RaveLibrary Journal... readers will be mesmerized by the unraveling of how the protagonists’ lives interconnect. The author develops each of the characters with nuance ... The story-within-a-story structure might lose some, especially as the sections alternate through the decade. However, patient readers will be rewarded with an illuminating work on trauma and the transience of human existence. Echoes of authors from the Latin American Boom movement and traces of H.G. Wells combine to create a fascinating send up to science fiction ... A heady literary and genre-bending novel for fans of Jorge Luis Borges, Carlos Fuentes, and Adolfo Bioy Caseres.
Julia Alvarez
RaveLibrary JournalAlvarez’s prose is magnetic as she delves into the intricacies of sisterhood, immigration, and grief, once again proving her mastery as a storyteller. This stirring novel reminds readers that actions (big and small) have a lasting impact—so they should always act with love ... An incisive book that will burrow itself into people’s hearts and stay long after they’ve turned the last page.
Jennifer Givhan
PositiveLibrary JournalGivhan blends Puebloan, Zuni, and Mexican American cultures in this searing postapocalyptic rumination on motherhood, genocide, and environmentalism ... Poetry imbues every page with power and truth, and the intense plot is propelled by fully realized characters and a majestically primal setting ... This harrowing debut with Southwestern sensibility depicts the dangers of destroying our planet and questions whether mythology is an apt term to describe Indigenous beliefs.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia
RaveLibrary Journal... a stirring historical fantasy set in the Roaring Twenties and steeped in Mayan mythology ... Snappy dialog, stellar worldbuilding, lyrical prose, and a slow-burn romance make this a standout ... Purchase where Naomi Novik, Nnedi Okorafor, and N.K. Jemisin are popular.
Anika Fajardo
MixedLibrary JournalIn sometimes meandering but resonant prose, Colombian-born Minnesotan Fajardo weaves memory and scenarios of what could’ve been in this debut memoir centering on biculturalism and reconciliation ... Fajardo offers a sometimes distant, arms-length perspective on her native country, which poignantly captures her acknowledged disconnect to her origins. The narrative often leans too heavily on maudlin phrases and flowery language but is also filled with honest and authentic truths about the complex relationship between children and their neglectful parents and the struggle to find one’s place between two cultures.
Sarah McCoy
PositiveLibrary JournalEchoes of the \'Anne\' books include references to old rivalries and friendships, but newcomers won\'t feel lost. The setting comes alive with every delicious meal, death-defying sickness, and richly described landscapes that would do Montgomery proud. There are some missteps as the author tries to present the Cuthberts as accepting of non-white people, but the enlightenment of the title character at the cost of fully realized secondary characters of color mars that aim. However, the interracial relationship featured in later chapters does feel authentic the plot development ... The bittersweet romance and family drama will engage fans of Green Gables and enchant historical fiction readers.
Ibi Zoboi
RaveSchool Library JournalThis Bushwick-set, contemporary retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice tackles gentrification, Blackness, and romance with honesty, humor, and heart ... an insightful commentary on socioeconomic class, changing neighborhoods, and the pressures of growing up and falling in love as a second-generation immigrant. Janeites will appreciate the nods to the original ... But those unfamiliar with Austen’s work will also be enamored with the warmth that permeates the characters, the spellbinding storytelling, and the tender but bittersweet love letter to Brooklyn. Teens will cheer for the protagonist as she finds her passion for poetry and hesitantly falls love.