Synopsis
Perfect Mexican daughters do not go away to college. They do not move out of their parents' house after high school graduation. Perfect Mexican daughters never abandon their family.
But Julia is not your perfect Mexican daughter. That was her sister Olga's role. Then a tragic accident leaves Olga dead and Julia reassembling the shattered pieces of her family. And no one seems to acknowledge that Julia is broken, too. Instead, her mother channels her grief into pointing out every possible way Julia has failed.
But its not long before Julia suspects that Olga might not have been as perfect as everyone thought. With the help of her best friend, Lorena, and her first love (first everything), Connor, Julia is determined to uncover the truth. Was Olga really what she seemed? And how can Julia even attempt to live up to a seemingly impossible ideal?
REVIEW
Olga is dead. The perfect Mexican daughter, the daughter that is smart, innocent and makes her immigrant parents proud is gone. The perfect daughter is gone.
And whose to blame? Well, it was a bus accident, but Julia, her younger sister, blames herself because instead of their motet picking up Olga, she was at Julia’s school, dealing with the principal about her suspension.
This review has been very hard for me to write and I’m not quite sure why.
I connected with Julia on a deep level. I, Claudia, and not your perfect Mexican daughter. My mom will be the first to tell you. This is my culture. This is my background. Many emotions that Julia felt I had already experienced myself growing up.
To be quite honest, at first, I was irritated with Julia. I felt like she was portrayed very annoying. But I saw myself as Julia. I didn’t want to be portrayed like that. I saw teen Claudia with the rebellion, the depression and the feeling of never being good enough.
That’s why I was annoyed. I felt like I, myself, my culture was portrayed in a negative light, sigh Julia talking back to her parents and the rebellious streak she had.
All that being said…I love Julia. I loved the story. I love that I finally felt represented. And the mystery storyline of Olga’s perfection being questioned after her death was a plot line I liked exploring.
I think this is a wonderful Latinx YA novel that is spot on with Mexican culture and the realities of being a 1st generation Mexican daughter.
Follow me on IG @bookstobarbellsbabe
And whose to blame? Well, it was a bus accident, but Julia, her younger sister, blames herself because instead of their motet picking up Olga, she was at Julia’s school, dealing with the principal about her suspension.
This review has been very hard for me to write and I’m not quite sure why.
I connected with Julia on a deep level. I, Claudia, and not your perfect Mexican daughter. My mom will be the first to tell you. This is my culture. This is my background. Many emotions that Julia felt I had already experienced myself growing up.
To be quite honest, at first, I was irritated with Julia. I felt like she was portrayed very annoying. But I saw myself as Julia. I didn’t want to be portrayed like that. I saw teen Claudia with the rebellion, the depression and the feeling of never being good enough.
That’s why I was annoyed. I felt like I, myself, my culture was portrayed in a negative light, sigh Julia talking back to her parents and the rebellious streak she had.
All that being said…I love Julia. I loved the story. I love that I finally felt represented. And the mystery storyline of Olga’s perfection being questioned after her death was a plot line I liked exploring.
I think this is a wonderful Latinx YA novel that is spot on with Mexican culture and the realities of being a 1st generation Mexican daughter.
Follow me on IG @bookstobarbellsbabe
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