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Synopsis (From Goodreads):
Perfect Mexican daughters do not go away to college. And they do not move out of their parents’ house after high school graduation. Perfect Mexican daughters never abandon their family.
But Julia is not your perfect Mexican daughter. That was Olga’s role.
Then a tragic accident on the busiest street in Chicago leaves Olga dead and Julia left behind to reassemble the shattered pieces of her family. And no one seems to acknowledge that Julia is broken, too. Instead, her mother seems to channel her grief into pointing out every possible way Julia has failed.
But it’s not long before Julia discovers that Olga might not have been as perfect as everyone thought. With the help of her best friend Lorena, and her first kiss, first love, first everything boyfriend Connor, Julia is determined to find out. Was Olga really what she seemed? Or was there more to her sister’s story? And either way, how can Julia even attempt to live up to a seemingly impossible ideal?
Review:
When I saw the title of this audio book, I was instantly attracted to the subject. I am part Mexican and I have personal experience with some of the challenges the main character, Julia (pronounced Hoolya) has with her parents. While I identified with large parts of this novel, I found Julia to be a difficult character to like.
What I Liked:
Depression:Throughout the novel, Julia seems to suffer from depression. Ever since her sister died, she has trouble dealing with her emotions. One minute everything is fine, and then she suddenly becomes enraged. Other days, Julia can't seem to get out of bed in the morning. And she really doesn't like crowds of people.
I think this book realistically shows how families deal (or do not deal) with mental illness. Some people can't even bring it up, while others make excuses or minimize the affected person's illness. This is really hard for Julia, who can barely understand what is happening.
This is also an instance where the reader must go through the journey with the character, as it is written in the first person. Sometimes, this is challenging, as a major plot point happens without any warning. But this is what Julia's process is like, random, with bursts of impulsive behavior.
Audio Performance:
Kyla Garcia does a admirable job in her performance. Her voices are strong with characterizations from Julia's mother, to Julia's boyfriends.
What I Didn't Like:
Julia:I know I am supposed to have empathy for Julia, especially since her sister has just died, but I often found her whiny and entitled. She doesn't grow much as a character throughout the book. She starts as a brat and ends as one. She and her mother are always at wits end with each other. She doesn't even appreciate how hard her parents work.
What really offended me was that she felt she was too good to be poor (she actually says this!). News alert: Everyone is too good to be poor! Being poor is not a matter of how hard people work, or a reflection of their character. It's about not having opportunities. Julia doesn't get that she does have opportunities, and that her parents have sacrificed everything for her to get them.
No Accountability:
Throughout the story, Julia sneaks out of the house to do drugs, drink alcohol, and have sex. And then she complains that her mom doesn't trust her! Um, I think her mom is justified. At one point, she gets into a car with a driver who is very drunk, but nothing happens. She never gets caught, and never has a negative experience.
Red Herrings:
There are several plot points that are introduced and then goes nowhere. Nothing happens with the drug use and risky behavior. And there is a scene where Julia is wasted and seems to be either raped or molested by the father of her friend, but it is never mentioned again. I found this shocking and frustrating as a reader.
Rating:
Release Date: October 17th, 2017
Genre: YA Contemporary
Triggers: Sexual abuse and suicide
Publisher: Random House Audio
Performed by: Kyla Garcia
Listening Length: 9 hours & 41 minutes
Page Length: 352 pages
Format: Audio Book
Source: Random House Audio
Recommendation: Even though this book has good intentions, I thought it went in a million different directions. I would not recommend this book.
Ahh I can't stand a book that has a lot of plot disappearances. And the fact that she was raped and it wasn't mentioned again is pretty disturbing. I have it on hold at my library so I'm really interested in seeing what I think about it.
ReplyDeleteThis book was on my TBR, but you are making me reconsider. I can't believe that an abuse scenario was introduced and then forgotten about. Sounds like it was badly edited.
ReplyDelete