goldenjunegem's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Infidelity, Pandemic/Epidemic, Racism, Addiction, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Violence, Abortion, Gun violence, and Rape
astoriareader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.5
- Olga & Pedro (“Pierto”) Acevedo are siblings, who were born & raised in Brooklyn. Olga is a wedding planner for rich folks, and Pierto is a Congressman. They are in their 40s.
- Both siblings are smart, savvy, educated, and Puerto Rican.
- Their father died when they were young, and their mother abandoned them prior to their dad’s death. Their mother is an estranged radical, who is fighting for the liberation of Puerto Rico.
- When Hurricane Maria hits, many issues come up for the siblings.
- I wanted to like this novel, as it nice to see Puerto Rican representation in literature, but this fell flat for me. Although, clearly, I am an outlier with the rave reviews.
- There were too many plots going on at once.
- The writing style felt very juvenile, YA to me.
- I didn’t find the two main characters very likable. I also didn’t like how the author portrayed them.
- I didn’t find being closeted in NYC in 2017 to be very believable.
- Some of the characters felt like caricatures & not realistic.
- I appreciated a lot of points made about colonization & Puerto Rico, but I felt the author wasn’t clear where she actually landed. The “radical” group of revolutionaries are vilified throughout the book, and government intervention is equally criticized. It makes it unclear what route people should support.
Graphic: Colonisation and Abandonment
Moderate: Racism, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Rape, Suicide, Sexual violence, Drug use, and Classism
Minor: Abortion
ashwaar's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Rape, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, War, Colonisation, Death of parent, Self harm, Classism, Cursing, Abandonment, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Alcoholism, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Moderate: Addiction, Homophobia, and Racism
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic
salemander's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Addiction, Death, Colonisation, Drug abuse, Sexual harassment, Rape, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Suicide, Xenophobia, and Racism
zombiezami's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Child abuse, War, Classism, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Abandonment, Addiction, and Colonisation
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death of parent, Mental illness, Death, Cursing, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual harassment, Racism, and Sexual content
Minor: Slavery, Violence, Abortion, Homophobia, Genocide, Animal death, Infertility, Pandemic/Epidemic, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and War
caterina_1212's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Suicide, Sexual harassment, Racism, Sexism, and Xenophobia
Minor: Rape
dreareads_'s review against another edition
5.0
Full review to come!
Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Drug abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Outing, Death of parent, Rape, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Classism, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Xenophobia
geekywoman14's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
3.5
Moderate: Classism, Death of parent, Rape, Drug use, Racism, Sexual harassment, and Infertility
marthaiselin's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Abandonment, Xenophobia, Sexual violence, Addiction, Sexual harassment, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Drug abuse, Grief, Racism, Colonisation, Suicide, Sexism, Rape, and Mental illness
Moderate: Abortion, Alcohol, Infertility, and Alcoholism
jularcido's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Kidnapping, Rape, Violence, Homophobia, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, War, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, Drug abuse, Colonisation, and Addiction