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Life is Wonderful, People are Terrific
From the forests, beaches, and Xicano community of Santa Cruz to the smokey punk bars, strip clubs, and Queer-girl culture of San Francisco, these are the stories of being young, drunk, punk and Xicana in Northern California in the 90's. Missy Fuego is an eighteen-year-old Xicana, the first in her family to leave home and accept a scholarship at a prestigious yet hippie university tucked away in the Redwood forests of the Santa Cruz mountains in 1996. But scholarship money proves to be tough, and she has to moonlight as a stripper to pay the bills in "the city," putting her at constant odds with two developing worlds. Through her daily journey to get things done she manages to get entangled with a series of diverse and important people, dodging close-calls, neo-nazi skinheads, Xicano authenticity battles, Riot Grrrl race politics, and hippies, all the while exploring her Queer identity, getting paid through her thong, and learning to take a chance on herself.
162 pages, Paperback
First published July 23, 2015
12 people are currently reading
1521 people want to read
About the author
Meliza Banales
7 books12 followersShe is the author of Say It With Your Whole Mouth (Monkey Book Press, 2003) and the forthcoming 51 Poems About Nothing At All. She has been involved in spoken-word and writing since 1996 and gained recognition for being the first Latina on the West Coast to win a poetry slam championship in 2002 (Oakland, CA). She was the 2002 winner of the People Before Profits Poetry Prize and she has work in Revolutionary Voices, Without A Net: The Female Experience of Growing-Up Working-Class, The First Encyclopedia of Activism and Social Change, Baby Remember My Name: New Queer Girl Writing, and Word Warriors. Her film, Do the Math, with award-winning director Mary Guzman was the 2006 winner of a Frameline Completion Grant and screened at Outfest 2007.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
February 8, 2018
Not too long ago I read Moxie, the story of a white girl fed up with sexism in her school, discovering feminism and being inspired by the punk rock movement of the 90's.
This book IS about the punk rock girls of the 90's, a Mexican girl from LA learning about Xicana feminism and exploring her sexuality. The majority of characters are Latinx LGBTQ+ characters who live their badass lives proudly and loudly. There is much swearing, drinking, sex, and poor decisions with painful consequences.
My one gripe: The word bisexual was never used, and I am greatly annoyed at books obviously skirting around the word. Not enough to knock a full star off though because this book is not shy about women and sex and making stupid decisions while drunk which eyyyy I can relate to.
This book IS about the punk rock girls of the 90's, a Mexican girl from LA learning about Xicana feminism and exploring her sexuality. The majority of characters are Latinx LGBTQ+ characters who live their badass lives proudly and loudly. There is much swearing, drinking, sex, and poor decisions with painful consequences.
My one gripe: The word bisexual was never used, and I am greatly annoyed at books obviously skirting around the word. Not enough to knock a full star off though because this book is not shy about women and sex and making stupid decisions while drunk which eyyyy I can relate to.
October 6, 2015
And now that I've finished crying, I can type.
Missy Fuego (Gonzalez) is a queer, Chicana punk from L.A. in the 1990s. She makes to a Santa Cruz college, and finds work as a stripper in San Francisco to supplement her scholarship money. A punk legend, and at one point, her only friend,JB, offers her the use of his apartment on days/night she's in the city. Over time, Missy begins heavily drinking to combat loneliness and insecurity. She meets other people in the scene, and slowly evolves, from Chicana punk to Riot Grrrl to Xicana feminist. She meets, befriends, and loses several people on her journey. At some point, she begins to learn that she needs to love and accept herself.
Meliza Banales has painted a portrait with many faces. As a college student in the 1990s, I experienced several similar situations as Missy. 'Life" will resonate with people, particularly with young, queer, women of color who came of age during the Riot Grrrl/3rd Wave Feminism of the 90s. We struggled to find places for ourselves while failing at being anything other than ourselves without knowing that that was okay. This is the kind of book I wish had been available when I was 18 and away from home for the first time.
(Trigger) Warnings: excessive profanity, particularly the "F-bomb" and it's variations; alcoholism and drug use; (attempted) sexual assault; (attempted) suicide; racial violence; somewhat graphic depictions of sex
Missy Fuego (Gonzalez) is a queer, Chicana punk from L.A. in the 1990s. She makes to a Santa Cruz college, and finds work as a stripper in San Francisco to supplement her scholarship money. A punk legend, and at one point, her only friend,JB, offers her the use of his apartment on days/night she's in the city. Over time, Missy begins heavily drinking to combat loneliness and insecurity. She meets other people in the scene, and slowly evolves, from Chicana punk to Riot Grrrl to Xicana feminist. She meets, befriends, and loses several people on her journey. At some point, she begins to learn that she needs to love and accept herself.
Meliza Banales has painted a portrait with many faces. As a college student in the 1990s, I experienced several similar situations as Missy. 'Life" will resonate with people, particularly with young, queer, women of color who came of age during the Riot Grrrl/3rd Wave Feminism of the 90s. We struggled to find places for ourselves while failing at being anything other than ourselves without knowing that that was okay. This is the kind of book I wish had been available when I was 18 and away from home for the first time.
(Trigger) Warnings: excessive profanity, particularly the "F-bomb" and it's variations; alcoholism and drug use; (attempted) sexual assault; (attempted) suicide; racial violence; somewhat graphic depictions of sex
June 14, 2017
I have so many feels about this book. I don't think I can write a review right now. I will say that the MC feels very intensely accurately 18 years old and I really appreciated that. The book also very accurately captures the 90s Santa Cruz I knew. Also I really appreciated a story depicting a queer sex worker MC that doesn't have sex work as a plot point, obstacle or problem, but really just depicts it as a job. Also, the depiction of the MCs trauma reactions felt very accurate and real.
Trigger Warnings:
Trigger Warnings:
November 10, 2018
Missy is a tough Xicana from LA who finds herself at a university in Santa Cruz, on scholarship no less. She came to this city knowing no one and with little money. So, she decides to start a job as a stripper in a joint in San Francisco in order to earn some money. She’s trying to figure out her new life up north, and tries to balance all of the scenes she’s in. Missy attempts to find a punk scene to call her own, while figuring out how to be a student in Santa Cruz and what it means to be a Xicana Feminist. She’s unsure if the college life really is for her, so she spends most of her time up in San Francisco and her time at school waiting for the weekend, when she can go back. Her different partners teach her love(?), loss, pain, and Love, while she continues to not speak with her family back home. Missy is just trying to figure what it means to be punk, queer, and Xicana in this crazy world.
I absolutely adore this book. I read it in one day and I devoured every word. It was beautiful and raw and real, and I connected to the character of Missy and how she struggles in her new environment and how she tries to balance the two lives she has created. Missy’s personal struggles with herself, her family, her friends and her partners are so complex and compelling. I loved her because she was fucking up, kept going, kept trying to be brave all on her own and when you think she’s finally got it, it all goes downhill again. This book is a perfect depiction of the many downs and ups of life, how we try so hard to make it right, but it doesn’t always work that way. I felt like her voice was my own voice, the voice inside my head that doesn’t know what the fuck is going on. I haven’t read a book this fast in a long time because I haven’t found one I enjoyed this much in a long time. It was culturally relevant, an experience I could relate to because it was similar to mine. I was introduced to and immersed into a scene I had heard of, better had never had the chance to read a first-person experience of. The Riot Grrrl scene is compelling and its (and Missy’s) clash with Xicana Feminism is a real struggle of two different forces trying to sit with one another. Missy’s journey into her identity and self-discovery is one that many people have gone through, but hers is unique, and this is what drew me in.
This book is not for the faint of the heart. There is violence, graphic sex, alcohol abuse, and lots of swearing and if that’s not for you, then I don’t recommend you read this. The biggest appeals of this book are the characters and the descriptive language. She is real and raw in a way I haven’t seen in a long time. Her flaws and fuck ups are captivating in their powerful descriptions and we can see her deal with all the struggles of being a queer Xicana in a new place, far from home. She describes her cultural background perfectly and it speaks to others who have the same or a similar background. Her appeal to culture and that unique experience is also a draw for readers because it is something that they can relate to, a similar experience to theirs that they can connect with, even if it is not exactly the same. People may not like the character of Missy, as she is unapologetic and keeps making the same mistakes over and over again, but this can be appealing because I feel that this is human. People will either sympathize/empathize with her or hate her – so you’ll just have to decide that for yourself. The way she thinks and talks and describes the world around her and communicates with it, was real. Real in the sense that I talk the same way. People talk this way – it wasn’t pretentious or boastful or unnatural. I read it with her voice in my head. Her voice feels natural and as if I was listening to her speak to me in real life. It is definitely a book that you connect with.
I recommend this book to anyone who has ever fucked up, kept fucking up, felt lost, alone, too much or too little – the misfit. You know who you are. So does Missy.
I absolutely adore this book. I read it in one day and I devoured every word. It was beautiful and raw and real, and I connected to the character of Missy and how she struggles in her new environment and how she tries to balance the two lives she has created. Missy’s personal struggles with herself, her family, her friends and her partners are so complex and compelling. I loved her because she was fucking up, kept going, kept trying to be brave all on her own and when you think she’s finally got it, it all goes downhill again. This book is a perfect depiction of the many downs and ups of life, how we try so hard to make it right, but it doesn’t always work that way. I felt like her voice was my own voice, the voice inside my head that doesn’t know what the fuck is going on. I haven’t read a book this fast in a long time because I haven’t found one I enjoyed this much in a long time. It was culturally relevant, an experience I could relate to because it was similar to mine. I was introduced to and immersed into a scene I had heard of, better had never had the chance to read a first-person experience of. The Riot Grrrl scene is compelling and its (and Missy’s) clash with Xicana Feminism is a real struggle of two different forces trying to sit with one another. Missy’s journey into her identity and self-discovery is one that many people have gone through, but hers is unique, and this is what drew me in.
This book is not for the faint of the heart. There is violence, graphic sex, alcohol abuse, and lots of swearing and if that’s not for you, then I don’t recommend you read this. The biggest appeals of this book are the characters and the descriptive language. She is real and raw in a way I haven’t seen in a long time. Her flaws and fuck ups are captivating in their powerful descriptions and we can see her deal with all the struggles of being a queer Xicana in a new place, far from home. She describes her cultural background perfectly and it speaks to others who have the same or a similar background. Her appeal to culture and that unique experience is also a draw for readers because it is something that they can relate to, a similar experience to theirs that they can connect with, even if it is not exactly the same. People may not like the character of Missy, as she is unapologetic and keeps making the same mistakes over and over again, but this can be appealing because I feel that this is human. People will either sympathize/empathize with her or hate her – so you’ll just have to decide that for yourself. The way she thinks and talks and describes the world around her and communicates with it, was real. Real in the sense that I talk the same way. People talk this way – it wasn’t pretentious or boastful or unnatural. I read it with her voice in my head. Her voice feels natural and as if I was listening to her speak to me in real life. It is definitely a book that you connect with.
I recommend this book to anyone who has ever fucked up, kept fucking up, felt lost, alone, too much or too little – the misfit. You know who you are. So does Missy.
January 26, 2018
i love this book!
March 22, 2017
I actually finished this ages ago, oops. Regardless, if you were into JULIET TAKES A BREATH, I think you'd probably like this book.
March 5, 2018
It was engaging, I’ll say that for it. It was relatively exciting right off the bat and I didn’t have trouble getting through it. Still, it just wasn’t very well written. The dialogue was stiff and felt wholly unbelievable, whoever edited it was just lazy as it was riddles with obvious typos and mechanical errors, and there were a lot of repetitive bits that didn’t serve much purpose for the plot. Also, the main character was just awful, which is fine, but she wasn’t that well developed. The bits of background we get that could have developed her character are glossed over. It just wasn’t very good.
October 5, 2018
3,5⭐ en realidade.
April 11, 2022
read this one through in a straight shot, its not super long and is written in a very straightforward and refreshing manner, with solid cynical humor and a general air of a young adult finding herself. my understanding is that this novel is semi-autobiographical, as the author lived through the time and culture that the book is set in, late 90s latino and queer spaces in the punk scene.
the protag is so wonderful, i just wanted to scoop her up and give her a hug. shes real and messy and a kid trying to figure herself out. she hurts people and self-destructs and it all feels so authentic and painful.
i loved inhabiting her way of thinking, watching her grow and start to find her space. finding her best friend, finding and losing lovers, finding her voice. this was a short book but im going to be thinking about it for a long time!!
playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6To...
the protag is so wonderful, i just wanted to scoop her up and give her a hug. shes real and messy and a kid trying to figure herself out. she hurts people and self-destructs and it all feels so authentic and painful.
i loved inhabiting her way of thinking, watching her grow and start to find her space. finding her best friend, finding and losing lovers, finding her voice. this was a short book but im going to be thinking about it for a long time!!
playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6To...
March 27, 2023
3.5
i really really liked the second half of this book though i have to say it gets quite heavy and i’m not sure i was in the headspace to read all of it but i did anyways
this book makes me uneasy and i don’t mean this in a bad way - a lot of the parts are quite relatable and the storyline with gabby was one i had been on the receiving end of and it was … hard to read the other side. because i know how it goes and it’s not fun and it hurts forever and it’s a different type of pain to never be able to fully blame a person for hurting you.
at the same time i wish i had someone like tommy - someone who will stick around even after i make the worst mistakes of my life you know?
but yeah
i really really liked the second half of this book though i have to say it gets quite heavy and i’m not sure i was in the headspace to read all of it but i did anyways
this book makes me uneasy and i don’t mean this in a bad way - a lot of the parts are quite relatable and the storyline with gabby was one i had been on the receiving end of and it was … hard to read the other side. because i know how it goes and it’s not fun and it hurts forever and it’s a different type of pain to never be able to fully blame a person for hurting you.
at the same time i wish i had someone like tommy - someone who will stick around even after i make the worst mistakes of my life you know?
but yeah
April 19, 2021
My problem with this book (that honestly bothered me probably more than it should) is the fact that it sells itself as a book written by a “Chicana” or “Latin”, but there are a lot of mistakes in the Spanish words (quierda, llarona, equi). As a native spanish speaker, it just took me out of it and made it feel fake.
The good thing is that (for me) it was engaging, it was interesting to see Missy make mistake after mistake and how it affected her life.
The good thing is that (for me) it was engaging, it was interesting to see Missy make mistake after mistake and how it affected her life.
January 31, 2019
A very quick read, a page turner. You were a silent but engaged observer, just sitting on Missy's shoulder, gulping down her highs and comforting her during her lows. A real honest glimpse into the day-to-day of a teen who's forced to grow up but finds her way and her voice in a loving, supportive community.
August 1, 2019
The first half of this is so strong and the second half is a damn mess.
It’s apparent that this book wasn’t written in one go. You can tell that certain chapters were written as independent projects and that this was all cobbled together at a later date, because the first half is a deliberate hot mess while the second half is…...an actual mess.
I loved the main character initially. She’s a messy queer teen sex worker punk with no adult supervision and she’s constantly messing up. She’s hella flawed, hella messy, hella sexual, and I loved her. She has this great arc as a baby Xicano feminist that my Juliet Takes a Breath loving ass was so here for, because I love when people are learning to be woke but just don’t have the vocabulary and knowledge yet.
But then something happens halfway through and the story all goes off the rails. The author fails to build tension, things happen out of left field, and any conflict that was there is resolved rapidly with no consequences. I got to the end of the book and wondered what the damn point was, because I don’t feel like the main character had learned anything.
This had a lot of promise but it felt half baked.
Sigh.
Representation: Full cast of Latinx queer punk women, sex worker rep
It’s apparent that this book wasn’t written in one go. You can tell that certain chapters were written as independent projects and that this was all cobbled together at a later date, because the first half is a deliberate hot mess while the second half is…...an actual mess.
I loved the main character initially. She’s a messy queer teen sex worker punk with no adult supervision and she’s constantly messing up. She’s hella flawed, hella messy, hella sexual, and I loved her. She has this great arc as a baby Xicano feminist that my Juliet Takes a Breath loving ass was so here for, because I love when people are learning to be woke but just don’t have the vocabulary and knowledge yet.
But then something happens halfway through and the story all goes off the rails. The author fails to build tension, things happen out of left field, and any conflict that was there is resolved rapidly with no consequences. I got to the end of the book and wondered what the damn point was, because I don’t feel like the main character had learned anything.
This had a lot of promise but it felt half baked.
Sigh.
Representation: Full cast of Latinx queer punk women, sex worker rep
May 18, 2024
I only wish it was a bit longer and I wish we got some closure with Gabriella’s character, but I understand that’s not the point of the ending. Her self sabotaging behavior landed her where she landed and she still had community to fall back on at the end. A really good non-white centered queer coming of age story.
March 24, 2017
A quick but heartfelt coming-of-age story about Xicana feminism, '90s lesbians, punk rock, and trying to find a place in the world. In the vein of Michelle Tea's Valencia, but uniquely itself.
September 12, 2018
Tres e tres cuartos.
August 12, 2017
As a UCSC student in the early '90s, I laughed out loud to so many parts of this novel because Meliza hit them dead on. I'm going to buy multiple copies as gifts for my friends!
March 2, 2017
I didn’t like this book. I didn’t care for half the characters, the punk culture, or Missy’s background or struggles. Maybe I would’ve loved this book had it existed when I was in high school, but at this point, it’s just not my bottle of tequila.
If you’re into punk or Riot Grrrl culture, Xicana Feminism, an LGBT POC (so many acronyms) person, or are just interested in the things I just listed, then you might like this book way more than I did.
What I Liked:
- The protagonist is a proud, Queer Xicana. While there are plenty of books that follow Latina characters, few follow LGBTQ protagonists of Hispanic/Latino descent. Even though I didn’t like Missy as a character, her POV was pretty refreshing, and there is a definite need for more LGBT+ representation in the Latino community.
- It makes me miss San Francisco’s queer past. The Tech Industry has turned that city over, and pushed out all the punks, hippies, and artists. It was nice to be reminded of what it once was. It’s sad, but that’s what change does.
- The fact that it exists. Yeah, I didn’t like it, but I’m glad it exists. I have friends who would probably be happy to read this, and college students might love it, so it wasn’t a complete waste.
What I Disliked:
- WAY too fast. While I liked that the book was short, it seemed like it went by way too fast. You don’t really have time to get into the story or the characters before the next stupid thing happens. I honestly had no idea who Christina was until I skimmed over it for this review.
- It just stopped. Missy goes to the beach with Tommy, and then it ends. What makes this frustrating, is that Missy was about to go through an arc, but it went too fast, and it just ended. I may have like this book much more had Missy been given some time to develop.
- Missy. I didn’t care about Missy’s struggles, nor did I like how she treated the people around her. However, I liked that she was working her way through college, and was proud of her sexuality.
- I keep forgetting the name of the damn book! Maybe it’s because it’s long, but for some reason, I can never remember the title.
If you’re into punk or Riot Grrrl culture, Xicana Feminism, an LGBT POC (so many acronyms) person, or are just interested in the things I just listed, then you might like this book way more than I did.
What I Liked:
- The protagonist is a proud, Queer Xicana. While there are plenty of books that follow Latina characters, few follow LGBTQ protagonists of Hispanic/Latino descent. Even though I didn’t like Missy as a character, her POV was pretty refreshing, and there is a definite need for more LGBT+ representation in the Latino community.
- It makes me miss San Francisco’s queer past. The Tech Industry has turned that city over, and pushed out all the punks, hippies, and artists. It was nice to be reminded of what it once was. It’s sad, but that’s what change does.
- The fact that it exists. Yeah, I didn’t like it, but I’m glad it exists. I have friends who would probably be happy to read this, and college students might love it, so it wasn’t a complete waste.
What I Disliked:
- WAY too fast. While I liked that the book was short, it seemed like it went by way too fast. You don’t really have time to get into the story or the characters before the next stupid thing happens. I honestly had no idea who Christina was until I skimmed over it for this review.
- It just stopped. Missy goes to the beach with Tommy, and then it ends. What makes this frustrating, is that Missy was about to go through an arc, but it went too fast, and it just ended. I may have like this book much more had Missy been given some time to develop.
- Missy. I didn’t care about Missy’s struggles, nor did I like how she treated the people around her. However, I liked that she was working her way through college, and was proud of her sexuality.
- I keep forgetting the name of the damn book! Maybe it’s because it’s long, but for some reason, I can never remember the title.
November 25, 2018
This book was great. It was raw. It was passionate. I loved the story, but the ending left me without words. My only complaint was that I wish it was longer! It was a quick read. I would definitely recommend it as I am always looking for books with queer characters of color.
May 19, 2016
I love this book so much. I love it so much that even though it’s not the greatest thing ever written, I gave it four stars instead of three. Why do I love it so much? Because I relate to the main character/the plot so deeply. Being a scholarship kid at a college where you feel out of place, and fucking up repeatedly? Running away to the nearby big city on the weekends? Drinking too much, having a lot of sex, being a sex worker? Fucking up with the people who truly care about you, and falling for the people who are bad for you? Check, check, check check check. Granted, there are many aspects of the main character and her life which are not part of my experience, but ultimately–she reminds me of me, she reminds me of all the girls I’ve ever loved, she reminds me of all my girl-characters: wild, queer, a fuck-up, and also passionate, creative, and smart. If you can relate to any of the things I’ve mentioned in this review, you should read this book. Hell, even if you can’t–maybe read it anyway and learn something about lives outside of your own experience. Either way, it’s worth your time.
April 8, 2016
Ok this is probably the best book I've read this year. It's queer and punk and really great fiction! Set in the mid-late 90s we follow Missy a Queer Xicano Punk working on not just figuring her shit out, but truly figuring out who she is and who she wants to be. There is a fantastic cast of queer punk girls that Missy befriends, fucks over, falls in love with, is left by, and is struggling to figure out how to be in community with. This book grapples with identity, feminism, race, class, education and so much more within a really beautifully constructed story. Definitely on my list of must read books this year!
October 11, 2016
I love how she is able to write with the intensity that's reminiscent of life at that age. Starting college, moving away from everything familiar, I also did not realize how much I didn't not know about real life until it all started to unfold before me and force my eyes open. The beauty of this book is its ability to tap into another person's past, even when the individual experiences are vastly different. Looking forward to more work from this author.
June 4, 2017
I think I will always be a sucker for a coming-of-age story of punk rock women on the West Coast. Banales really articulates the complexity of growing up and being an asshole and innocent and trying and failing and learning and being really frustrated. Her insight as a queer Xicana is not to be missed.
I just loved every minute of this book, even when I was cringing or worried about the main character.
I just loved every minute of this book, even when I was cringing or worried about the main character.
May 14, 2016
The only complaint I have with the book is that it moved so quickly through situations that there was no time to relish the characters or settings. I get it, though--youth feels like that from what I remember. Still, the cultures of Chicana feminism and riot grrrl punk are interesting and nuanced in their depiction, here. A really wonderful book. Recommended.
March 28, 2016
Love this book!
I so didn't want to like this book because it's been short listed for the Lammys and mine wasn't. I ended up loving it and really understanding something about a culture I know very little. Congratulations, chica. You deserve the honors coming to you.
I so didn't want to like this book because it's been short listed for the Lammys and mine wasn't. I ended up loving it and really understanding something about a culture I know very little. Congratulations, chica. You deserve the honors coming to you.
May 24, 2016
Short, intense and passionate. The writing is not revolutionary but the story carries it even with a couple of errors (such as 'full-proof' rather than 'fool-proof').
December 17, 2016
Absolutely amazing.
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March 8, 2025definitely an interesting read! i can see why my professor picked this book for the class
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews