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A review by logbook
The Veins of the Ocean by Patricia Engel
3.0
3.5 | A lot of reviews that are three-stars and below cite the use of Spanish and Latinx cultural references as a reason for the low rating. That's not the case with mine whatsoever. Anyone who has taken two levels of Spanish and/or has lived an area with a Latinx community should understand all the Spanish words and Latinx references. Additionally, Engel explains all of her Yoruba references in detail. [Readers who negatively factor in language and cultural references are simply prejudiced and/or are being lazy. It's not like the majority of U.S. readers did not have dictionaries and other texts in front of them when they first read Shakespeare or Dostoevsky.]
That aside, the book had a lot of potential [with themes of incarceration, immigration, and cultural, familial obligations], but I could never invest in Reina's story (i.e., care for how her story would end). I was more interested in Nesto, Isabella, and the dolphin, which is why I continued reading. But I understand the importance of talking about Reina's childhood. The majority of her adolescent stories illustrated what shaped her as a person, but others did not. The insoluble anecdotes mimicked real life in that not all things need to be justified or explained perfectly. For example, Reina had so much loyalty and love for Carlito despite having [what most people would consider] traumatic experiences with him (e.g., Carlito telling Reina that he watched her have sex with his friend and that she looked beautiful; Carlito forcing Reina to be naked in his presence when their mother was not home). But Reina never uses these stories to illustrate trauma; rather, she passes them nonchalantly. It is only through Engel's metaphors do we see that Reina is a survivor in her own right. And because of her hardships, her fortitude is quiet. For six-sevenths of the book, Reina has no long-term ambitions, unlike other protagonists (e.g., wanting to become [insert profession], wanting to solve [insert systemic issue], wanting to become happy). But that's what makes Engel stands out as a writer; she creates a truly realistic character who does not need to take center-stage for other messages to shine.
That aside, the book had a lot of potential [with themes of incarceration, immigration, and cultural, familial obligations], but I could never invest in Reina's story (i.e., care for how her story would end). I was more interested in Nesto, Isabella, and the dolphin, which is why I continued reading. But I understand the importance of talking about Reina's childhood. The majority of her adolescent stories illustrated what shaped her as a person, but others did not. The insoluble anecdotes mimicked real life in that not all things need to be justified or explained perfectly. For example, Reina had so much loyalty and love for Carlito despite having [what most people would consider] traumatic experiences with him (e.g., Carlito telling Reina that he watched her have sex with his friend and that she looked beautiful; Carlito forcing Reina to be naked in his presence when their mother was not home). But Reina never uses these stories to illustrate trauma; rather, she passes them nonchalantly. It is only through Engel's metaphors do we see that Reina is a survivor in her own right. And because of her hardships, her fortitude is quiet. For six-sevenths of the book, Reina has no long-term ambitions, unlike other protagonists (e.g., wanting to become [insert profession], wanting to solve [insert systemic issue], wanting to become happy). But that's what makes Engel stands out as a writer; she creates a truly realistic character who does not need to take center-stage for other messages to shine.