I am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika Sánchez by Marissa Posada

Image:

Justification: I chose this book because it is a National Book Award Finalist. I also chose it because I felt that I could easily relate to the main character. I am of Mexican heritage and I have younger, rather than older, sisters. It seemed like the perfect example of realistic fiction for me to try. I also wanted to find out the reasons why she thought she wasn't perfect.

Evaluation: This book has good examples of dialogue that flesh out the characters. You really get to know the kind of person Julia is through the dialogue. The beginning of the story starts with the death of her sister, Olga, and Julia is arguing with her mom. "Olga is gone now. All you have is me, sorry." There are more instances of Julia and her mother arguing because they don't see eye to eye, but it is said it could be because they are similar. "I know you and your mother don't get along, but your more alike than you think."

This book has good examples of precise vocabulary and figurative language. Since Julia is a first generation American, it is understandable that there would be a lot of Spanish included in this book. There are also good examples of figurative language. The description of going to her uncle's house for a birthday party is a great, "always smells of old fruit and wet dog,...The stereo is blasting..., and screaming children are running in and out of the house." The description of Julia's feelings about her quinceañera is also good, "The quinceañera hangs over me like the blade of a guillotine." These descriptions give a perfect visual of her uncle's house and her feelings about the party. These examples exemplify Sánchez as a poet.

This book has good examples of understatement. Julia gets overwhelmed with everything in her life and then the story cuts to her waking up in the hospital. It mentions her wrists, but doesn't say anything explicit until the end of the story. It is left up to the reader to figure out what exactly happened until the end. Another example is when Julia is going home and saying goodbye to Esteban. "Esteban cradles my face...and pulls me toward him." It doesn't take a genius, but it is obvious that he kissed her goodbye. this writing allows for the reader to participate in the story by allowing them to put the pieces together.

Response: The real question for this book should be how does this not relate to me personally. As mentioned earlier I come from a Mexican heritage, I have sisters, and I don't think I meet the perfect Mexican daughter ideal. Julia matches a lot of my opinions, especially when I was that age. It might be the Americanization, but I also rebel against the ideal standards of being a Mexican daughter. I loved the text as entertainment. It is a great book for mental health, going to college, and dealing with a family that doesn't support your goals. It is really good for any young adult.

Conclusion: This book has good examples of dialogue, figurative language and precise vocabulary, and understatement. I would give this book five stars, two thumbs up and all of the awards. This is a good book for any young adult. This was such a good book, I'll have to purchase a personal copy.

APA Citation: Sánchez, E. (2017). I am not your perfect Mexican daughter. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.