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Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'
Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland
1 review
abbie_'s review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Free audiobook received from Libro.fm for a review!
The other week I fancied something fast and completely different to my usual reads, so I went for a book that mashed up young adult, immigration themes, Mexican folklore and ALIENS! And it was a great choice! Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything is, in my opinion, a super unique, touching and adventurous novel which is unlike anything I've read before. And I listened to it in like 48 hours, so it'd be a good choice if you're feeling slumpy!
.
Raquel Vasquez Gilliland grapples with a lot of themes and threads here but manages to harness them all into one pretty smooth narrative. Sia Martinez is the star of the show, a sixteen-year-old girl still struggling to come to terms with her mother's disappearance and very probable death. After she was deported by ICE, Sia's mother attempted to reunite with her family in the US by crossing the Sonoran, but that was three years ago and Sia and her father haven't heard from her since. Until, one night in the desert lighting a candle for her mother, Sia notices a strange light in the sky, shifting her perceptions of the universe for good.
.
The bits with Sia's grandmother really made me smile, they had such a beautiful relationship even after she passed away (that's not a spoiler). There's a lot of important stuff about relationships addressed too, specifically recovering from a sexual assault and consent. I much preferred reading about Sia and Rose's friendship, as well as Rose in general, who is trying to balance a blossoming relationship and explore bisexuality with her friendship. I mean Noah was fine, but those two stole the show for me!
.
It worked well as an audiobook, I probably enjoyed it a lot more than I would have in print. This is mainly due to the VERY short chapters Gilliland sometimes employs. Like literally one sentence. It's not so noticeable on audio, but had I been constantly flicking through pages reading chapters that were one or two sentences, I might have rolled my eyes a little.
.
But overall I definitely recommend this one for a fun and moving spin on YA science fiction!
The other week I fancied something fast and completely different to my usual reads, so I went for a book that mashed up young adult, immigration themes, Mexican folklore and ALIENS! And it was a great choice! Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything is, in my opinion, a super unique, touching and adventurous novel which is unlike anything I've read before. And I listened to it in like 48 hours, so it'd be a good choice if you're feeling slumpy!
.
Raquel Vasquez Gilliland grapples with a lot of themes and threads here but manages to harness them all into one pretty smooth narrative. Sia Martinez is the star of the show, a sixteen-year-old girl still struggling to come to terms with her mother's disappearance and very probable death. After she was deported by ICE, Sia's mother attempted to reunite with her family in the US by crossing the Sonoran, but that was three years ago and Sia and her father haven't heard from her since. Until, one night in the desert lighting a candle for her mother, Sia notices a strange light in the sky, shifting her perceptions of the universe for good.
.
The bits with Sia's grandmother really made me smile, they had such a beautiful relationship even after she passed away (that's not a spoiler). There's a lot of important stuff about relationships addressed too, specifically recovering from a sexual assault and consent. I much preferred reading about Sia and Rose's friendship, as well as Rose in general, who is trying to balance a blossoming relationship and explore bisexuality with her friendship. I mean Noah was fine, but those two stole the show for me!
.
It worked well as an audiobook, I probably enjoyed it a lot more than I would have in print. This is mainly due to the VERY short chapters Gilliland sometimes employs. Like literally one sentence. It's not so noticeable on audio, but had I been constantly flicking through pages reading chapters that were one or two sentences, I might have rolled my eyes a little.
.
But overall I definitely recommend this one for a fun and moving spin on YA science fiction!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Racism
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Sexual assault
Minor: Medical content
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