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Down to the Bone
What if you don't follow the rules and it radically alters the course of your life?
What if you get kicked out of the house and lose all your friends and everyone you love?
Will you turn the corner into a world filled with unusual friends and create a new kind of family or self-destruct?
BOOKLIST *STARRED* REVIEW
What if you get kicked out of the house and lose all your friends and everyone you love?
Will you turn the corner into a world filled with unusual friends and create a new kind of family or self-destruct?
BOOKLIST *STARRED* REVIEW
264 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 26, 2008
About the author
Mayra Lazara Dole
6 books79 followersI'm passionate about my quirky girlfriend, writing, reading, guitar, art, mangoes, science, music, maths, chocolate, exotic palm trees, organic foods, solar, ETC. I was born in Havana. We live in Florida with our wacky mutts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
October 7, 2009
Cross-posted at Outlaw Reviews and at Shelf Inflicted
Laura is a junior in a Catholic high school looking forward to summer and to celebrating her two-year anniversary with her girlfriend, Marlena. Instead, she is humiliated when her teacher reads a love letter from Marlena out loud in front of all her friends, resulting in her expulsion from school and in the loss of her friends. Her mother has thrown Laura out of the house, promising that she can return only when she reveals the name of her secret lover and changes her ways.
Laura moves in with her best friend, Soli, and her mom. Her life takes a turn for the worse when Marlena's family arranges for her to be wed to a man in Puerto Rico.
Down to the Bone is a warm, colorful, funny, and heartbreaking story with a great cast of characters that provides a glimpse into the rich, diverse, and fascinating culture of the Cuban community in Miami.
This is a great teen book, but also a lot of fun for adults too. There's a glossary in the back of Cuban slang and commonly used words and phrases. This is a wonderful story that’s all about love, discovering oneself, finding acceptance, family bonds, friendships, food, laughter, and valuing differences.
Laura is a junior in a Catholic high school looking forward to summer and to celebrating her two-year anniversary with her girlfriend, Marlena. Instead, she is humiliated when her teacher reads a love letter from Marlena out loud in front of all her friends, resulting in her expulsion from school and in the loss of her friends. Her mother has thrown Laura out of the house, promising that she can return only when she reveals the name of her secret lover and changes her ways.
Laura moves in with her best friend, Soli, and her mom. Her life takes a turn for the worse when Marlena's family arranges for her to be wed to a man in Puerto Rico.
Down to the Bone is a warm, colorful, funny, and heartbreaking story with a great cast of characters that provides a glimpse into the rich, diverse, and fascinating culture of the Cuban community in Miami.
This is a great teen book, but also a lot of fun for adults too. There's a glossary in the back of Cuban slang and commonly used words and phrases. This is a wonderful story that’s all about love, discovering oneself, finding acceptance, family bonds, friendships, food, laughter, and valuing differences.
August 16, 2012
though it pains me to say it, there are so many things wrong with this book. it pains me because 1) i was totally excited to read this because of the reviews- both slj and booklist gave it great reviews, booklist even starred it, and 2) i hate to criticize any gay teen lit, esp. new stuff and lesbian stuff, because i am just so happy that people are writing it, it's getting published, and it's in my library. but i actually had to get out a notepad to write down all of the things that were bugging me while i was reading because i couldn't keep track of them all. i think partly what kept me reading was that i wanted to see what other ridiculous stuff was in there.
first of all i couldn't stand the way the narrator, laura, talked, both to the reader and to other characters in the book. they all talked ridiculously unrealistically, at least in my opinion. i could be wrong, but i don't think teenagers say "lezbo," "fembo," and "blazin'" quite so much. laura also had weird ways of saying things like, "i couldn't give three cracked coconuts." umm, okay... i've read plenty of teen lit in my adult years so i am well-versed in the cheesy dialogue, contrived plots, and melodramatics. i really enjoyed freak show by james st. james even though it had all these things (and more!). but down to the bone was just not good. sorry.
inconsistencies abound in this book- one minute laura is completely clueless, asking someone what a genderqueer is, then the next she is throwing around the word "andro." later in the book she's explaining how feminine-looking gay girls versus butch girls or bois are in bed, when she's only been with her one secret girlfriend, has virtually no exposure to gay people/culture, and still isn't considering herself gay. it's just way too obvious that the author is trying to explain all these things to the reader, wanting to define every possible gay term and tell every possible version of a coming out story. there's the guy who tells the story of his brother who was trans and not accepted by their father and committed suicide- handled all to casually, by the way. mention of stds and aids, tons and tons of labeling- boi, butch, femme, t-girl, genderqueer, etc., etc. the author seemed to want to have a character to represent all these "types" of people but unfortunately they are all terribly one dimensional.
oh and the overt persecusion they face! maybe i am naiive, but not all "straights" hate the gays. just about every insult is thrown at these people and just about every character in the book who is not gay hates the gays and is not afraid to let them know.
the general mood in the book is also inconsistent. like the suicide story- it came up out of nowhere and then just as quickly they were on to a different topic. another time laura's work crew is having quite a heated argument about gay people. a few moments later she is reflecting that she is going to miss all the "good times" she and her crew have together.
the author also apparently thinks readers can't deduce anything for themselves so she has to spell it all out. laura explains that she can tell someone was a kind, thoughtful person, rather than just let readers figure that out from the character's actions. describing someone by saying she's "feminine looking" and then describing her dress, earrings, etc. is redundant. and repetitive. ;)
and my last complaint is that the author kept putting emphasis on certain words, sometimes excessively, and sometimes even on the wrong word. for instance, "here i am thinking i'd be HER type, and she ends up going for YOU." shouldn't it be, "here i am thinking I'D be her type, and she ends up going for YOU"?
i don't know, maybe my expectations were too high. maybe i'm too old, i'm not cuban, and i don't live in miami so i don't get it. i hope that's the case cuz i do still hope that lots and lots of teenagers read this book if it might educate them just a little bit. or help them find comfort in a character that's like themselves. i just wish the lessons were a bit more subtle.
first of all i couldn't stand the way the narrator, laura, talked, both to the reader and to other characters in the book. they all talked ridiculously unrealistically, at least in my opinion. i could be wrong, but i don't think teenagers say "lezbo," "fembo," and "blazin'" quite so much. laura also had weird ways of saying things like, "i couldn't give three cracked coconuts." umm, okay... i've read plenty of teen lit in my adult years so i am well-versed in the cheesy dialogue, contrived plots, and melodramatics. i really enjoyed freak show by james st. james even though it had all these things (and more!). but down to the bone was just not good. sorry.
inconsistencies abound in this book- one minute laura is completely clueless, asking someone what a genderqueer is, then the next she is throwing around the word "andro." later in the book she's explaining how feminine-looking gay girls versus butch girls or bois are in bed, when she's only been with her one secret girlfriend, has virtually no exposure to gay people/culture, and still isn't considering herself gay. it's just way too obvious that the author is trying to explain all these things to the reader, wanting to define every possible gay term and tell every possible version of a coming out story. there's the guy who tells the story of his brother who was trans and not accepted by their father and committed suicide- handled all to casually, by the way. mention of stds and aids, tons and tons of labeling- boi, butch, femme, t-girl, genderqueer, etc., etc. the author seemed to want to have a character to represent all these "types" of people but unfortunately they are all terribly one dimensional.
oh and the overt persecusion they face! maybe i am naiive, but not all "straights" hate the gays. just about every insult is thrown at these people and just about every character in the book who is not gay hates the gays and is not afraid to let them know.
the general mood in the book is also inconsistent. like the suicide story- it came up out of nowhere and then just as quickly they were on to a different topic. another time laura's work crew is having quite a heated argument about gay people. a few moments later she is reflecting that she is going to miss all the "good times" she and her crew have together.
the author also apparently thinks readers can't deduce anything for themselves so she has to spell it all out. laura explains that she can tell someone was a kind, thoughtful person, rather than just let readers figure that out from the character's actions. describing someone by saying she's "feminine looking" and then describing her dress, earrings, etc. is redundant. and repetitive. ;)
and my last complaint is that the author kept putting emphasis on certain words, sometimes excessively, and sometimes even on the wrong word. for instance, "here i am thinking i'd be HER type, and she ends up going for YOU." shouldn't it be, "here i am thinking I'D be her type, and she ends up going for YOU"?
i don't know, maybe my expectations were too high. maybe i'm too old, i'm not cuban, and i don't live in miami so i don't get it. i hope that's the case cuz i do still hope that lots and lots of teenagers read this book if it might educate them just a little bit. or help them find comfort in a character that's like themselves. i just wish the lessons were a bit more subtle.
January 10, 2010
Laura attends a Catholic high school and is almost done with her junior year; like most teenagers, she is looking forward to her summer break - where she has her family and a nice job awaiting her. Not only that, but it's almost her two year anniversary with her girlfriend, Marlena. Unfortunately, Laura is caught reading a love note from Marlena during class. Not only does her teacher confiscate it, but she also reads it aloud to her entire class. Even though Laura is mortified and almost pees her pants, she refuses to tell the administrator her girlfriend's name. This results in her immediate expulsion. When her mom finds out, she throws her out of the house and says that she will only allow Laura back when she changes her sinful ways. Luckily, Laura meets an entirely different type of family - the type that may even accept her for who she really is.
I have many mixed feelings on this book. I bounced from three stars to four, then two, then four, then three. One of the things that made this book uncomfortable reading at first was my age and gender, obviously. I don't think fourteen-year-old males are generally the target audience for this book, even if it was for teens. I was a bit... perturbed, at times. But that doesn't really have to do with the book, that's more about me specifically.
Anyway, once I removed that aspect (it didn't deduct from the rating), this was a pretty decent novel, especially for a first time author. I enjoyed the diversity of it, with all the varying sexualities as well as focusing on Cuban-Americans. Good thing I took Spanish 1 in middle school, because otherwise I might not have understood a lot of the words. There is a glossary in the back, though.
The writing was very stylistic. Dole wrote Laura as a very raw character, I pretty much felt everything she was feeling and even tasted everything she tasted. There were a lot of great descriptions in this book. Sometimes the writing was a bit awkward, like as in awkward dialogue or phrasing, but other than that the writing was great.
Plot and character wise Down to the Bone was okay. Sometimes I felt Laura's confusion over her sexuality really annoying - I understand how confusing it can be to a person, but once she fell in and out of love more than twice I started to get bothered. Also, I didn't feel a lot of development from some of the side characters. Otherwise it was a good novel and my rating shouldn't stop anyone from reading this book, especially those seeking a fresh and unique read.
I have many mixed feelings on this book. I bounced from three stars to four, then two, then four, then three. One of the things that made this book uncomfortable reading at first was my age and gender, obviously. I don't think fourteen-year-old males are generally the target audience for this book, even if it was for teens. I was a bit... perturbed, at times. But that doesn't really have to do with the book, that's more about me specifically.
Anyway, once I removed that aspect (it didn't deduct from the rating), this was a pretty decent novel, especially for a first time author. I enjoyed the diversity of it, with all the varying sexualities as well as focusing on Cuban-Americans. Good thing I took Spanish 1 in middle school, because otherwise I might not have understood a lot of the words. There is a glossary in the back, though.
The writing was very stylistic. Dole wrote Laura as a very raw character, I pretty much felt everything she was feeling and even tasted everything she tasted. There were a lot of great descriptions in this book. Sometimes the writing was a bit awkward, like as in awkward dialogue or phrasing, but other than that the writing was great.
Plot and character wise Down to the Bone was okay. Sometimes I felt Laura's confusion over her sexuality really annoying - I understand how confusing it can be to a person, but once she fell in and out of love more than twice I started to get bothered. Also, I didn't feel a lot of development from some of the side characters. Otherwise it was a good novel and my rating shouldn't stop anyone from reading this book, especially those seeking a fresh and unique read.
March 22, 2010
This is a powerful book about a teen lesbian coming to terms with her sexual orientation and identity within the heavily religious (Catholic) Cuban culture in Miami. The opening takes your breath away as you experience the ultimate humiliation, sitting in your uniform, as the nun reads your love letter from your lesbian partner of two years. From there, you know it is not going to get better any times soon.
Despite the painful opening and the wrenching middle, the ending of this book yells joy. It speaks to the real meaning of family, with the understanding that your culture cannot be taken away from you. Laura (also known as Scunchy, Looly and Laurita -- which as times gets confusing since almost everyone in the book has multiple variations of their names) learns about taking people as they are. But most importantly, this book addresses the issue of living a lie, being a liar, and the consequences for self-identity.
I highly recommend this book.
Despite the painful opening and the wrenching middle, the ending of this book yells joy. It speaks to the real meaning of family, with the understanding that your culture cannot be taken away from you. Laura (also known as Scunchy, Looly and Laurita -- which as times gets confusing since almost everyone in the book has multiple variations of their names) learns about taking people as they are. But most importantly, this book addresses the issue of living a lie, being a liar, and the consequences for self-identity.
I highly recommend this book.
April 19, 2009
At 17, Laura Amores is a Cuban teenager in Miami who attends a Catholic high school. But when she is caught reading a letter from a friend and not paying attention to the class, the nun reads the letter aloud. Turns out, the missive is from Laura's girlfriend, and details an intimate relationship Laura has kept hidden from everyone.
Suddenly friends Laura has known her whole life turn on her. Her own mother is mortified at her immoral behavior and throws her out of the house, refusing to speak to or even see her until she decides to become straight. Even the girlfriend seems to buy into that mentality, returning to Puerto Rico when her brother discovers their relationship and choosing to settle down into a loveless marriage instead of fighting for her heart's desire.
The only people who stick by Laura is her childhood friend, Soli, and Soli's mother, Viva. They take her in when she has nowhere left to go, and they love her unconditionally. Soli, an over-the-top hairdresser with a zest for life, tries to convince Laura to embrace her sexuality. But the pain of being outed in front of her classmates, coupled with being shunned by her own family, has left Laura confused. If she weren't gay, none of this would have happened.
This story is a wonderful look at the confusion that many feel when they're on the path to discovering their own sexuality. Laura denies that she is gay -- her belief is that she was in love with a girl, but she can't say the words out loud, even to her new queer circle of friends, for fear of a rejection similar to that she suffered when she was first outed. So instead, she vacillates between a growing attraction to a beautiful girl she meets at a gay club and the desire to be accepted as "normal" and "straight." Throw in a growing friendship with a confident lesbian who self-identifies as a "boi," Soli's unrelenting pressure to own up to her own heart, and her mother's continuous cold shoulder, and the reader will find it hard to put this book down until the very end.
Laura's journey rings true. Many times I found myself frustrated with her, only because she couldn't readily embrace who she was, but I had to keep reminding myself she was only 17. The road to self-acceptance is a hard one, for anybody, and the author doesn't go easy on her character. Laura is torn apart emotionally, her life a roller coaster that anyone who remembers their own turbulent teenage years will identify with all too well. When she finally begins to figure things out for herself, the change is vividly written:
"Something comes over me. I feel as if I've finally taken off a tight iron mask that I've been wearing all my life."
"It's about finally letting go of the fear that didn't allow me to be who I truly am."
There is something for everyone in Laura's story, whether gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, genderqueer, or questioning. Through her tale, she grows into a stronger person, more sure of herself and her heart. In the final pages of this book is a lesson we can all embrace, an acceptance not only of ourselves but of others around us, as different as they may be. Laura learns to embrace her sexuality ~ and, through the process, learns who loves her unconditionally and, in return, is deserving of her love.
Suddenly friends Laura has known her whole life turn on her. Her own mother is mortified at her immoral behavior and throws her out of the house, refusing to speak to or even see her until she decides to become straight. Even the girlfriend seems to buy into that mentality, returning to Puerto Rico when her brother discovers their relationship and choosing to settle down into a loveless marriage instead of fighting for her heart's desire.
The only people who stick by Laura is her childhood friend, Soli, and Soli's mother, Viva. They take her in when she has nowhere left to go, and they love her unconditionally. Soli, an over-the-top hairdresser with a zest for life, tries to convince Laura to embrace her sexuality. But the pain of being outed in front of her classmates, coupled with being shunned by her own family, has left Laura confused. If she weren't gay, none of this would have happened.
This story is a wonderful look at the confusion that many feel when they're on the path to discovering their own sexuality. Laura denies that she is gay -- her belief is that she was in love with a girl, but she can't say the words out loud, even to her new queer circle of friends, for fear of a rejection similar to that she suffered when she was first outed. So instead, she vacillates between a growing attraction to a beautiful girl she meets at a gay club and the desire to be accepted as "normal" and "straight." Throw in a growing friendship with a confident lesbian who self-identifies as a "boi," Soli's unrelenting pressure to own up to her own heart, and her mother's continuous cold shoulder, and the reader will find it hard to put this book down until the very end.
Laura's journey rings true. Many times I found myself frustrated with her, only because she couldn't readily embrace who she was, but I had to keep reminding myself she was only 17. The road to self-acceptance is a hard one, for anybody, and the author doesn't go easy on her character. Laura is torn apart emotionally, her life a roller coaster that anyone who remembers their own turbulent teenage years will identify with all too well. When she finally begins to figure things out for herself, the change is vividly written:
"Something comes over me. I feel as if I've finally taken off a tight iron mask that I've been wearing all my life."
"It's about finally letting go of the fear that didn't allow me to be who I truly am."
There is something for everyone in Laura's story, whether gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, genderqueer, or questioning. Through her tale, she grows into a stronger person, more sure of herself and her heart. In the final pages of this book is a lesson we can all embrace, an acceptance not only of ourselves but of others around us, as different as they may be. Laura learns to embrace her sexuality ~ and, through the process, learns who loves her unconditionally and, in return, is deserving of her love.
September 21, 2012
While I think the plot could have formed an excellent book, I was very disappointed in Dole's writing style. I felt like she was pushing way too hard to make Shai into a hip, relatable teen. Shai constantly uses slang phrases and awkward metaphors that don't fit a teenager's lifestyle, and she and her friends are involved in a whirlwind of activities that most teens never dream of doing. The whole book was a colorful whirlwind of action and drama, but it lacked the underlying introspection that Shai's predicament deserved.
----------------Spoilers---------------------
I was also dissatisfied with how Shai is kicked out of school, but experiences no hardship. She already has a full-time job that pays well, doing something she loves. Very rare. And she moves in with her friend's mom with no consequences: the mom loves her and doesn't ask her to pay rent or anything. She is kicked out of her house, and the only hardships she suffers is loss of contact with her mother and brother. She isn't worried about her future, or money, or anything. Frankly, it frustrated me, the unrealism that was Shai's life. All of her "broke" friends were gallivanting about Miami, partying and living it up, going on fancy vacations and excursions that no regular teen could afford.
----------------Spoilers---------------------
I was also dissatisfied with how Shai is kicked out of school, but experiences no hardship. She already has a full-time job that pays well, doing something she loves. Very rare. And she moves in with her friend's mom with no consequences: the mom loves her and doesn't ask her to pay rent or anything. She is kicked out of her house, and the only hardships she suffers is loss of contact with her mother and brother. She isn't worried about her future, or money, or anything. Frankly, it frustrated me, the unrealism that was Shai's life. All of her "broke" friends were gallivanting about Miami, partying and living it up, going on fancy vacations and excursions that no regular teen could afford.
January 6, 2009
By trying to fill the void where lesbian characters of color should be in YA lit, Doyle seems to have tried to cover every possible problem one could face as a lesbian teen of color, creating a book that is certainly filled to overflowing with colorful characters, but becomes a bit of a mess along the way. Here the whole plot focuses on being gay, rather than a gay character leading the story.
Additionally, way too often the writing was weak and sloppy, telling us about the characters way more often than their quirks and idiosyncrasies were shown.
My full thoughts on this book, and queer young adult lit in general, is over here
Additionally, way too often the writing was weak and sloppy, telling us about the characters way more often than their quirks and idiosyncrasies were shown.
My full thoughts on this book, and queer young adult lit in general, is over here
October 21, 2008
Everything changed for Laura the day her teacher read her love letter out loud. Laura's been dating Marlena for two years on the sly and suddenly the whole world knows she's a tortillera, a girl who loves girls. Laura's expelled from school and her mom kicks her out. Then Marlena is shipped off to Puerto Rico to marry a boy. But although she's hurting, big-hearted Laura's got a support network to hold her up while she figures things out. And eventually she'll figure out who she is and who will love and understand her down to the bone.
While I loved getting a unique perspective and couldn't help but like the vivacious Laura, there was too much telling and not enough showing. We're told that Laura's an environmentalist into making her own clothes and watching foreign films, but we never see any of that happening. There's a huge cast of characters in this novel and some random events that don't add to the story. I would have liked it better if it had been 150 pages shorter. That said, the Miami setting and cast of diverse characters make it stand out and I hope to see more from Ms. Dole.
While I loved getting a unique perspective and couldn't help but like the vivacious Laura, there was too much telling and not enough showing. We're told that Laura's an environmentalist into making her own clothes and watching foreign films, but we never see any of that happening. There's a huge cast of characters in this novel and some random events that don't add to the story. I would have liked it better if it had been 150 pages shorter. That said, the Miami setting and cast of diverse characters make it stand out and I hope to see more from Ms. Dole.
December 13, 2010
All human beings should be loved and accepted down to the bone...
Sweet, colorful story about a teen who is trying to come to terms (about what it means) to be gay to her family and community. The writing is uneven and the dialogue between the various characters sometimes is over-the-top. However, the story is a universal one and should resonate with teens who are struggling with overbearing parents, cultural mores, and more specifically their sexual orientation.
As an aside (and publishers if you would please LISTEN UP), the choice of cover art is unfortunate. This is a story set in Miami that follows a gaggle of Cuban teens! The story is peppered with common Cuban slang and even contains a glossary in the back pages for those readers who are curious. And yet, the cover art is of a fair haired, light-eyed teen. Nice white-wash.
¡Dios mío! Trust your readers...
Sweet, colorful story about a teen who is trying to come to terms (about what it means) to be gay to her family and community. The writing is uneven and the dialogue between the various characters sometimes is over-the-top. However, the story is a universal one and should resonate with teens who are struggling with overbearing parents, cultural mores, and more specifically their sexual orientation.
As an aside (and publishers if you would please LISTEN UP), the choice of cover art is unfortunate. This is a story set in Miami that follows a gaggle of Cuban teens! The story is peppered with common Cuban slang and even contains a glossary in the back pages for those readers who are curious. And yet, the cover art is of a fair haired, light-eyed teen. Nice white-wash.
¡Dios mío! Trust your readers...
February 17, 2015
Oof.
Not well written. Actually, really terribly written. I'm sure there are, like, Real Live Teens (young ones, because I don't know many older teens who could stomach how childish the writing is) out there who will find comfort and solace in this book and it's rad that almost all of the characters are latinx, loved that, but like I do seriously wish that Dole had like had a better editor to tighten this mess up. Or maybe a ghostwriter. Because like wow is she not a good writer. It was a mess. It was an easy read tho, and the characters were sweet, even when nothing about the book or plot (PLOT, wow, I wanna like explain some fundamental guidelines about laying out a book to Dole, too) was making sense. So many things were handled so weirdly (trans issues.....bi issues.....like......I'm sure Dole's trans and bi friends are out there sighing with their faces in their hands closing their eyes saying to themselves 'I know she means well I know she means well I know she means well'), like, anyway, it is way too much to even get into but yeah. I'm glad this book exists, but I wish a different person had written it.
Not well written. Actually, really terribly written. I'm sure there are, like, Real Live Teens (young ones, because I don't know many older teens who could stomach how childish the writing is) out there who will find comfort and solace in this book and it's rad that almost all of the characters are latinx, loved that, but like I do seriously wish that Dole had like had a better editor to tighten this mess up. Or maybe a ghostwriter. Because like wow is she not a good writer. It was a mess. It was an easy read tho, and the characters were sweet, even when nothing about the book or plot (PLOT, wow, I wanna like explain some fundamental guidelines about laying out a book to Dole, too) was making sense. So many things were handled so weirdly (trans issues.....bi issues.....like......I'm sure Dole's trans and bi friends are out there sighing with their faces in their hands closing their eyes saying to themselves 'I know she means well I know she means well I know she means well'), like, anyway, it is way too much to even get into but yeah. I'm glad this book exists, but I wish a different person had written it.
September 19, 2012
Ugh, hard to get into. Laury's relationship with her girlfriend is way over the top and there's no history for it, so it just seems sappy and kind of gross. I didn't buy into the characters or the dialogue despite trying to keep an open mind. After all, what do I know about the Cuban gay scene in Miami?. Too much seemed like it was thrown in for shock value. Possibly the thing that bothered me most was that the adults were so one-dimensional. Some of the secondary characters, like Tazer, were drawn a little better, and that pulled me almost through to the end, but not quite.
January 25, 2010
I believe this is the first GLBT book I’ve read in a lesbian’s point of view. It’s definitely a POV that’s needed and I can say this novel pulled me into the main character’s world, one that I wasn’t familiar with. I felt sympathetic during Laura’s familial and romantic ups and downs as she experiences hurt feelings, romance, and confusion. The book is also funny and bright—it takes place in colorful Miami. Down to the Bone is also a multicultural read as it contains Latina characters.
June 15, 2008
Lovely little book about the intersection of cultural identity and sexual identity -- not just a rare lesbian YA novel amongst all the YA novels about young gay men, but also one about a racial minority. Fantastic.
May 20, 2019
Idk what is was. Like, okay first of all, I hate how they were always making fun of butch lesbians. I don't think it meant to come off like that, but it happened, A LOT. I don't know, it just didn't settle right with me, even though, I'm pretty sure the author didn't mean anything bad by that. Anyways, some stuff happens to the characters and it's serious stuff. But for some reason, I guess it's the writing style of something, or maybe it's the way the characters are written, I hardly felt anything for these characters. They were so 2-dimensional.
but anyways, it was an alright book, wouldn't really recommend it though, there're better lesbian books out there.
but anyways, it was an alright book, wouldn't really recommend it though, there're better lesbian books out there.
Want to Read
May 4, 2008Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com
How mortified would you be if one of your teachers read one of your private notes or letters out loud in front of the class? Take that mortification times one hundred, and that's what happens to Laura Amores on the last day of class. Except this letter is from her girlfriend and describes in detail their forbidden love. By the end of the school day, previous friends have deserted her, the nuns at her school have expelled her, and her mother has kicked her out of the house. At least until she changes her ways and falls in love with a boy.
Thankfully, Laura (who has many nicknames throughout the story) has a good friend in Soli and her mother, Viva. They let Laura stay with them indefinitely.
The story only gets worse for Laura. The girl she is in love with leaves Miami for Cuba. To add pain to heartache, Marlena tells Laura over the phone that she realizes their love was wrong and sinful and she is going to marry the man her family wants her to wed.
Laura struggles throughout the book to come to terms with who she is. She has dated boys in the past, but only Marlena has sent sparks through her body. Is she gay? Is she bi-sexual? Was it only Marlena that caused these feelings?
Laura meets many interesting people during the course of the story. They all help Laura define who she is and who she will become. She is determined to win back her mother's love. But in the end, is it really so important to have someone love who they want you to be but not who you are? Laura struggles with society's negative opinions of anyone not heterosexual or who is different from the norm.
Ms. Dole is a fresh new voice in the GLBTQ genre. She speaks frankly about the issue for teens to grasp and understand. The story is not always easy to read, but it's one that you'll be glad that you have. It will bring a deeper understanding of those that may seem different than you, but who just want to be loved and understood like everyone should be.
How mortified would you be if one of your teachers read one of your private notes or letters out loud in front of the class? Take that mortification times one hundred, and that's what happens to Laura Amores on the last day of class. Except this letter is from her girlfriend and describes in detail their forbidden love. By the end of the school day, previous friends have deserted her, the nuns at her school have expelled her, and her mother has kicked her out of the house. At least until she changes her ways and falls in love with a boy.
Thankfully, Laura (who has many nicknames throughout the story) has a good friend in Soli and her mother, Viva. They let Laura stay with them indefinitely.
The story only gets worse for Laura. The girl she is in love with leaves Miami for Cuba. To add pain to heartache, Marlena tells Laura over the phone that she realizes their love was wrong and sinful and she is going to marry the man her family wants her to wed.
Laura struggles throughout the book to come to terms with who she is. She has dated boys in the past, but only Marlena has sent sparks through her body. Is she gay? Is she bi-sexual? Was it only Marlena that caused these feelings?
Laura meets many interesting people during the course of the story. They all help Laura define who she is and who she will become. She is determined to win back her mother's love. But in the end, is it really so important to have someone love who they want you to be but not who you are? Laura struggles with society's negative opinions of anyone not heterosexual or who is different from the norm.
Ms. Dole is a fresh new voice in the GLBTQ genre. She speaks frankly about the issue for teens to grasp and understand. The story is not always easy to read, but it's one that you'll be glad that you have. It will bring a deeper understanding of those that may seem different than you, but who just want to be loved and understood like everyone should be.
May 2, 2011
Age: High School
A great contribution to the GLBTQ literary genre in YA for it's unique subject matter, including Laura being in a long-term lesbian relationship without familiarity --and sometimes rejection--of the queer scene and her lesbian identity. Furthermore, the character is Cuban-American and the complexity of coming out as a Catholic. However, the superfluous writing style went beyond stylistic flavor and into downright boring. While I cared about the characters enough to want to know the ending, I felt annoyed where the writer chose to place her time and her strained use of character development.
"But it took a long time, story-wise, to get to this point. Each chapter seemed to have at least one scene with a meandering conversation that summarized things we already knew -- e.g., Laura updating her best pal Soli on the goings-on at her job or her not-relationship with Francisco -- or a meandering conversation about things that didn't have much relation to the story at hand -- e.g., Soli, Laura, and Tazer talking about their quinces. Plus, most chapters started with several paragraphs (or pages) of summary about the things that had gone on between the end of the last chapter and the beginning of the new one. This resulted in a conversational, almost bloggy style of storytelling, which perhaps works for some readers, but it also meant that a lot of events were happening offstage. For instance, the reader is told about Laura's relationship with Francisco, but he rarely pops up as a character with an active role in a scene, and by the time a climactic scene does happen between the pair, it's hard to muster the appropriate emotion when the story itself hasn't spent much time helping the reader get invested in the conflict. Better developed were the relationships and conflicts between Laura and her surrogate family, and Laura and her mom" (Lauren's review at http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...).
A great contribution to the GLBTQ literary genre in YA for it's unique subject matter, including Laura being in a long-term lesbian relationship without familiarity --and sometimes rejection--of the queer scene and her lesbian identity. Furthermore, the character is Cuban-American and the complexity of coming out as a Catholic. However, the superfluous writing style went beyond stylistic flavor and into downright boring. While I cared about the characters enough to want to know the ending, I felt annoyed where the writer chose to place her time and her strained use of character development.
"But it took a long time, story-wise, to get to this point. Each chapter seemed to have at least one scene with a meandering conversation that summarized things we already knew -- e.g., Laura updating her best pal Soli on the goings-on at her job or her not-relationship with Francisco -- or a meandering conversation about things that didn't have much relation to the story at hand -- e.g., Soli, Laura, and Tazer talking about their quinces. Plus, most chapters started with several paragraphs (or pages) of summary about the things that had gone on between the end of the last chapter and the beginning of the new one. This resulted in a conversational, almost bloggy style of storytelling, which perhaps works for some readers, but it also meant that a lot of events were happening offstage. For instance, the reader is told about Laura's relationship with Francisco, but he rarely pops up as a character with an active role in a scene, and by the time a climactic scene does happen between the pair, it's hard to muster the appropriate emotion when the story itself hasn't spent much time helping the reader get invested in the conflict. Better developed were the relationships and conflicts between Laura and her surrogate family, and Laura and her mom" (Lauren's review at http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...).
January 16, 2011
Ok, I finished it. I mostly managed by skimming a bit, which made the dialogue and general writing style more bearable. The nifty thing about this book is the representation: latin@ queer kids, being kicked out, making your own family, some genderqueer/trans representation. So maybe it's worthwhile for you if those are things you are desperate for. But you'll also have to spend a lot of time reading lists of things the characters think are cool ("She tells me more specific things she's interested in, such as sailing, scuba diving, kayaking, hiking, swimming, and camping. And she's fascinated with Cuba, zoology and anthropology.") and people buying improbable cars on tight budgets, so I can't recommend it without reservations.
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I've been trying to find this one for so long and finally bought it. I was looking forward to it, but first impression? Unreadable. Too fast, the dialogue is incredibly bad, the school administrators are hard to believe, the relationship is soppy as hell (maybe realistic for high schoolers, but not very enjoyable to read) and the long italicized flashbacks? Ughhhhh. I was also thrown by the way Tazer is introduced, but that's more YMMV.
At first I wondered if I had accidentally bought the wrong edition (apparently there are two versions, one YA and one more adult---which probably explains the name change of the main character), but this review: http://lesbrary.com/tag/mayra-lazara-... says that they're very similar but the new one has been tightened up. So... Yeah. In light of all the positive reviews I'll probably return to this at some point, but right now I'm suffering secondhand embarrassment for the author. (8-5-13)
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I've been trying to find this one for so long and finally bought it. I was looking forward to it, but first impression? Unreadable. Too fast, the dialogue is incredibly bad, the school administrators are hard to believe, the relationship is soppy as hell (maybe realistic for high schoolers, but not very enjoyable to read) and the long italicized flashbacks? Ughhhhh. I was also thrown by the way Tazer is introduced, but that's more YMMV.
At first I wondered if I had accidentally bought the wrong edition (apparently there are two versions, one YA and one more adult---which probably explains the name change of the main character), but this review: http://lesbrary.com/tag/mayra-lazara-... says that they're very similar but the new one has been tightened up. So... Yeah. In light of all the positive reviews I'll probably return to this at some point, but right now I'm suffering secondhand embarrassment for the author. (8-5-13)
October 8, 2012
I really liked this book. I thought the story was paced very well. I didn't really feel too bored reading it. I appreciate the representation of POC lgbt especially in a culture that's very religious. There was so much Cuban slang though. Luckily, I was in Spanish honors for most of high school.
Apparently there's two versions of this book? That would explain everyone referring to the main character as Laura in the reviews. Has anyone read both? Is there a real difference between the two besides the main character's name?
Apparently there's two versions of this book? That would explain everyone referring to the main character as Laura in the reviews. Has anyone read both? Is there a real difference between the two besides the main character's name?
June 29, 2013
If it hadn´t been for my best friend, who wanted to know how the book ends, I wouldn´t have finished this book.
The story all in all is interesting but the writing style was just horrible. Whole paragraphs are written in italic (mainly flashbacks), everything gets summarised about ten times and don´t get me started on the way the dialogue was written. UGH!
Also: Shai´s girlfriend Marlena is so unlikable in the beginning I can´t even muster up sympathy for her when everything kind of turns to shit in her life. I mean she is pregnant, married to a man she doesn´t love and still in love with Shai who doesn´t want anything to do with her anymore.
The only characters I was really interested in were Tazer and Soli. But they didn´t get a lot of development, aside from a boyfriend for Soli that she actually loved.
Another thing that really irked me: Shai was kicked out of her home and moves into Soli´s house. She is allowed to live there with her dog, she already has a full time job and somehow she doesn´t encounter any problems that have to do with her "homelessness". When you look at the reality of a lot of homeless teens, it does not match Shai´s experience at all.
All in all I would not recommend this book.
The story all in all is interesting but the writing style was just horrible. Whole paragraphs are written in italic (mainly flashbacks), everything gets summarised about ten times and don´t get me started on the way the dialogue was written. UGH!
Also: Shai´s girlfriend Marlena is so unlikable in the beginning I can´t even muster up sympathy for her when everything kind of turns to shit in her life. I mean she is pregnant, married to a man she doesn´t love and still in love with Shai who doesn´t want anything to do with her anymore.
The only characters I was really interested in were Tazer and Soli. But they didn´t get a lot of development, aside from a boyfriend for Soli that she actually loved.
Another thing that really irked me: Shai was kicked out of her home and moves into Soli´s house. She is allowed to live there with her dog, she already has a full time job and somehow she doesn´t encounter any problems that have to do with her "homelessness". When you look at the reality of a lot of homeless teens, it does not match Shai´s experience at all.
All in all I would not recommend this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2014
This book has really stuck with me, a quality I relish in any reading material. Though there are aspects that tend to get in the way of suspension of disbelief, if one remembers that the story is, after all, written from the perspective of a 15 year old young woman, the story works. The characters in this story are utterly charming. The process by which Shai comes to terms with being lesbian in a homophobic culture will surely resonate with many. The author does a marvelous job staying in the voice of a teen, and even when her words are silly, her charm shines right through. The world needs more Shais. If you relate to this funny, sweet and caring young woman, remember her advice -If we (LGBTQ) are not open about ourselves, how will the straight world get used to us and start realizing we are here to say? (Mi apologias to the author for the terrible non-quote; I don't happen to have my copy nearby.)
February 19, 2009
I'm deeply conflicted about this book. While I loved the exuberance and sheer playfulness of the writing, it wasn't particularly tight writing- there was much meandering and several odd dangling plot elements. There is a lot going on in this book, some of which rings achingly, miserably true. The friendship between the main characters is lovely. It must be insanely hard to grow up gay and Cuban-American, and I think this book is a very welcome addition to the small body of literature for teens like Laura. The plot, while wildly discursive, was certainly engrossing enough. Recommended with reservations.
May 20, 2009
I'm so excited that I finished this book! I love it because it has a little bit of everything that relates to today's GLBTQ youth, everything from conversion therapy to bois (or FTMS). I enjoyed this peek into Miami's Cuban culture and appreciated the glossary. That noted, I'm surprised that I remembered as much Spanish as I did (from a beginner's class 2-3 years ago). I could've done with a little less slang, but, all in all, I think this book shows a lot of insight into some rather complicated subject matter. I would like to know what happens to Marlene in the long run, but that's a minor quibble
July 18, 2010
An OK story. Cuban-American Laura has been in a relationship with Marlena for two years when a nun at her Catholic school finds a love letter and she gets kicked out of school and home. Marlena then is sent to Puerto Rico to marry a guy. Laura spends the rest of the novel trying to figure out her sexuality and discovering the teen gay scene in Miami. The writing around her confusion and hurt is realistic enough, but the interactions with her friends was sometimes corny. I probably would have given it 3 stars, but the conversations and all the high fives just made me roll my eyes. I haven't read other LGBTQ stories, so I don't know how this one ranks.
November 25, 2009
This book is amazing. I believe it deals with just about every view of being homosexual as possible and it shows a different kind of family that is even more close knit than the ones you're born with. Tragedy, broken hearts, and rebirth and finding of the true self... cultural issues and gay issues, family issues... they're all there. The book is wonderful in showing the love people are capable of. Maybe if more people read things like this when they were younger, hate crimes would be less common...
August 17, 2012
I like this book a lot, you don't see many lesbian-themed YA books out there. I'm 26 but I missed out on youth fiction geared toward me as a youth. I had vampire books, that's about it. :/ anyway, pros: it was well written, truthful, and heartfelt. Cons: I did not like the Main Character's Dialogue. She sounded very juvenile for her age and spoke in a way I'd never heard myself as a 17 year old (half) tortillera. All in all I enjoyed the story, I liked the characters and I liked the ending. :)
April 20, 2014
Great YA reading
I really enjoyed the book and was happy that Shai learned to accept herself as the strong, loving young woman she always knew she was. As a Hispanic woman I can relate having been thrown out of the house at 16 after being outed by an uncle. Most of my white Lesbian friends can't understand why we still love our mothers after such an experience, and all I can respond is with sherry mother. I am hoping that in these times and age, less of our young Gay, Lesbian, Bi and Trans youth suffer through this same pain.
I really enjoyed the book and was happy that Shai learned to accept herself as the strong, loving young woman she always knew she was. As a Hispanic woman I can relate having been thrown out of the house at 16 after being outed by an uncle. Most of my white Lesbian friends can't understand why we still love our mothers after such an experience, and all I can respond is with sherry mother. I am hoping that in these times and age, less of our young Gay, Lesbian, Bi and Trans youth suffer through this same pain.
April 14, 2009
I really liked this book but I think I would have liked it more if it was a trilogy. An excellent account of a Cuban Catholic girls' struggle with sexual identity, it packs a lot of momentous events into 384 pages. First there is the story of Laura's first love. Then there is the story of her struggle to earn her mother's love. Finally there is the struggle to accept herself. I certainly recommend this book as a good read, I just felt that I wanted more.
April 27, 2009
Down to the Bone is an excellent book.....the life story of lesbians and guys...what they have to face in the real world....Once you start reading it you can't put the book down until you finish....I caught myself reading til 4AM in the morning having to get up at 6AM....IT IS A TRUE STORY THAT HAS EVERYTHING....HUMOR, SARCASIM, EXCITMENT, VERY FUNNY, LATIN FLAVOR....AND MOST OF ALL THE TRUTH. A must read.
July 8, 2009
I read this book a couple of years ago, before it was even published. I thought to myself that it was a fantastic book. Not only did it feel as thought the characters were in fact family members but it also felt as though I could have been the main character only in a different era. It also provided me with a range of emotions. From laughing hysterically out loud to bringing tears to my eyes. Overall, this book was enjoyable to read.
ITA
ITA
August 19, 2009
I can't stop rereading this book. I love Laura, the main character who is Cuban and a teenager and a lesbian, and her outlook on life and the way she describes the world around her. She's sharp and witty and funny, and at the same time her story is sweet and sad. The diversity of the characters is fantastic, and they're all very well developed. It's a wonderful, colorful book that is hilarious and heartbreaking and infuriating in turn and always delightful.
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