Full of culture and with an entirely unique voice, Gonzalez delivers quite the debut!

 

Olga and Prieto appear to be living the American dream.  Both have found success, leaving behind the unconventional family dynamics of their youth.  But as Hurricane Maria bears down on Puerto Rico, past trauma combined with sudden demands from their previously absent mother makes the siblings take stock.  

 

Gonzalez is a fresh voice with a distinct and necessary cultural perspective.  Her writing is engaging and vibrant allowing a book full of heavy topics to be highly readable and funny.  

 

I particularly appreciated the way she wove seemingly insignificant details and plot points throughout the story to create lustrous metaphors and deep meaning.  

 

Perhaps the best part of the book is the picture of rich Puerto Rican heritage that Gonzalez paints throughout.  The Acevedo’s story is bursting with culture and history, which gave the me a unique look into the devastation the island endured during and after Hurricane Maria.  

 

I often like to partner the audiobook with the physical book, and in this instance that worked beautifully.  The audiobook was exceptional in allowing me to hear dialect and correct pronunciations adding a depth to the cultural aspect of this novel.  Similarly, the text provided necessary support as I assimilated the complexities of Puerto Rican history.  I’m not sure either would’ve worked as well singularly.   

 

I’m eager to see what is next for Gonzalez, and I can only hope it will be full of more Puerto Rican culture.  

 

Thank you Xochitl Gonzalez, Flatiron Books, MacMillan Audio, and Libro.Fm for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book.