughout, Henriquez lends equal weight to various voices from the building, a conglomerate of immigrants (new and old) from Hispanic countries in South and Central America. There is no central line of messaging from all of them--some feel completely at home, some feel anger towards the racism they still experience, some have been able to thrive and flourish in their dreams in America, others have been run down and beaten by this country that was supposed to provide new life. The point is to know them, and to listen to the myriad of voices, to treat each story as important and worthwhile.
Another note: Henriquez is brilliant at portraying the voice of a teenager here. Often, work that takes teenagers' seriously is relegated to YA, but Henriquez treats Alma and Mayor with equal interest in their worldviews. One truly feels the righteous anger of a teenager, the rush of early love, the secrets and misunderstandings and fear of parents' power again when inhabiting Mayor's perspective.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence and Hate crime
Minor: Sexual assault
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