This coming of age novel is targeted for a young adult audience, and while it won lots of awards, I didn't love it as much as I expected to.
Aristotle and Dante are two Mexican kids who meet one summer in El Paso, Texas. They are both loners, but don't really have much in common other than that. One teaches the other to swim and a friendship develops.
Let me start with the things I really liked about this novel. Firstly, I love that these types of stories now exist for teens, especially kids of color. There is quite a lot of teen angst, and I especially liked the exploration of the horror of hair growing in unexpected places. C'mon, we all went through that awkward phase, and it is well described here. I liked that both boys had a good relationship with one or both parents, which is somewhat rare in YA books and I found that quite refreshing. Also, I was interested in learning about the parents who would give their kids such names, for surely they are interesting people.
All that being said, I had quite a few issues with this one. I didn't like the pacing. It's hot. I'm bored. Nothing happens, and then bam something does. Oh wait, nothing happens again, until bam. Rinse. Repeat. While I think the author accurately captures what time feels like for a teen, it didn't make for a engaging reading experience. Lots of time nothing happens, or you're wondering where the story is going. And while I really liked the parent/child relationships depicted, and it's wonderful to read about such supportive families, it's more than a tad unrealistic in my experience. No one had any issues at all with what was going on? Really? I simply could not suspend my disbelief. After lots of nothing happening, the ending felt rushed and we only get a superficial view at that. The other issue I had was with the dialogue. Maybe teens do talk this way, but I wanted more. More talking, more depth, more reality I guess.
When you're a teen no-one has ever felt the way you do, and there is that sense of being the first person on the planet to ever feel this way. I liked this story, I especially liked Dante, and I want to join the Quintana family too. I liked that it explores diversity in a couple of ways, and hope it ends up in the hands of kids who need some light in the depth of their darkness. Rating: 3 stars.
91. The Crabby Condition (La Marche du Crabe #1)
A graphic novel about crabs? I'm in.
We think of evolution as inevitable, but what if you are a species that hasn't had to evolve for millennia? This cute and poignant story is told from the POV of three Cancer Simplicimus Vulgaris, or the square crab, who decide to try something radical one summer day. The art is wonderful, and I enjoyed the deeper exploration of rebelling against the straight and narrow and finding your own path. An informative and fun summer read, especially if you plan to spend some time on a beach. Rating: 3 stars.
92. Dragon's Breath: and Other True Stories
I'm one of those people that think that there are simply too many memoirs being published these days, but decided to try this one as the reviews were great. This graphic memoir is a collection of vignettes, and I appreciated the honesty of the author in the telling. I really liked the illustration style, especially how extraneous bits are simply left out. That sentiment carries over to the stories themselves. I enjoyed this collection while reading it, but a couple of weeks later find that none of the stories have stayed with me. Rating: 3 stars.
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