Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez

120 reviews

casandra_lovealwaysbooks's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse and Terminal illness

Moderate: Racism, Grief, Death of parent, and Colonisation

anarmandameg's review against another edition

dark sad fast-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Colonisation

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, and Outing

streberkatze's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This was one of my favorite books this year so far. The author brilliantly weaves together the story of her protagonists, told from different perspectives, with Puerto Rican history and U. S. politics. This is also a great read for readers who enjoy a strong sense of place, especially in New York City. Brooklyn really comes alive in this book. And the audiobook version, recorded by three amazing Puerto Rican voice actors, makes the story even more immersive and contributes to the already amazing character development. The resolution

felt a little too neat for my taste

, but this was such a minor issue at the very end of a great read, it didn't really matter to me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Racism, Death of parent, Outing, and Abandonment

Moderate: Rape and Colonisation

Minor: Religious bigotry and Pregnancy

kwolfie's review against another edition

emotional informative slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I feel horrible for NOT liking this book, but I also don't want to lie about my opinion. As a white woman, I would never claim to understand the Puerto Rican people's experience, and to be completely honest before this book I didn't know much about anything going on in Puerto Rico. I did learn a TON from this book, but I feel like I could've learned more from a non fiction book without the half baked story shoved into this book. I'm a fiction reader, and I really struggled with keeping my attention on this book and often found myself rereading sections over and over again, especially when there was congressman politics involved. I feel like there can absolutely be an intersection between fiction and learning (take True Biz for example, which I loved) but this just didn't hit that mark for me. It was just generally an incredibly boring story. One thing I did enjoy though was the examination of intersectionality between minority cultures/ethnicities and things like mental illness, HIV/AIDS, and being a woman. I'm a psych major and love anything mental health, but these characters going to therapy would've prevented a good 80% of this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Violence

lalita_d's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Abandonment, and Colonisation

Minor: Sexual assault

lindsaybethlyons's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I absolutely loved this book. I read it in one day. If I were still teaching high school, I would definitely use this as an ELA/Social Studies unit. Rich with information and a compelling story told beautifully through multiple perspectives. Wow. This is one of the best books I’ve read this year. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Racism, Death of parent, Abandonment, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Minor: Racial slurs and Suicide

alaina's review against another edition

challenging funny reflective 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Homophobia, Racism, Rape, Xenophobia, and Grief

jennipea382's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad tense 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Moderate: Addiction, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infertility, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Outing, Cultural appropriation, and Colonisation

aliciae08's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

I really wanted to like Olga Dies Dreaming, and there were so many things about the novel that I did find compelling. 

Olga Dies Dreaming follows wedding planner extraordinaire and her brother Prietro, a Congressman who is being blackmailed. Both siblings are navigating the world all the while receiving letters from a very absent, revolutionary mother who physically disappeared from their lives when they were still children. Her abandonment coupled with their father’s addiction and later death shape them into these adults who are hyper-fixated on money and being likable. Eventually, in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, they see that revolution is possible and may be able to help. 

Like I said, it’s a compelling storyline. I really liked how the novel presents the relationship between the siblings, as well as the relationship they each have with the rest of their family. I felt like it was very relatable. 

I also really liked how the author took her time in explaining things that I, as an American, should’ve learned in school about Puerto Rico and the diaspora and how policy has made Puerto Rico a poorer country despite it’s rich cultural heritage. I liked that there was a sense of hope that Puerto Rico could throw off the colonizer. I also liked the diversity of characters and how their skin was described reflecting that Puerto Ricans are all different shades.

What I didn’t like was the cast of main characters. They all suck and are somewhat problematic. Matteo was written as so likable and then suddenly wealthy that I felt it was like the author was trying too hard for us to find something redeemable about Olga…because if Matteo likes her, we should too. 

I didn’t like Dick—I know we aren’t meant to like him but we didn’t need to be subjected to a whole rape scene. The reality that this happens to people like Olga (intelligent, Ivy educated and access to money) isn’t beyond the realm of possibility but I didn’t like reading it. 

I also didn’t like how rushed the ending was. We spend so much time with the characters in the buildup and then it’s just a quick rundown with a potential revolution taking place that we don’t fully get to witness. It was jarring. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Rape

sha's review against another edition

challenging 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Racism, Rape, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Abortion, Outing, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Colonisation, and Classism