missprint's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
marianeedstoread's review
5.0
Set in Cuba in 1980, Hector's life seems to be ordinary. He enjoys hanging with his 2 best friends, Teo and Isabel, he mostly gets along with his older brother, and he's a math whiz working his way to join the Cuban National Math Olympiad Team. Under the surface, tensions are bubbling in Communist Cuba and anyone who denounces the government or tries to leave is publicly shamed and even worse, like his father who has been exiled to the United States. Unbeknownst to Hector, when the Cuban government allows those who wish to leave exit visas, his mother plans to get their family out of Cuba to reunite with his father. But for Hector, this means leaving his home, his friends and destroys the likelihood of his ever making the Math Olympiad team. But when tragedy strikes, Hector's life changes in an instant and so does his perspective on what's important.
This middle grade novel provides an insight perspective on how life in Communist Cuba might be perceived from a child's point of view. When you don't know anything different, you just accept the world as it is. This is a coming of age story of a young naive boy who is just learning about his world and the larger world outside his bubble. He has dreams and hopes and is fiercely loyal to those he loves. I read this with my 6th grade son and it was a gem of a book to share together.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House and Knopf Books for this early review copy. This review can also be found on IG @maria.needs.to.read and on Goodreads.
This middle grade novel provides an insight perspective on how life in Communist Cuba might be perceived from a child's point of view. When you don't know anything different, you just accept the world as it is. This is a coming of age story of a young naive boy who is just learning about his world and the larger world outside his bubble. He has dreams and hopes and is fiercely loyal to those he loves. I read this with my 6th grade son and it was a gem of a book to share together.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House and Knopf Books for this early review copy. This review can also be found on IG @maria.needs.to.read and on Goodreads.
carolynlovesbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
popthebutterfly's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
5.0
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Bluest Sky
Author: Christina Diaz Gonzalez
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Cuban MC and characters
Recommended For...: middle grade readers, historical fiction, Cuba, 1980s
Publication Date: September 6, 2022
Genre: MG Historical Fiction
Age Relevance: 9+ (activism, refugees, dictatorship, violence, death, grief)
Explanation of Above: The book discusses 1980s Cuba and it showcases a lot about activism and the dictatorship. It also talks about refugees. The book shows some physical violence and there is one death on scene and grief shown.
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Pages: 320
Synopsis: There are two versions of Hector: the public and the private. It's the only way to survive in communist Cuba--especially when your father was exiled to the U.S. and labeled an enemy of the people. Hector must always be seen as a fierce supporter of the regime, even if that means loudly rejecting the father he still loves.
But in the summer of 1980, those two versions are hard to keep separate. No longer able to suppress a public uprising, the Cuban government says it will open the port of Mariel to all who wish to leave the country--if they can find a boat. But choosing to leave comes with a price. Those who want to flee are denounced as traitors by family and friends. There are violent acts of repudiation, and no one knows if they will truly be allowed to leave the country or not.
So when Hector’s mother announces that she wants the family to risk everything to go to the United States, he is torn. He misses his father, but Cuba is the only home he has ever known. All his dreams and plans require him to stay. Can he leave everything behind for an unknown future?
In a summer of heat and upheaval, danger and deadly consequences, Hector’s two worlds are on a collision course. Will the impact destroy him and everything he loves?
Christina Diaz Gonzalez's great-grandmother, great-uncle, and extended family came to the U.S. through the Mariel boatlift. She vividly remembers meeting them all for the first time in the summer of 1980 and is proud to share this part of her family's history.
Review: I adore this book so much! The book did so well to talk about 1980s Cuba and it offered so much information and insight into an area of history that I don’t know a lot about. The book had a math prodigy MC and featured a lot of Spanish phrases. The book also had a really good message, about making your dreams follow you. The book did well with the worldbuilding and character development as well.
The only issue I really had with the book is that it feels like a series book, the ending is a bit open-ended. I want to see more of this universe in other books, because I think the MC is a strong enough character to build on what America looks like in immigrant lenses.
Verdict: It was great! Highly recommend!
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