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Community comment are the opinions of contributing users. These comment do not represent the opinions of Omaha Public Library.
Apr 17, 2017TSCPL_Anna rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
I will say my review is probably biased, because I keep comparing this novel to Saenz's Aristotle and Dante, which was one of the best books I read last year. I did enjoy this book, but not nearly as much as I was expecting. I think if the book had been shortened by 50 pages, I would have loved all of it; some parts were simply too slow and repetitive for me. Here are the things I absolutely adored about this story, though: I love that this is a love story, but not your typical love story. Though there is a romantic relationship in the book, it is mostly about the love of friends and family. I cannot emphasize enough how much I love that Sal and Sam are a guy and a girl who love each other only as friends. You can be best friends with someone of the opposite sex, and this book proves it. Sal's relationship with his father is exquisitely told. Even though Vicente isn't his real dad, he proves time and time again that being adopted into a family means you are as authentic to that family as if you were born in it. And lastly, Saenz did not disappoint on creating 3D characters. No character is minor, and they all add their own personal flare to the story. Even though I didn't give the book a full five stars, I recommend it to anyone seeking a slice-of-life story about family, life, and death.