pandacat42's review
5.0
***I received an advanced copy of this book through Edelweiss for an honest review***
The main character goes through a lot in this story. She copes through the imagination she inherited from her mother. She watches out for her younger sister as she grieves the deaths of her mother and another sister she once had. She deals with her father abandoning her and her sister with their mean stepmother. This is a multicultural story where compassion runs deeper than language. I love how it is told and how Sol matures throughout the story. I love most of all that she stands up for herself and her sister.
The main character goes through a lot in this story. She copes through the imagination she inherited from her mother. She watches out for her younger sister as she grieves the deaths of her mother and another sister she once had. She deals with her father abandoning her and her sister with their mean stepmother. This is a multicultural story where compassion runs deeper than language. I love how it is told and how Sol matures throughout the story. I love most of all that she stands up for herself and her sister.
blakehalsey's review
5.0
Gah, I loved this book so much. A heartbreaking tale of sisters and dashed hopes, this book still manages to feel hopeful. It's real and messy and so, so inspiring. Highly recommend.
internationalkris's review
3.0
Land of Forgotten Girls follows the story of two sisters, Soledad and Ming, who have immigrated to the US from the Philippines with their father and Vea, their step-mother. The girl’s father soon returns to Cebu but Vea keeps the kids with her along with the child support checks. Soledad is a tough kid and she creates the best life that she can for herself and her younger sister with the support of her good friend Manny and a few of the neighbors in the building. It’s no easy thing though as Mind suffers from Vea’s verbal abuse and often detaches herself from reality in order to cope with a very unhappy situation. Overall this is a story of strong bonds between siblings and the slow magic of community. (Recommended for 4th grade and up)
marmoset737's review
4.0
A sometimes sad but very honest and touching story about two sisters coping with neglect and how friendship and imagination can lend some lightness to hard times.
jenlabrador's review
4.0
Four star young adult book. Characters and setting have depth without being too heavy. Author touches on heavy subjects of emotional neglect, guilt, and coming of age in a light but effective way. Excellent job of showing rather than telling. I really liked Sol with her depth and complexity as well as her straightforward and honest heart.
sc104906's review
4.0
After Sol's mother and younger sister died, her family moved from the Philippines to Louisiana. As they were leaving, her father married Vea, your stereotypical evil stepmother. Vea is mean and abusive. Things only become worse when Sol's father abandons her and her younger sister Ming with Vea. Ming and Sol are two halves of a whole, where Sol is outspoken, Ming is quiet. It is their relationship that keeps them thriving.
As summer approaches many new prospects appear, Ming asks Sol and her best friend, Manny, to build her a tree house. Sol and Manny were making fun of the wealthy prep school children, especially Caroline, an albino child. After Sol hurts Carolina, she takes it on herself to apologize and become friends with Caroline. Ming writes to their (possibly fictitious) Auntie Jove, in hopes that she will rescue the sisters before the end of summer.
The writing and the stories were beautiful. At first, Sol behaved terribly that I didn't want to like her, but I just couldn't help it. However, as the story progressed you got to see the true character of Sol and understand the core of why she was likeable. I truly enjoyed the characters and the story. I liked how Sol took ownership of her own actions, on her own without guidance. She is a strong wonderful character.
As summer approaches many new prospects appear, Ming asks Sol and her best friend, Manny, to build her a tree house. Sol and Manny were making fun of the wealthy prep school children, especially Caroline, an albino child. After Sol hurts Carolina, she takes it on herself to apologize and become friends with Caroline. Ming writes to their (possibly fictitious) Auntie Jove, in hopes that she will rescue the sisters before the end of summer.
The writing and the stories were beautiful. At first, Sol behaved terribly that I didn't want to like her, but I just couldn't help it. However, as the story progressed you got to see the true character of Sol and understand the core of why she was likeable. I truly enjoyed the characters and the story. I liked how Sol took ownership of her own actions, on her own without guidance. She is a strong wonderful character.
kriziaannacastro's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
5.0
biblialex's review
4.0
A story of two Filipina sisters stuck in Louisiana with their evil stepmother, interwoven with older sister Sol's fairy tales, which help give the sisters strength. A moving book for middle grade readers that highlights themes of sisterhood, friendship, and imagination and is hopeful without giving overly tidy solutions to tough problems.
thelittlestacks's review
4.0
I read this book because it won a literary award in 2016-2017 by the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association. I was quickly drawn in by Erin Entrada Kelly's narration of the main protagonist Sol, a 12 year old girl who lost a sister, Amelia, and mother and was abandoned by her father. This is a sad story.
Sol is a complicated but good natured character. She behaves badly at times (bullying and stealing) but shows time and time again that she's thoughtful about the consequences of her actions. I appreciated that Sol was imperfect since it made her seem very real. As I learned about her tough circumstances, I empathized with her more and more as I continued to read. Having blamed herself for her sister's death, she dedicates much of her time to taking care of her other little sister, Ming. Sol's big imagination allows her to tell Ming stories--a talent inherited from her mother who had told her fantastic stories that transported her from the mundane reality of the Philippines that she had hoped to leave someday.
The ending left me with the feeling that I wanted more. I wanted to learn more about the adult characters like Blackbeard, Mrs. Yeung, her father, and even about Sol's evil stepmother Vea. I understand as much about them as Sol but perhaps that's the point. Still, I enjoyed this book and Kelly's way of writing which seemed more about thought and less about plot. It seemed pretty mature for a children's book due to the heavy subject matter. I'd recommend it for anyone looking for something like Cynthia Kadohata's Kira-Kira.
Sol is a complicated but good natured character. She behaves badly at times (bullying and stealing) but shows time and time again that she's thoughtful about the consequences of her actions. I appreciated that Sol was imperfect since it made her seem very real. As I learned about her tough circumstances, I empathized with her more and more as I continued to read. Having blamed herself for her sister's death, she dedicates much of her time to taking care of her other little sister, Ming. Sol's big imagination allows her to tell Ming stories--a talent inherited from her mother who had told her fantastic stories that transported her from the mundane reality of the Philippines that she had hoped to leave someday.
The ending left me with the feeling that I wanted more. I wanted to learn more about the adult characters like Blackbeard, Mrs. Yeung, her father, and even about Sol's evil stepmother Vea. I understand as much about them as Sol but perhaps that's the point. Still, I enjoyed this book and Kelly's way of writing which seemed more about thought and less about plot. It seemed pretty mature for a children's book due to the heavy subject matter. I'd recommend it for anyone looking for something like Cynthia Kadohata's Kira-Kira.