Reviews with content warning for Suicide - I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter

Despite the story being about finding out about Olga’s secret I felt unsatisfied at the end. I would’ve wanted Julia to tell her parents about Olga’s affair as well as her pregnancy but I understood why she did it. The book was great showing the struggles a female Latina faces within her community (speaking from experience) but I couldn’t get past how obnoxious Julia is. She found every and any excuse to criticize people including but not limited to her own DECEASED sister which I understand being 16 and constantly being compared to someone you would expect your parent to prefer them over you, but it got annoying that despite the things Olga did for Julia when they were kids Julia didn’t care because of how tainted Olga’s image become all because of Julia’s mother. She tried to be there for her sister and all Julia did was push her away I’m not surprised why Angie push Julia away when Julia started snooping into Olga’s business.

I would’ve wished Julia apologized to her sister as the main reason why her family got reunited was because of the grief Julia felt after Olga’s death but it’s whatever. In my opinion the author wrapped up Olga’s story too quickly and sometimes talked about finding Olga’s secret. I would’ve loved to see Julia grow and realize why people did the things they did as well but instead she did what she wanted with a more open mind which I can’t judge that much. I also wished that they talked more about what had occurred in the border with Amá and Apá so it can help Julia understand why her parents are like that same with knowing why Apá stopped drawing to show Julia that not everyone can follow their dreams instead of him just saying it and moving on.

And I also found Julia to be a hypocrite as she has mentioned that she hates when people keep secrets yet is keeping a major secret from her family which I know it’s not her secret to tell but I would’ve wanted to know something about my own kid if it was a secret this big. But that’s besides the point. Julia is just judgmental but cries when people give her the same energy. For someone who is so “smart” she sometimes acts stupid I have to facepalm for example when Lorena told her that she is such a judgmental person that she wishes she can just calm down but instead Julia started to cry despite Julia calling Lorena names as well.

Overall I liked the book but that was really it. I loved the references to Mexico/Mexican culture and I would’ve loved if Julia appreciated it more.

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patricia99's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful sad 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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vickyrich's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced

3.75

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titan_reads's review against another edition

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challenging emotional sad medium-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

3.5

The timeline was hard to follow and the pacing felt off. Most of the characters didn't stand out in any particular way aside from the trauma they were experiencing(abusive parents, death of parents, struggles with self identity etc.) and I wish there had been time to get into some of the supporting characters.

I had the expectation that the sisters death would be explored more or maybe there would be redemption for the main character and her parents as they learned to navigate their relationship in a healthy way, but I didn't feel that I got either of those things. It's possible that was the authors intention, but the ending just felt a bit sudden without many of the strings wrapped up.

That being said, I liked how the author portrayed grief and complex family dynamics. I personally didn't love the book, but think it was a decent coming of age story. Solid for YA fiction, but I honestly just wanted a bit more.

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