A review by fictionalcass
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez

emotional hopeful sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I think a lot of teenagers could really resonate with this book. Reading it with the perspective of an adult who was immensely frustrated with the teenage choices being made, I had to remind myself that that’s not the point. Julia has a clearly defined voice in the novel, and while I didn’t always love it, she certainly makes for a compelling protagonist. 

After the death of her sister, Julia embarks on a journey of both self discovery and family history. She is a teenager who is desperate to find her place in the world and is exploring life as teenagers so often do. Over the course of the book, Julia experiences so much but it’s also too much and not enough at the same time, and I think that’s a particular sort of pain that so many can resonate with. 

Overall, it was a book with fully realized characters who seemed to step of the page. While the narrative style didn’t always work for me (it’s hard been in a teen’s head for so long sometimes) I do think it’s a really compelling story. 4⭐️
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