content warnings: 

major character death(s), racism, sexism/ misogyny, xenophobia, classism, queerphobia, child labor, exploitation, mining deaths, blood, physical violence, mention of sexual harassment, mention of being whipped, mention of gambling debt

rep: 

Latinx main cast [Nomeolvides family & Fel], bi/pan main characters [Estrella, Calla, Azalea, Gloria, Dalia], Latinx immigrant main character [Fel], possibly-genderqueer/nonbinary major character [Bay], queer relationships

This is so wonderfully atmospheric, with lots of visually striking scenes (I love the floral, slightly witchy aesthetic); the plot is smartly constructed so that it all comes together, and there's thoughtful — albeit often quite direct — commentary on inequitable power structures, personal identity, the stories we tell and are told, different types of love: romantic, familial, idealized ... and also, food as a love language. I particularly love that the story is centered on a few close-knit generations of women of color, plus the lives connected to theirs.

I really wanted to give this 5 stars, and if I'm still thinking about it in a few days I might come back and bump it up. But my current feeling is that it's missing something, that despite the nuanced dynamics, the characters as individuals were a bit flat, and I just didn't feel totally immersed the way I wanted to be.

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CONVERSION: 11.7 / 15 = 4.5 stars

Prose: 6 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 8 / 10
Emotional Impact: 6 / 10
Development / Flow: 7 / 10
Setting: 9 / 10

Diversity & Social Themes: 4 / 5
Originality / Trope Execution: 5 / 5