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A review by literarygoldrush
The Everything I Have Lost by Sylvia Aguilar-Zéleny
3.0
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Don’t forget to search Trigger Warnings before reading.
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Thank you to NetGalley and OrangeSky Audio for the audio ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
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This book was a unique read. Written as a 12 year olds diary this book covers a lot of topics from perceptions of womanhood, crime, family, borders, danger to females, etc. I felt like most of these topics were covered as well as they could be since a 12 year old was telling the story. Though I felt these topics could have been covered better if our narrator Julia was around 15. At times she was extremely naive and constantly repetitive that I almost wanted to just sit the book down.
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This one is written for middle grade and that’s where my review dropped a few stars. I felt this book was written for more young adult or adult readers. When I found out it was a middle grade I was honestly confused. I feel this book would make a bigger impact with its topics in a high school classroom or in a book clubs discussion.
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There was also a bit of stereotyping that I found disgusting. Throughout the book there is 1 plus sized character who is the stereotypical bully and is only referred to as Fat Nelly. I understand that this book is about a 12 year olds diary but the stereotyping of Nelly just didn’t sit right with me and bothered me throughout the books.
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Overall I felt it had some highs and lows. If the synopsis interests you I would definitely check it out! It is definitely an interesting read and I hate to rate it what I did.
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Synopsis: 12-year-old Julia keeps a diary about her life growing up in Juarez, Mexico. Life in Juarez is strange. People say it's the murder capital of the world. Dad’s gone a lot. They can’t play outside because it isn’t safe. Drug cartels rule the streets. Cars and people disappear, leaving behind pet cats. Then Dad disappears and Julia and her brother go live with her aunt in El Paso. What’s happened to her Dad? Julia wonders. Is he going to disappear forever? A coming-of-age story set in today’s Juarez.
Don’t forget to search Trigger Warnings before reading.
➿
Thank you to NetGalley and OrangeSky Audio for the audio ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
➿
This book was a unique read. Written as a 12 year olds diary this book covers a lot of topics from perceptions of womanhood, crime, family, borders, danger to females, etc. I felt like most of these topics were covered as well as they could be since a 12 year old was telling the story. Though I felt these topics could have been covered better if our narrator Julia was around 15. At times she was extremely naive and constantly repetitive that I almost wanted to just sit the book down.
➿
This one is written for middle grade and that’s where my review dropped a few stars. I felt this book was written for more young adult or adult readers. When I found out it was a middle grade I was honestly confused. I feel this book would make a bigger impact with its topics in a high school classroom or in a book clubs discussion.
➿
There was also a bit of stereotyping that I found disgusting. Throughout the book there is 1 plus sized character who is the stereotypical bully and is only referred to as Fat Nelly. I understand that this book is about a 12 year olds diary but the stereotyping of Nelly just didn’t sit right with me and bothered me throughout the books.
➿
Overall I felt it had some highs and lows. If the synopsis interests you I would definitely check it out! It is definitely an interesting read and I hate to rate it what I did.
➿
Synopsis: 12-year-old Julia keeps a diary about her life growing up in Juarez, Mexico. Life in Juarez is strange. People say it's the murder capital of the world. Dad’s gone a lot. They can’t play outside because it isn’t safe. Drug cartels rule the streets. Cars and people disappear, leaving behind pet cats. Then Dad disappears and Julia and her brother go live with her aunt in El Paso. What’s happened to her Dad? Julia wonders. Is he going to disappear forever? A coming-of-age story set in today’s Juarez.