Kat Fajardo

Representation: Side Black character, Latina main character
Trigger warnings: Death of a grandmother

6.5/10, I requested this to come to one of the two libraries I go to and then I got it and at first I didn't know what to expect considering this was a new book at the time and I've never read from this author before; that being said I did enjoy this for the most part and I wasn't disappointed however there were some issues that could've been fixed to make the story better. Where do I begin? It starts with the main character Suyapa or Sue for short and she is forced to go to Honduras to visit her relatives even though she would rather spend her time doing some other things and that sets the tone for the story going forward. The story felt forced since Sue's mother forced her to go to the quince thing, and Sue shouts too much and the only reason for that was to develop her character toward the end but other than that I don't understand why the author would make Sue insufferable. At the very least I liked the art, representation and authenticity.… (more)

I am doing what I never thought I would do.....

I am rating a graphic novel a rather low score.

This was tough for me to do. But here is why.

I have a wonderful co-worker who proudly shares about her Hispanic heritage. She also had a quincenera. What she has talked about and what this book describe are two VERY different parties. Now, could be a regional/cultural things. Perhaps a quincenera in Mexico is different than a quincenera in Honduras....but that's the thing....this book ultimately did not leave room for explaining the differences. And that bothered me.

I also found the main character to be whiny and annoying and terribly unlikeable. Actually the mom (who is forcing her daughter to have a quincenera) is too. That also ruined the book for me.

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On the whole, I really liked this. I wanted more depth in the characters, I was annoyed at the crap way her mother forced her into a quinceanera, I felt like there were some red herrings -- the lice? The panic attack? The ambivalence that Supaya seems to have towards her own art? And yet, it resolves well and in the end the family tradition turns out to hold meaning for everyone involved, when they let it be more on Sue's own terms. I found it more meandering than funny, but I loved the family's visit to Honduras.… (more)