3.5 Stars rounded up to 4

CW: illness and death of mother from cancer, racism

Well middle school novels have really evolved over the last decade or so and this is another example of how well written and layered they are.

Biracial Reha struggles to figure out what world she belongs in in this emotional verse novel. Her already unbalanced world is thrown further into turmoil when her mother becomes ill. Writing in free verse is the perfect vessel for delivering a story like this to young people. The white spaces give you time to pause, reflect and in some instances reel, and then collect yourself again. This is another one where I would check that a middle school reader is in the right space to read such an emotional story. ( )

It’s 1983, and 13-year-old Indian American Reha feels caught between two worlds.

Monday through Friday, she goes to a school where she stands out for not being White but where she has a weekday best friend, Rachel, and does English projects with potential crush Pete. On the weekends, she’s with her other best friend, Sunita (Sunny for short), at gatherings hosted by her Indian community. Reha feels frustrated that her parents refuse to acknowledge her Americanness and insist on raising her with Indian values and habits. Then, on the night of the middle school dance, her mother is admitted to the hospital, and Reha’s world is split in two again: this time, between hospital and home. Suddenly she must learn not just how to be both Indian and American, but also how to live with her mother’s leukemia diagnosis. The sections dealing with Reha’s immigrant identity rely on oft-told themes about the overprotectiveness of immigrant parents and lack the nuance found in later pages. Reha’s story of her evolving relationships with her parents, however, feels layered and real, and the scenes in which Reha must grapple with the possible loss of a parent are beautifully and sensitively rendered. The sophistication of the text makes it a valuable and thought-provoking read even for those older than the protagonist.

An intimate novel that beautifully confronts grief and loss. (Verse novel. 11-15)

-Kirkus Review

Thirteen-year-old, Reha, feels like she is living two lives. One with her Indian American family and white friends and boyfriend at school. Then her mom is diagnosed with leukemia, and Reha is devastating while she and her father try to care for her. Friends, family, the Indian community, and the boy she’s had a crush on help get her through. When her mother dies, Reha isn’t sure she will make it, but Amma has found a way to let her daughter know that she will always be a part of her life.
This book demonstrates how devastating loss can affect a child who is also trying to navigate through her own world. ( )

Really wasn't expecting the death of a parent, so I had an extremely emotional response to this book. That said, the writing is excellent, it's based on the author's experiences, and there is a marvelous threading of imagery related to blood through it. Really well done, big impact. ( )

Reha is the 8th grade daughter of immigrant parents from India. Born in America Reha feels the tension of not fully belonging in either world. There is the pressure of being the good daughter at home and the social pressure of wanting to be like the kids in school. She's American on the weekdays and Indian on the weekends. When her mother is diagnosed and treated for leukemia, Reha feels even more the pressure of being the dutiful and virtuous daughter. Her life and routines are upended. The prose is gentle and thoughtful, centering the loving cocoon of Reha's immediate universe. ( )