A review by mattylovesbooks
Simone Breaks All the Rules by Debbie Rigaud
4.0
I love seeing my culture reflected in literature. Simone Thibodeaux is a Haitian American girl preparing for prom and graduation. However, with strict parents, she has not been able to truly live that typical teen life. So, she decides to take matters into her own hands and not waste these last few months of high school.
I relived so many moments from my own teen years, from all the no’s I heard from my mom to the overbearing relatives knowing a little too much about your business. Debbie Rigaud does a great job capturing the things all Haitian American kids went through, specifically us girls (boys were treated differently and got way more freedom).
Simone was so relatable, if not a tad bit reckless at times. But I understood exactly what she was feeling and why she did what she did. The dynamic with her mom is something I knew all too well. Her mom, Constance, only wants what’s best for her youngest daughter and of course is trying to protect her from the world. At the same time, Simone feels stifled and wants to break free desperately, much to her mothers chagrin.
There’s a bit of romance going on in here too and it was so cute. I needed more of Ben though! His character was so interesting and I wish we got to see more of him and Simone together. The friendship between Simone and her HomeGirls (as she calls them), Amita and Kira, is so wholesome and sweet. I loved to see it.
Simone Breaks All the Rules was such a fun read. It was relatable, funny, emotional, and perfect for teen readers.
I relived so many moments from my own teen years, from all the no’s I heard from my mom to the overbearing relatives knowing a little too much about your business. Debbie Rigaud does a great job capturing the things all Haitian American kids went through, specifically us girls (boys were treated differently and got way more freedom).
Simone was so relatable, if not a tad bit reckless at times. But I understood exactly what she was feeling and why she did what she did. The dynamic with her mom is something I knew all too well. Her mom, Constance, only wants what’s best for her youngest daughter and of course is trying to protect her from the world. At the same time, Simone feels stifled and wants to break free desperately, much to her mothers chagrin.
There’s a bit of romance going on in here too and it was so cute. I needed more of Ben though! His character was so interesting and I wish we got to see more of him and Simone together. The friendship between Simone and her HomeGirls (as she calls them), Amita and Kira, is so wholesome and sweet. I loved to see it.
Simone Breaks All the Rules was such a fun read. It was relatable, funny, emotional, and perfect for teen readers.