Reviews

The Neapolitan Sisters by Margo Candela

Only show reviews with written explanations

booknena's review

2.0

Not for me at all but I pushed myself to finish in hopes that the story would get better, spoiler: it doesn’t. The sisters are unlikable and very immature, and the parents even more so. The characters lacked depth and just perpetuate the “spicy Latina” narrative. The book hints at the reasoning behind the immaturity and bad attitudes but then just leaves you hanging by not explaining more if the back story. The sisters end up just as they started, and there is no big moral or lesson here. Also the fat phobia and pretty privilege left a very bad taste in my mouth. Very disappointing, I shouldn’t of finished it.

librosdenopal's review

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

the neapolitan sisters is a powerful story of what it takes to confront your past and having the courage to break generational curses. it’s especially a powerful read for latinas because our culture has this terrible habit of sweeping so many things under layers of fucked up rugs and dismissing vile people and places and things out of tradition or straight up twisted misogyny.

when you grow up in a dysfunctional family with very little control, your biggest goal can become escape. the thing is, most times all the terrible things you’re trying to escape kind of follow you, either as haunted memories or as painful coping mechanisms created for survival. this is what Claudia, Dooley and Maritza Bernal learn in The Neapolitan Sisters. i love that the journey is acceptance and finding the courage to face up to things that haunt them vs digging into the why or heavy exposition on their parent’s history. i also just loved the main characters–even the slightly psychotic, whiney prima donna lol. they’re funny and distinctively bad ass bitches.

cassi0507's review against another edition

Go to review page

1.0

I don’t even know what it was I read. That’s how bad this book was. It doesn’t even deserve a review.

shavon713's review

Go to review page

3.0

Solid. As everyone knows I love a book with alternating points of view. We assumed the sisters would be one way but the writing was perfect to gradually release more and more into why they were the way they were. I didn’t hate any sister but I was annoyed by the parents . Coming together to have the baby sister Maritza, we got a chance to see them as individuals and in the roles they play in family. It was realistic and didn’t paint them as perfect people . I wished some of the bigger plots were revealed earlier only to know more about how they went. Overall…3/5.

christinavarela's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

Audiobook. I was not ready for this book to end, I want the Bernal sisters to have their happily ever after. You get a hint that it’s coming, but I want to read about it. There is a darker storyline that I was not expecting. Read with caution.