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A review by finedanddandy
Familia by Lauren E. Rico
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
ARC provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley.
Familia follows New York twentysomething Gabby DiMarco, whose life takes a swift turn when a genealogical test reveals a sibling match. A confused Gabby, convinced that this is a mistake, embarks on a trip to Puerto Rico to investigate with Isabel Ruiz, the woman claiming that Gabby is her long lost younger sister.
Isabela was by far my favorite character out of the cast. Despite her (somewhat stereotypical hotheadedness) Isabel handles the situation with grace and patience, despite Gabby's spoiled, bratty demeanor. Gabby's inability to recognize her own flaws was incredibly frustrating and made it hard to recognize any redeeming qualities that she might have.
While the storyline was intriguing and my desire for answers kept my turning the pages, the book was sadly lacking for me. At several points, I felt that the tone of the story, specifically when juxtaposing the darker content regarding the past crime and the lighter moments of conversation in the present, was quite discordant. Additionally the discussions regarding Lucy and Mack's actions and their ultimate complicity in the crime didn't seem to be taken seriously enough during the present day storyline and felt a bit like white saviorism. This was further emphasized every time that the narrative reminded us how dirty, unsafe, and crime ridden Puerto Rico was. The writing it self was fine, aside from the excessive overuse of ellipses, which I stopped counting after reaching the hundredth instance in the first 10 chapters.
2.5 stars, rounded up to 3. I would definitely pick up another book from Lauren E. Rico in the future, if the premise was of interest to me.
Familia follows New York twentysomething Gabby DiMarco, whose life takes a swift turn when a genealogical test reveals a sibling match. A confused Gabby, convinced that this is a mistake, embarks on a trip to Puerto Rico to investigate with Isabel Ruiz, the woman claiming that Gabby is her long lost younger sister.
Isabela was by far my favorite character out of the cast. Despite her (somewhat stereotypical hotheadedness) Isabel handles the situation with grace and patience, despite Gabby's spoiled, bratty demeanor. Gabby's inability to recognize her own flaws was incredibly frustrating and made it hard to recognize any redeeming qualities that she might have.
While the storyline was intriguing and my desire for answers kept my turning the pages, the book was sadly lacking for me. At several points, I felt that the tone of the story, specifically when juxtaposing the darker content regarding the past crime and the lighter moments of conversation in the present, was quite discordant. Additionally the discussions regarding Lucy and Mack's actions and their ultimate complicity in the crime didn't seem to be taken seriously enough during the present day storyline and felt a bit like white saviorism. This was further emphasized every time that the narrative reminded us how dirty, unsafe, and crime ridden Puerto Rico was. The writing it self was fine, aside from the excessive overuse of ellipses, which I stopped counting after reaching the hundredth instance in the first 10 chapters.
2.5 stars, rounded up to 3. I would definitely pick up another book from Lauren E. Rico in the future, if the premise was of interest to me.