A review by pestomagico
The Secret Story of Sonia Rodriguez by Alan Sitomer
4.0
The Secret Story of Sonia Rodriguez was a heartfelt read, but I couldn't help feeling that there was so much being left out. Now in the book, Sonia faces the difficulty of balancing family and schoolwork, since she is determined to be the first person in her family to graduate from High School, yet her ama (mother) and other family members exploit her and use "familia always comes first" as an excuse for their wrongs. When Sonia is sent to Mexico to experience the "ways of the Old Country" she finds poverty, sadness, and an overall sense of hopelessness, including seeing her widowed cousin and her cousin's deaf daughter. While in Mexico, Sonia gains wisdom over the summer from her Abuelita and returns to "El Norte" with a fresh new outlook and more determination than ever, but obstacles keep popping up in her journey.
Throughout reading the book, I felt not only a connection with Sonia, but some insight into my own culture as well, being mixed with Mexican is what led me to pick this book up and I have to admit, it almost brought me to tears on some parts. I adored the book, but truly wish that there had been more included.
Throughout reading the book, I felt not only a connection with Sonia, but some insight into my own culture as well, being mixed with Mexican is what led me to pick this book up and I have to admit, it almost brought me to tears on some parts. I adored the book, but truly wish that there had been more included.