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A review by utopiastateofmind
The Grief Keeper by Alexandra Villasante
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
My first favorite element of The Griefkeeper has to be the way it centers around the medical exploitation of the marginalized. The way Marisol is chosen outside of the legal processes because of how desperate she is to stay in the US. To escape the gang violence which killed her brother. And Villasante never lets us forget it as Marisol is left with many other options and must rely on their good graces. But what quickly became my favorite element is how The Griefkeeper navigates grief and loss.
How it asks us what value we see in our grief. Because to most of the adults in The Griefkeeper, grief is seen as a negative emotion - something to remove. And The Griefkeeper explores this idea of the importance of grief. Not only that, but also in its opposites, it examines the process of healing. Additionally it clearly examines the idea of 'necessary sacrifices' and what we will do for our own benefit.
How it asks us what value we see in our grief. Because to most of the adults in The Griefkeeper, grief is seen as a negative emotion - something to remove. And The Griefkeeper explores this idea of the importance of grief. Not only that, but also in its opposites, it examines the process of healing. Additionally it clearly examines the idea of 'necessary sacrifices' and what we will do for our own benefit.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia