Although the main crux of the plot was a light and sweet summer read, it really delved deep into the meaning of family and belonging. There were many relatable scenes and emotions of not connecting to the country you come from but still wishing to, and it all tied together in a magical and lyrical way. I think the whole curse thing was a little overdone as I came into the book thinking it was magical realism, however it was still portrayed beautifullly.

For me it was a little predictable, and I was very uncomfortable with all the persistent stereotypes about the black or LGBT community. Also some of the vocab used to describe any black characters were so peculiar. I think one child was referred to as 'milk chocolate bunny'??
The mother/MC was also a character I disliked, she was too wrapped up in her own path for her daughter she wouldn't listen when everyone told her she was wrong. The only good thing from this book was probably the accurate portrayal of female friendships and family relationships.

i liked the dark elements of the book, and the fact both main characters weren't generally likeable or believable. one thing i wished was that there was a bigger twist at the end, and the last chapter did confuse me a little as to where the mc ends up.

It felt as if the whole book the author was telling what was happening, not showing. There were so many unnecessary and filler scenes and dialogue, and it read more like a middle grade than a young adult with how obvious the supposed twists are.