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cloudleo 's review for:
Paola Santiago and the River of Tears
by Tehlor Kay Mejia
This was a solid 4.5 star read for me. Normally I'm not one to put a decimal behind my rating, but this truly required one. It wasn't four stars, but neither does it quite meet my standards of being a new favorite that I would want to reread again and again as more books in this series comes out. That might change when there are more books to this series, I don't know, but for now, not quite there.
The world building was good and well thought out, the dip into, well, I think it would be considered folktales, sharing a traditional story handed down from generation-to-generation, was very fascinating. I enjoy such stories and when they are put into a modern day setting, turning a superstition into reality, truly enjoyable.
The characters were developed and likable, though I have to admit that the drama between Paola and her mother, it hit a little too close to home, though it seemed like she was a little on the young side to be starting that phase, being a preteen. Perhaps that is why it wasn't a fully 5 star rating for me, it just seemed that she was a little too young to be starting such drama with her mother, or being in such drama with her mother. Again, in that area, she wasn't quite relatable to me, but that would mostly be because she was in a situation I could not relate to--I'm the youngest of six children with two parents while she was an only child and only a mother, father having left when she was young.
I do recommend that people give it a read, because it did open my eyes to something that I haven't experienced myself and I could almost put myself in her shoes and feel what she was feeling, but again, I have a hard time relating to her situation in that area. As for her imagination, no trouble there whatsoever. I can also relate to her wanting to have more information, always trying to figure things out, I was also very curious as a child and where that comes in, she was very relatable.
This is a must read, I feel, for anyone who has any interest in things that aren't truly a part of reality, but there is a long tradition behind the stories.
The world building was good and well thought out, the dip into, well, I think it would be considered folktales, sharing a traditional story handed down from generation-to-generation, was very fascinating. I enjoy such stories and when they are put into a modern day setting, turning a superstition into reality, truly enjoyable.
The characters were developed and likable, though I have to admit that the drama between Paola and her mother, it hit a little too close to home, though it seemed like she was a little on the young side to be starting that phase, being a preteen. Perhaps that is why it wasn't a fully 5 star rating for me, it just seemed that she was a little too young to be starting such drama with her mother, or being in such drama with her mother. Again, in that area, she wasn't quite relatable to me, but that would mostly be because she was in a situation I could not relate to--I'm the youngest of six children with two parents while she was an only child and only a mother, father having left when she was young.
I do recommend that people give it a read, because it did open my eyes to something that I haven't experienced myself and I could almost put myself in her shoes and feel what she was feeling, but again, I have a hard time relating to her situation in that area. As for her imagination, no trouble there whatsoever. I can also relate to her wanting to have more information, always trying to figure things out, I was also very curious as a child and where that comes in, she was very relatable.
This is a must read, I feel, for anyone who has any interest in things that aren't truly a part of reality, but there is a long tradition behind the stories.