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A review by bibliomich
Breathe and Count Back from Ten by Natalia Sylvester
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Oh, this was an EASY five stars for me! What a phenomenal novel. I need to read more Natalia Sylvester now.
What I loved:
- The diversity. Sylvester has created a book that truly highlights intersectional diversity: ability, chronic pain, race, sexuality and sexual orientation, gender identity, mental health. And while all of these elements are present, none of them feel forced. She has created a truly diverse cast of characters.
- The representation of hip dysplasia and chronic pain.
- The way she addresses ableism. In recent times, I've noticed a lot of contemporary middle grade and YA authors using the word "lame" in their books (often by the protagonist, and rarely called out). I LOVE that Sylvester tackles this ableism in her book. We see the way language affects Verónica, and we hear her explain why it matters in her own words.
- The complicated family dynamics. I appreciated that Verónica's relationships with her parents and sister were complicated, nuanced, and fully explored. Verónica's parents were not perfect (esp. all the slut shaming), though they clearly cared about her. Additionally, Verónica was not a perfect daughter, though her behavior made total sense given her age, her wants and needs, and her feelings about her bodily autonomy. I loved the way we saw their relationships evolve over the course of the book, and the fact that it was never neat and tidy, but always a little messy. How refreshingly real.
- The love interest. Ahh, Alex was just so lovable (and again, a fully developed, very realistic character). I appreciated that he had his own challenges, particularly his struggles with mental health. I loved how he respected Verónica, and that he showed up when it mattered. I also enjoyed the way Alex provided Verónica with new perspectives when it came to her relationships with her parents.
What I loved:
- The diversity. Sylvester has created a book that truly highlights intersectional diversity: ability, chronic pain, race, sexuality and sexual orientation, gender identity, mental health. And while all of these elements are present, none of them feel forced. She has created a truly diverse cast of characters.
- The representation of hip dysplasia and chronic pain.
- The way she addresses ableism. In recent times, I've noticed a lot of contemporary middle grade and YA authors using the word "lame" in their books (often by the protagonist, and rarely called out). I LOVE that Sylvester tackles this ableism in her book. We see the way language affects Verónica, and we hear her explain why it matters in her own words.
- The complicated family dynamics. I appreciated that Verónica's relationships with her parents and sister were complicated, nuanced, and fully explored. Verónica's parents were not perfect (esp. all the slut shaming), though they clearly cared about her. Additionally, Verónica was not a perfect daughter, though her behavior made total sense given her age, her wants and needs, and her feelings about her bodily autonomy. I loved the way we saw their relationships evolve over the course of the book, and the fact that it was never neat and tidy, but always a little messy. How refreshingly real.
- The love interest. Ahh, Alex was just so lovable (and again, a fully developed, very realistic character). I appreciated that he had his own challenges, particularly his struggles with mental health. I loved how he respected Verónica, and that he showed up when it mattered. I also enjoyed the way Alex provided Verónica with new perspectives when it came to her relationships with her parents.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
Moderate: Medical content and Sexism
Minor: Deportation and Sexual assault