Interesting points. I enjoyed the book very much, and I don't think it's a trauma porn.. I could engage with Lydia's and Luca's suffering very well and we get an insight to others life they meet on their journey.. The deepness of the insight depends on how close Lydia and Luca get to these people. I think it is well written. And I like that the narrating shows once Lydia's point of view other time Luca's and sometimes other people's.. For me it worked and I could always know which point of view we were looking at at the moment. Also the Spanish words have logic in them. They always say something meaningful, something that brings the reader closer to the books environment or its something very personal for Lydia and Luca. Overall I think it is an amazing book because it is an enjoyable thriller, a fiction. And also a very good book to generate discussions about the topic and it makes readers search for more information
What an excellent review! Our book club chose this (after I had already decided I would not be reading it), so I did read it. We are meeting tonight to discuss it, and I’ve been watching review videos about it. Yours is BY FAR the most thoughtful and informed. I’m posting it to my book club’s FB group right now.
Thanks, Bethany! The book club for which I read this book never had the meeting I was signed up for. I tried to host another book discussion, but it was at the height of COVID, and even though it was on Zoom, only two people came. I've been frustrated in my attempts to attend a book club on this book, so I have to figure posting my review is good enough.
Finally, after days of watching a RUclips videos on the book, we have a real review!! 👏 I guess I’m one of the few readers that thinks this was book was a hugely lost opportunity to politically educate the reader...
Thank you for your thorough and thoughtful review. I just read this book via the Calgary Public Library Libby app. I live in Canada. I came across it by accident as a skip the line available book and just wanted something to read. I must live under a rock, as I missed the controversy but although I’m just catching up now, I get it. I’m using this as a springboard to consciously read more from the Latinx authors. I’ve got ‘I’m not your perfect Mexican Daughter’, ‘Lost Children Archive’ and ‘The House on Mango Street’ on hold. There is much to learn. However, I love to learn how the world is interconnected and work backwards from the present to really understand how we got to this point. Looking forward to watching your blogs. Gracias
An interesting take, but I personally identified very strongly with a few of the characters, despite my lived experiences being very different to them. Also, I don’t think the ending was happy.
I've just read this book as part of a book club group in Europe. All my British white friends enjoyed the book (as I did), but only 2 of us had researched and reviewed the comments and concerns by the Latino community. I'd like to find a book that reflects a real journey, can you please recommend one for me, but it needs to be available to buy in Europe. Thanks
My church book group is about to read this... I am back to participating in this group for the same reasons that you decided to participate in your group... I had taken a break from the group because they are not people of color but are obsessed with reading books and latching on to movements the reconfirm stereotypical ideas... They still don't get it when I explain why their choices are questionable... For instance the racial justice ministry is focused on felons and parole...) Long story short, the title was enough to make me cringe. I reluctantly admit that I was prepared to soften my stance on the book because I was starting to weaken due to anticipation of being framed as disagreeable... But... You have reinforced my my stance on the book... Thank you.
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Interesting points. I enjoyed the book very much, and I don't think it's a trauma porn.. I could engage with Lydia's and Luca's suffering very well and we get an insight to others life they meet on their journey.. The deepness of the insight depends on how close Lydia and Luca get to these people. I think it is well written. And I like that the narrating shows once Lydia's point of view other time Luca's and sometimes other people's.. For me it worked and I could always know which point of view we were looking at at the moment. Also the Spanish words have logic in them. They always say something meaningful, something that brings the reader closer to the books environment or its something very personal for Lydia and Luca. Overall I think it is an amazing book because it is an enjoyable thriller, a fiction. And also a very good book to generate discussions about the topic and it makes readers search for more information
"The reason for this books success is because it doesn't threaten American readers at all." 💗💗💗
Thank you
What an excellent review! Our book club chose this (after I had already decided I would not be reading it), so I did read it. We are meeting tonight to discuss it, and I’ve been watching review videos about it. Yours is BY FAR the most thoughtful and informed. I’m posting it to my book club’s FB group right now.
Thanks, Bethany! The book club for which I read this book never had the meeting I was signed up for. I tried to host another book discussion, but it was at the height of COVID, and even though it was on Zoom, only two people came. I've been frustrated in my attempts to attend a book club on this book, so I have to figure posting my review is good enough.
Finally, after days of watching a RUclips videos on the book, we have a real review!! 👏
I guess I’m one of the few readers that thinks this was book was a hugely lost opportunity to politically educate the reader...
Diane, thanks for the compliment and comment. It was a huge opportunity lost, but Cummins just wasn't the writer to do that job.
Thank you for your thorough and thoughtful review. I just read this book via the Calgary Public Library Libby app. I live in Canada. I came across it by accident as a skip the line available book and just wanted something to read. I must live under a rock, as I missed the controversy but although I’m just catching up now, I get it. I’m using this as a springboard to consciously read more from the Latinx authors. I’ve got ‘I’m not your perfect Mexican Daughter’, ‘Lost Children Archive’ and ‘The House on Mango Street’ on hold. There is much to learn. However, I love to learn how the world is interconnected and work backwards from the present to really understand how we got to this point. Looking forward to watching your blogs. Gracias
Thank you for reading writing by actual Latinas.
An interesting take, but I personally identified very strongly with a few of the characters, despite my lived experiences being very different to them. Also, I don’t think the ending was happy.
What did you think the ending was?
I've just read this book as part of a book club group in Europe. All my British white friends enjoyed the book (as I did), but only 2 of us had researched and reviewed the comments and concerns by the Latino community.
I'd like to find a book that reflects a real journey, can you please recommend one for me, but it needs to be available to buy in Europe. Thanks
Solito by Javier Zamora
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼❤👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Thanks, Seriela!
My church book group is about to read this... I am back to participating in this group for the same reasons that you decided to participate in your group... I had taken a break from the group because they are not people of color but are obsessed with reading books and latching on to movements the reconfirm stereotypical ideas... They still don't get it when I explain why their choices are questionable... For instance the racial justice ministry is focused on felons and parole...) Long story short, the title was enough to make me cringe. I reluctantly admit that I was prepared to soften my stance on the book because I was starting to weaken due to anticipation of being framed as disagreeable... But... You have reinforced my my stance on the book... Thank you.
I feel for you. It's important for women of color to maintain a presence even in book clubs. Where does it end...nowhere...
Regina
Pink looks yummmy on you babe