This was a challenging, but beautiful story. 

The poetry in this book was stunning, and I was continuously impressed with Acevedo's ability to paint such a vivid world and compelling story with so few words.

I particularly love Father Sean and his inclusion because he shows that not every religious figure is a self-serving, power-hungry hypocrite. His encouragement of Xiomara exploring and asking questions was so refreshing in a world that oftentimes leans far too hard into stereotypes for these types of people.

I also love that the story avoids making Mami a pure villain. Yes, she does horrid things that no mother should ever do. But she has reasons for her actions, and those reasons (along with her background) prevent her from being viewed only--and strictly--as a villain.