I'm really excited to share this with ya'll and not just because the gorgeous cover matches my blog design ;)
Thoughts on Starfish:
- First, Trigger Warning: Manipulative abusive parent, sexual abuse, suicide, racism, and anxiety.
- Kiko is not very friendly to ace spectrum folks. She's an allo that's wrapped up in her own drama of what's wrong with me and I'm so attracted to this boy we can't be just friends. I'm very sympathetic to her struggles and being so connected to her family issues actually helped me come to terms with being demipansexual. Since I've read other novels with these same issues but thought it was me being weird, it doesn't feel right to dock Starfish for doing everything else so right and being the one to help me breakthrough. So FYI, and um, happy coming out to me. Thanks for the helping hand, Bowman.
- Kiko has no self-esteem, is painfully shy and anxious. She's undermined by her mother at home, alienated at school, and constantly putting herself down for being behind in her peers.
- Kiko's mother is just awful. Everyone should hate her as much as Umbridge. I'm SURE if she had any position of power like Umbridge, she would be just like her.
- Kiko's father isn't as bad, but hardly role model. However, for those who don't understand what it's like living in a family like this, her father and brothers demonstrate how it's about survival and the guilt/rage/shame/relief mixed in it all.
So that's a lot of heavy shit. This is not a light YA romp. It won't be for everyone and it's not for anytime. However, it's a really good story that I couldn't put down, think most people will get something positive from it, and really hope ya'll get it.
Reasons to read Starfish ASAP:
- Kiko's what I said, what I meant, and what I should have said thoughts were impressively on-point and well construed.
- It handles biracial families and white women being racist and claiming to be "better" for being in a relationship with POC, especially when raising biracial kids.
- Alllll the art descriptions. Every chapter ends with Kiko sketching something amazing and her progression with her mentor is brilliant.
- The starting over with nothing and desperation and awkwardness was heartbreakingly familiar.
- The title and cover's meaning will be spelled out at the very end. The "OHHHHHH" moment is pretty fucking sweet.
- Kiko's menter and fam is GOALS 3. Total dream come true, not in a fairy-tale way but in a like recognizes like and right place, right time kinda way. Found families FTW!
- Despite all the signs, I did not see the twist with Dude's family and her uncle coming. I was fucking rocked when things started falling out into the open and so proud of Kiko.
- The ending is hopeful and open and...content. It's pretty fucking sweet. If you're a crier, be prepared for the rollercoaster.
Thank you so much Rich in Variety Tours and Ms.Bowman for letting me be apart of this tour and review it early. Starfish will always hold a special place for me.
Perfect for fans of another surprising and arty YA: The Hearts We Sold
a Rafflecopter giveaway
That's all I got folks, but don't forget to come back to keep entering and follow the tour for more Starfish awesomeness.This review was originally posted on The Layaway Dragon