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bookishevy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I've been too busy to sit down with the physical book, so I took advantage of the free audiobook. I'm glad I did because Marisol Ramirez did her thing with the narration.
When Isla Larsen Sanchez’s father dies, her life unravels. Her mother starts drinking, and instead of comforting Isla at home in New Jersey, leaves her in Puerto Rico with her grandmother and great-aunt every summer.
Isla's grandmother, a great storyteller, passes away, when Isla is 18 and she soon discovers she inherited a gift from her family’s cuentistas: she has visions of dead family storytellers, their lives replaying over and over again. Isla is, at first, excited about having this connection to the Sanchez cuentistas. This changes when she has a vision of an old murder and realizes that she must solve this murder mystery because with every loop, she comes closer to losing her own life.
Isla feels more at home in PR than NJ. She's an outsider at school, and although she feels responsible for her mother, she begins to look forward to her yearly respite. But the more time she spends with her family, the more it becomes apparent how classist and colorist they are.
Her great-grandfather was proud of his Spaniard heritage and passed his conservative views onto his children. This is a rich family that doesn’t mingle with the working class, and Isla must check her own classism/colorism if she is to pursue a relationship on the island.
Like a lot of big families, the Sanchez’s have drama and secrets. (I can relate 🙃) Someone else has "the gift" but isn't talking. Isla must rely on the ghosts of storytellers to lead her to the truth. If she can figure out what led to her great-grandfather's death, her life won't be the only one she saves.
The appearance of someone recently deceased in Isla's vision paints a broader picture of a loved one who was there when the Sanchez patriarch died. How were they involved? The reveal is stunning.
This family saga turned out to be the ghost story mystery I needed to kick off the Halloween season. Ramirez's portrayal gives the reader a sense of Isla's frustration and fear whenever a vision takes shape.
I recommend.
When Isla Larsen Sanchez’s father dies, her life unravels. Her mother starts drinking, and instead of comforting Isla at home in New Jersey, leaves her in Puerto Rico with her grandmother and great-aunt every summer.
Isla's grandmother, a great storyteller, passes away, when Isla is 18 and she soon discovers she inherited a gift from her family’s cuentistas: she has visions of dead family storytellers, their lives replaying over and over again. Isla is, at first, excited about having this connection to the Sanchez cuentistas. This changes when she has a vision of an old murder and realizes that she must solve this murder mystery because with every loop, she comes closer to losing her own life.
Isla feels more at home in PR than NJ. She's an outsider at school, and although she feels responsible for her mother, she begins to look forward to her yearly respite. But the more time she spends with her family, the more it becomes apparent how classist and colorist they are.
Her great-grandfather was proud of his Spaniard heritage and passed his conservative views onto his children. This is a rich family that doesn’t mingle with the working class, and Isla must check her own classism/colorism if she is to pursue a relationship on the island.
Like a lot of big families, the Sanchez’s have drama and secrets. (I can relate 🙃) Someone else has "the gift" but isn't talking. Isla must rely on the ghosts of storytellers to lead her to the truth. If she can figure out what led to her great-grandfather's death, her life won't be the only one she saves.
The appearance of someone recently deceased in Isla's vision paints a broader picture of a loved one who was there when the Sanchez patriarch died. How were they involved? The reveal is stunning.
This family saga turned out to be the ghost story mystery I needed to kick off the Halloween season. Ramirez's portrayal gives the reader a sense of Isla's frustration and fear whenever a vision takes shape.
I recommend.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Racism, Murder, and Classism
sagittariusreads_'s review against another edition
it's not the book it's me part 293993728
breadandmushrooms's review
emotional
mysterious
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
3.5
heather_renae's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Death of parent
bookish_calirican's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
corriejn's review against another edition
4.0
A girl living in New Jersey spends every summer in Puerto Rico with her mother's family-- a mother who is struggling with alcohol addiction, and so her daughter increasingly has to take care of herself (and her mom) when at home. Starts when the MC is a child, but most of the story takes place during the summers of her teen years, when after the death of an elderly relative she begins learning more about family secrets in an unexpected way.
An enjoyable read with multiple nuanced characters, though I didn't find the family-mysteries aspects to be especially engaging-- I didn't find I was dying to learn the answers.
An enjoyable read with multiple nuanced characters, though I didn't find the family-mysteries aspects to be especially engaging-- I didn't find I was dying to learn the answers.
adanisan's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Racism