Take a photo of a barcode or cover
femmenova 's review for:
With the Fire on High
by Elizabeth Acevedo
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
The highlights:
- I definitely adored the relationship between Abuela and Emani and the conversations that they have had - that felt so realistic to something I've heard happened between my own family; how much care work is so solely dedicated to the women of the household so that it swallows their own identity.
- I enjoyed the discussion on teen pregnancy and how it affects the teens in school and their decision-making process.
- I enjoyed the conversation between Emani and her father - but it still felt like there was hardly any accountability on the father's part. Though, I do not take issue with how the writer wrote their relationship because it still felt so real. That a father could grieve so much; that he could not return to his family because his daughter could function better without him. Did I like her father? Absolutely not but immigrant fathers like that exist in real life and so that's a very realistic portrayal of the shit they shoulder.
- The cooking aspect of the story was very fun to read as well!
The could-be-done-better:
I love Elizabeth Avacedo's work, specifically Poet X and Clap When You Land, but this novel felt very underwhelming. From the repetition of many phrases to the character study, it felt like I was not reading her work although she has one of the unique authorial voices in YA which makes her writing distinct from the rest. Though perhaps it was the writer's choice, I wished that we could see more of Babygirl's personality and involvement in the family. Often, she felt like a prop that needs to be moved around for the plot to continue.