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A review by celestesbookshelf
Big Chicas Don't Cry by Annette Chavez Macias
3.0
SOON
Big Chicas Don't Cry available September 1st,
2022.
What I loved:
A story about four cousins navigating through life
from childhood to adulthood.
As a Mexican woman I loved the Mexican culture
at the center of the story, there's a scene where
one of the cousins approaches her great-
grandma and "Ponds face cream danced across
my nose" totally relatable! My grandmother uses
Ponds and the fragrance is unforgettable. The
cooking scenes all touched me, especially
bringing in armfuls of raisins for the sweet
tamales. The strong family bond between cousins
and aunts and nieces was very relatable. Mexican
culture has cousins raised as sisters and the
author did a wonderful job of showcasing the
bonds that bring them together.
What I didn't like:
Spoilers follow *
I felt the four women didn't have enough
character development. They are all professional
women and all at some point encounter some
form of being overlooked or flat out disrespected.
They express anger and indignation but don't
stand up for themselves towards the beginning. In
Mexico there's a phrase, "calladita te vez más
bonita", translates to "you look prettier when you
don't say anything". I wanted better for them.
Three of the four cousins seemed to be in love
with guys who have done absolutely nothing to
win them over. Erika's love interest she overhears
him falling her a "mediocre reporter" and up until
the end of the book he has stood her up for his
ex-girlfriend and put her opinion over Erika's in
professional matters. Even then in the same page
when he finally shows up she's leaning on his
shoulder, head-over-heels for him.
Gracie the entire book is portrayed as prudent
and rational. The new teacher at her school
happens to be a guy who in grade school treated
her badly. There's never much a resolution or
closure on how he treated her in grade school
and before we know it she's pregnant and he tells
her he's not ready and hopes she doesn't expect
anything from him.
Marisol lost her identity being a trophy wife and everything she went through during the book doesn't
mean much because without much effort on Esteban's part they seem to be rekindling their relationship.
Big Chicas Don't Cry available September 1st,
2022.
What I loved:
A story about four cousins navigating through life
from childhood to adulthood.
As a Mexican woman I loved the Mexican culture
at the center of the story, there's a scene where
one of the cousins approaches her great-
grandma and "Ponds face cream danced across
my nose" totally relatable! My grandmother uses
Ponds and the fragrance is unforgettable. The
cooking scenes all touched me, especially
bringing in armfuls of raisins for the sweet
tamales. The strong family bond between cousins
and aunts and nieces was very relatable. Mexican
culture has cousins raised as sisters and the
author did a wonderful job of showcasing the
bonds that bring them together.
What I didn't like:
Spoilers follow *
I felt the four women didn't have enough
character development. They are all professional
women and all at some point encounter some
form of being overlooked or flat out disrespected.
They express anger and indignation but don't
stand up for themselves towards the beginning. In
Mexico there's a phrase, "calladita te vez más
bonita", translates to "you look prettier when you
don't say anything". I wanted better for them.
Three of the four cousins seemed to be in love
with guys who have done absolutely nothing to
win them over. Erika's love interest she overhears
him falling her a "mediocre reporter" and up until
the end of the book he has stood her up for his
ex-girlfriend and put her opinion over Erika's in
professional matters. Even then in the same page
when he finally shows up she's leaning on his
shoulder, head-over-heels for him.
Gracie the entire book is portrayed as prudent
and rational. The new teacher at her school
happens to be a guy who in grade school treated
her badly. There's never much a resolution or
closure on how he treated her in grade school
and before we know it she's pregnant and he tells
her he's not ready and hopes she doesn't expect
anything from him.
Marisol lost her identity being a trophy wife and everything she went through during the book doesn't
mean much because without much effort on Esteban's part they seem to be rekindling their relationship.