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The Go-Between
Fans of Jane the Virgin will find much to love about this coming-of-age novel from bestselling author Veronica Chambers, who with humor and humanity explores issues of identity and belonging in a world that is ever-changing.
She is the envy of every teenage girl in Mexico City. Her mother is a glamorous telenovela actress. Her father is the go-to voice-over talent for blockbuster films. Hers is a world of private planes, chauffeurs, paparazzi and gossip columnists. Meet Camilla del Valle Cammi to those who know her best.
When Cammi s mom gets cast in an American television show and the family moves to LA, things change, and quickly. Her mom s first role is playing a not-so-glamorous maid in a sitcom. Her dad tries to find work but dreams about returning to Mexico. And at the posh, private Polestar Academy, Cammi s new friends assume she s a scholarship kid, the daughter of a domestic.
At first Cammi thinks playing along with the stereotypes will be her way of teaching her new friends a lesson. But the more she lies, the more she wonders: Is she only fooling herself?
She is the envy of every teenage girl in Mexico City. Her mother is a glamorous telenovela actress. Her father is the go-to voice-over talent for blockbuster films. Hers is a world of private planes, chauffeurs, paparazzi and gossip columnists. Meet Camilla del Valle Cammi to those who know her best.
When Cammi s mom gets cast in an American television show and the family moves to LA, things change, and quickly. Her mom s first role is playing a not-so-glamorous maid in a sitcom. Her dad tries to find work but dreams about returning to Mexico. And at the posh, private Polestar Academy, Cammi s new friends assume she s a scholarship kid, the daughter of a domestic.
At first Cammi thinks playing along with the stereotypes will be her way of teaching her new friends a lesson. But the more she lies, the more she wonders: Is she only fooling herself?
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First published May 9, 2017
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About the author
Veronica Chambers
65 books280 followersVeronica Chambers is a prolific author, best known for her critically acclaimed memoir, Mama’s Girl, which has been course adopted by hundreds of high schools and colleges throughout the country. The New Yorker called Mama’s Girl “a troubling testament to grit and mother love… one of the finest and most evenhanded in the genre in recent years.” Born in Panama and raised in Brooklyn, Ms. Chambers' work often reflects her Afro-Latina heritage.
Her most recent non-fiction book was Kickboxing Geishas: How Japanese Women are Changing their Nation. Her other non-fiction books include The Joy of Doing Things Badly: A Girl’s Guide to Love, Life, and Foolish Bravery. She has also written more than a dozen books for children, most recently Celia Cruz, Queen of Salsa and the body confidence Y/A novel, Plus. Her teen series, Amigas, is a collaboration between Chambers, producer Jane Startz, and Jennifer Lopez.
Veronica spent two seasons as an executive story editor for CW’s hit series Girlfriends, and earned a BET Comedy Award for her script work on that series. She has also written and developed projects for Fox and the N.
Veronica has contributed to several anthologies, including the best-selling Bitch in the House, edited by Cathi Hanuaer, and Mommy Wars, edited by Leslie Morgan Steiner.
A graduate of Simon’s Rock College at Bard, she and her husband have endowed three scholarships at the college in the fields of music and literature. She has been the recipient of several awards including the Hodder fellowship for emerging novelists at Princeton University and a National Endowment for the Arts fiction award. She speaks, reads and writes Spanish, but she is truly fluent in Spanglish. She lives with her husband and daughter in Hoboken, New Jersey.
Her most recent non-fiction book was Kickboxing Geishas: How Japanese Women are Changing their Nation. Her other non-fiction books include The Joy of Doing Things Badly: A Girl’s Guide to Love, Life, and Foolish Bravery. She has also written more than a dozen books for children, most recently Celia Cruz, Queen of Salsa and the body confidence Y/A novel, Plus. Her teen series, Amigas, is a collaboration between Chambers, producer Jane Startz, and Jennifer Lopez.
Veronica spent two seasons as an executive story editor for CW’s hit series Girlfriends, and earned a BET Comedy Award for her script work on that series. She has also written and developed projects for Fox and the N.
Veronica has contributed to several anthologies, including the best-selling Bitch in the House, edited by Cathi Hanuaer, and Mommy Wars, edited by Leslie Morgan Steiner.
A graduate of Simon’s Rock College at Bard, she and her husband have endowed three scholarships at the college in the fields of music and literature. She has been the recipient of several awards including the Hodder fellowship for emerging novelists at Princeton University and a National Endowment for the Arts fiction award. She speaks, reads and writes Spanish, but she is truly fluent in Spanglish. She lives with her husband and daughter in Hoboken, New Jersey.
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May 21, 2017Overall, The Go-Between is an entertaining story about a girl pretending to be someone she's not. Camilla is the daughter of a famous Mexican telenovela actress - her mom is the beloved star of Mundos sin Fronteras. So she hangs with the #RKOMC (Rich Kids of Mexico City), though she doesn't really feel like she fits in. When her mom gets hired to shoot a pilot in Los Angeles, Camilla's plunked down into a completely new environment, a private school where everyone assumes she's a scholarship kid, the daughter of a domestic worker. When her secret is finally exposed, she's hoping to have taught her new friends something about making assumptions. Instead, they're all mad at her - her rich friends feel manipulated, and an East LA student Camilla has been trying to befriend is furious that Camilla has been playing at being poor.
What I liked: I was interested to read a YA contemporary that explores the intersections of ethnicity and social class. Watching Camilla navigate her new environment was fascinating and fun - in Mexico she knew she was super-privileged, but in the U.S. she wasn't sure where she fit in and was fascinated at the way people made assumptions about her. The writing was lively and the book included a lot of cool information about Mexico City and Mexican history, architecture, and food.
On the less positive side, there was something about the narration that was distancing. YA writing is usually not like that - in fact, I'd argue that YA writing is all about creating a tight bond between narrator and reader. From the author's bio, I can see that her prior publications were mostly memoirs, which made a lot of sense to me. This book did read a bit like a memoir -- I was always aware that I was being told a story. I'm not one of those people who thinks "telling" in a story is a mortal sin, but this story did feel told and not shown. The plot also felt a little like a sitcom - comic, with a problem that is set up and then quickly and easily resolved - but maybe that was deliberate.
That said, The Go-Between made me laugh and made me think. It's an entertaining read that isn't the typical YA contemporary.
Read more of my reviews on YA Romantics or follow me on Bloglovin
The FTC would like you to know that the publisher provided me a free advance copy of this book, that free books can be enjoyable or not, and other readers may disagree with my opinion.
What I liked: I was interested to read a YA contemporary that explores the intersections of ethnicity and social class. Watching Camilla navigate her new environment was fascinating and fun - in Mexico she knew she was super-privileged, but in the U.S. she wasn't sure where she fit in and was fascinated at the way people made assumptions about her. The writing was lively and the book included a lot of cool information about Mexico City and Mexican history, architecture, and food.
On the less positive side, there was something about the narration that was distancing. YA writing is usually not like that - in fact, I'd argue that YA writing is all about creating a tight bond between narrator and reader. From the author's bio, I can see that her prior publications were mostly memoirs, which made a lot of sense to me. This book did read a bit like a memoir -- I was always aware that I was being told a story. I'm not one of those people who thinks "telling" in a story is a mortal sin, but this story did feel told and not shown. The plot also felt a little like a sitcom - comic, with a problem that is set up and then quickly and easily resolved - but maybe that was deliberate.
That said, The Go-Between made me laugh and made me think. It's an entertaining read that isn't the typical YA contemporary.
Read more of my reviews on YA Romantics or follow me on Bloglovin
The FTC would like you to know that the publisher provided me a free advance copy of this book, that free books can be enjoyable or not, and other readers may disagree with my opinion.
May 14, 2017
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for approving my request for a free digital copy in exchange for a review.
The Go-Between is an okay book. It's not a spectacular book nor is a bad one. It's just your run of the mill okay.
Plot: The book seems plotless and meandering and there didn't seem to be any plot development. Will the plot did meet the 5 basic elements, It was very weakly done. I have a serious gripe with the repetitive use of (i) race and (ii) mental illness as a plot device. With respect to race, race relations are poorly handled in the book. The two major side characters say a number of racist and prejudicial things before the conflict. The explosive conflict, which centres not only on lying but also on being racist and prejudicial is extremely basic and feels more like the MC was looking for a scape-goat instead of owning her actions, viz. I only lied because you were racist. In addition, there is the "woke" (writer's words not mine) white boy who goes by the name of "White Max" to give "Black Max" a way out of being indented by his race. This is an example of (i) a white saviour complex where whites need to rescue black kids and (ii) the co-opting a a term which originated in the African American community in order to describe the experiences of the oppressor. This, in essence, denies "Black Max" of his own experience.
There is also the use of the Native American tradition of the spirit stick which is co-opted by rich white kids as means of hoistic communication. I really don't know where to begin with that one.
The Go-Between is an okay book. It's not a spectacular book nor is a bad one. It's just your run of the mill okay.
Plot: The book seems plotless and meandering and there didn't seem to be any plot development. Will the plot did meet the 5 basic elements, It was very weakly done. I have a serious gripe with the repetitive use of (i) race and (ii) mental illness as a plot device. With respect to race, race relations are poorly handled in the book. The two major side characters say a number of racist and prejudicial things before the conflict. The explosive conflict, which centres not only on lying but also on being racist and prejudicial is extremely basic and feels more like the MC was looking for a scape-goat instead of owning her actions, viz. I only lied because you were racist. In addition, there is the "woke" (writer's words not mine) white boy who goes by the name of "White Max" to give "Black Max" a way out of being indented by his race. This is an example of (i) a white saviour complex where whites need to rescue black kids and (ii) the co-opting a a term which originated in the African American community in order to describe the experiences of the oppressor. This, in essence, denies "Black Max" of his own experience.
There is also the use of the Native American tradition of the spirit stick which is co-opted by rich white kids as means of hoistic communication. I really don't know where to begin with that one.
May 4, 2017
I think my main problem with this novel was that it wasn't a story - it was a long essay. The book is written in the perspective of Camilla, a Mexican girl who has recently immigrated to the US, and the storytelling style, while in the first person, is frequently in the past tense, and goes off into tangents. It felt more devoted to dumping as much information on Mexican culture in one novel as possible, rather than a story about a girl who needed to check her privilege.
Camilla lies about her parents in an effort to see how racist her classmates can be, because she was surprised to find that it is so. Which makes me question how she could have been surprised when she herself says that she watches a lot of American media. I could tell you how racist people I assume are in the US towards Indians just by the portrayal of Indian-American characters! Ignoring the fact that she doesn't even try to correct them and let racist stereotypes be perpetrated, most of this goes unchallenged by her own brother, who is more concerned with her lying than the fact that she is doing the former. In fact, with the exception of Milly, no one else tries to correct her on that front, and her racist so-called friends had only been so because they wanted to have a 'diverse' friend in their group.
I am so out of eyerolls at this moment, because the book before this had put me in a bad mood. The book, while trying to be culturally inclusive, is wrapped in the bland package of 'trying too hard' and mediocre descriptive writing. My only consolation over it all was that it was only a blessed 200 pages; I couldn't have been happier to see the last chapter - well, until I realized it was a preachy thank-you speech of sorts. While the cultural diversity in the book comes through, there was one point in the book when Camilla joked that she was possibly schizophrenic; excuse me, being a liar who leads a double life doesn't make you schizophrenic and it is insensitive to paint a mental illness in such a manner. Camilla's mother's anxiety was mostly abandoned after that plot point was made, and it served mostly as a plot initiator than a plot arc.
Overall, the book is blandly written and boring, and even the lush details on Mexican culture can't make up for that fact.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Random House Children's, via Netgalley.
Camilla lies about her parents in an effort to see how racist her classmates can be, because she was surprised to find that it is so. Which makes me question how she could have been surprised when she herself says that she watches a lot of American media. I could tell you how racist people I assume are in the US towards Indians just by the portrayal of Indian-American characters! Ignoring the fact that she doesn't even try to correct them and let racist stereotypes be perpetrated, most of this goes unchallenged by her own brother, who is more concerned with her lying than the fact that she is doing the former. In fact, with the exception of Milly, no one else tries to correct her on that front, and her racist so-called friends had only been so because they wanted to have a 'diverse' friend in their group.
I am so out of eyerolls at this moment, because the book before this had put me in a bad mood. The book, while trying to be culturally inclusive, is wrapped in the bland package of 'trying too hard' and mediocre descriptive writing. My only consolation over it all was that it was only a blessed 200 pages; I couldn't have been happier to see the last chapter - well, until I realized it was a preachy thank-you speech of sorts. While the cultural diversity in the book comes through, there was one point in the book when Camilla joked that she was possibly schizophrenic; excuse me, being a liar who leads a double life doesn't make you schizophrenic and it is insensitive to paint a mental illness in such a manner. Camilla's mother's anxiety was mostly abandoned after that plot point was made, and it served mostly as a plot initiator than a plot arc.
Overall, the book is blandly written and boring, and even the lush details on Mexican culture can't make up for that fact.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Random House Children's, via Netgalley.
May 15, 2017
You can find the full review over at YA Wednesdays.
Overall, this was a short, fun read geared towards the younger end of the YA spectrum. At 200 pages and with many comparisons to Jane the Virgin, this is perfect for 11-13 year olds. If you are looking for an in-depth analysis of the complex issues of Mexican immigration to the United States, this is not it. However, if you are searching for a positive story about a young girl's experiences as an immigrant to the United States, then this is the right book for you.
Check out the full review on the blog.
Overall, this was a short, fun read geared towards the younger end of the YA spectrum. At 200 pages and with many comparisons to Jane the Virgin, this is perfect for 11-13 year olds. If you are looking for an in-depth analysis of the complex issues of Mexican immigration to the United States, this is not it. However, if you are searching for a positive story about a young girl's experiences as an immigrant to the United States, then this is the right book for you.
Check out the full review on the blog.
December 3, 2017
The Go-Between had such promise when I first picked up the novel and managed to finish it in one sitting. It was a quick contemporary novel showcasing the life of a teenage heiress whose parents are both celebrities in Mexico. They are living a comfortable live in Mexico until Cammi’s mother gets an acting job in L.A., uprooting the family to go live in America. There, Cammi attends a new school where students place stereotypes on her because of her Mexican nationality, and, in order to maintain a front, Cammi accepts and plays along with these harmful stereotypes for fun.
In the beginning, this book had so much potential when it follows the life of Cammi when she lives in Mexico. But once she moves to America, the stereotypes, micro-aggressions, and cliche tropes were inserted into the novel in a, frankly, insulting way. Yes, immigrants do have to deal with the endless amounts of disgusting comments said by racist people, but this novel took it to a whole other level when showcasing it in the narrative. This novel does not have good Latinx (specifically Mexican) representation. In fact, I would encourage Latinx readers to avoid this novel because it contains such gross language that the main character played along with for fun!
Rather than denouncing the American characters’ racist comments and views, Cammi simply accepts what they say and pretends to be a poor high school immigrant for the sake of living up to the American’s views on Mexicans. She plays along simply because it’s fun and she knows that, no matter what the high school kids think, she is privileged, thanks to her wealthy parents. This is incredibly harmful because the main character takes the entire novel to tell her friends that they acted racist towards her for majority of their friendship. By playing along with the stereotype of being a poor Mexican immigrant, simply because she can, Cammi is insulting people who are poor and have to face derogatory comments thrown their way every day because of their class and ethnicity. Rather than educating her friends from the start about how they are racist towards Mexicans, Cammi lets them spew out hurtful comments about Latinx throughout majority of the novel.
Not only does this novel perpetuate insulting stereotypes towards Latinx people, it also appropriates Native American traditions when the American high school imitates a Native American council by using a “talking stick” and calling out “A-ho” after everyone speaks. This novel also makes fun of multiple personality disorders, as well, in the narrative in a derogatory way.
Overall, this is a story that I would avoid at all costs because it is offensive to those that are supposed to be represented in this novel. This story could have been amazing, if Cammi only educated and denounced her American friends who placed harmful stereotypes on her from the beginning. But instead, we received a story about a Mexican character who embraced these gross micro-aggressions simply because she was bored.
In the beginning, this book had so much potential when it follows the life of Cammi when she lives in Mexico. But once she moves to America, the stereotypes, micro-aggressions, and cliche tropes were inserted into the novel in a, frankly, insulting way. Yes, immigrants do have to deal with the endless amounts of disgusting comments said by racist people, but this novel took it to a whole other level when showcasing it in the narrative. This novel does not have good Latinx (specifically Mexican) representation. In fact, I would encourage Latinx readers to avoid this novel because it contains such gross language that the main character played along with for fun!
Rather than denouncing the American characters’ racist comments and views, Cammi simply accepts what they say and pretends to be a poor high school immigrant for the sake of living up to the American’s views on Mexicans. She plays along simply because it’s fun and she knows that, no matter what the high school kids think, she is privileged, thanks to her wealthy parents. This is incredibly harmful because the main character takes the entire novel to tell her friends that they acted racist towards her for majority of their friendship. By playing along with the stereotype of being a poor Mexican immigrant, simply because she can, Cammi is insulting people who are poor and have to face derogatory comments thrown their way every day because of their class and ethnicity. Rather than educating her friends from the start about how they are racist towards Mexicans, Cammi lets them spew out hurtful comments about Latinx throughout majority of the novel.
Not only does this novel perpetuate insulting stereotypes towards Latinx people, it also appropriates Native American traditions when the American high school imitates a Native American council by using a “talking stick” and calling out “A-ho” after everyone speaks. This novel also makes fun of multiple personality disorders, as well, in the narrative in a derogatory way.
Overall, this is a story that I would avoid at all costs because it is offensive to those that are supposed to be represented in this novel. This story could have been amazing, if Cammi only educated and denounced her American friends who placed harmful stereotypes on her from the beginning. But instead, we received a story about a Mexican character who embraced these gross micro-aggressions simply because she was bored.
April 1, 2021
3 stars
I think coming-of-age contemporary novels just aren’t for me, at least this one didn’t do anything for me. Also there were way too many unnecessary Spanish words/sentences. Luckily it was a short read.
So I thought to myself, I would probably give it 2 stars. But then it got more interesting, touching on subjects like identity, growing up in different cultures, in different environments, in different circumstances wondering how it would’ve been if .... Though I still think it contained way too many unnecessary words in Spanish, I’ve decided to give it 3 stars.
Karla Souza did a good enough job narrating (3.5 stars)
I think coming-of-age contemporary novels just aren’t for me, at least this one didn’t do anything for me. Also there were way too many unnecessary Spanish words/sentences. Luckily it was a short read.
So I thought to myself, I would probably give it 2 stars. But then it got more interesting, touching on subjects like identity, growing up in different cultures, in different environments, in different circumstances wondering how it would’ve been if .... Though I still think it contained way too many unnecessary words in Spanish, I’ve decided to give it 3 stars.
Karla Souza did a good enough job narrating (3.5 stars)
April 4, 2019
Camilla del Valle Cammi is the perfect living example of the phrase 'Born with a Silver Spoon'. Her mother is an established Mexican telenovela actress with a huge fan following. Her father, on the other hand, is a renowned persona off-screen for his voice-over talent, although not as popular as his wife.
Needless to say, Cammi was privileged to live a high profile life in Mexico City. But she isn't the kind of girl who is easily influenced by all the luxury novelties which she had at her disposal.
The book can be bifurcated into 2 parts.
In the first part, Cammi takes us on a tour of her daily life talking about how her mother rose to fame, the kind of lifestyle she followed, her culture, the perceptions, and opinions of the people had about her and her family, etc. Basically, she paints us a clear picture of the typical life of a celebrity's kid.
The second half is where the actual plot comes in. Cammie moves to LA after her mother lands a role in an American TV show. Little did Cammie know how much of a revelation the move was going to be for her.
She gets enrolled in a private academy - Polestar. The minute she steps inside the campus, all she could smell, see and hear was just one thing -'Racism'.
Rather than fighting against it, Cammie decides to play with it by assuming a whole different identity - poor daughter of a domestic maid. She tries to beat them (racist friends) at their own game by lying about her identity in a bid to fully understand their perception of Mexican Immigrants. But how long could she hold the lie?
Despite its slow pace, simple plot, and various other shortcomings, I feel that the author should be commended for throwing light on the kind of difficult life immigrant people lead every single day in the US. The transition of Cammi's life was beautifully penned. Juxtaposing the high life that she had in Mexico City with the hostile reception she got in the U.S clearly displays the sickening racist attitude against the Mexicans in the U.S which persist till date.
Most people might not find this to be an 'entertaining read' but personally, I always support authors who pick up some of the most pressing world issues as the theme of their novel.
Needless to say, Cammi was privileged to live a high profile life in Mexico City. But she isn't the kind of girl who is easily influenced by all the luxury novelties which she had at her disposal.
The book can be bifurcated into 2 parts.
In the first part, Cammi takes us on a tour of her daily life talking about how her mother rose to fame, the kind of lifestyle she followed, her culture, the perceptions, and opinions of the people had about her and her family, etc. Basically, she paints us a clear picture of the typical life of a celebrity's kid.
The second half is where the actual plot comes in. Cammie moves to LA after her mother lands a role in an American TV show. Little did Cammie know how much of a revelation the move was going to be for her.
She gets enrolled in a private academy - Polestar. The minute she steps inside the campus, all she could smell, see and hear was just one thing -'Racism'.
Rather than fighting against it, Cammie decides to play with it by assuming a whole different identity - poor daughter of a domestic maid. She tries to beat them (racist friends) at their own game by lying about her identity in a bid to fully understand their perception of Mexican Immigrants. But how long could she hold the lie?
Despite its slow pace, simple plot, and various other shortcomings, I feel that the author should be commended for throwing light on the kind of difficult life immigrant people lead every single day in the US. The transition of Cammi's life was beautifully penned. Juxtaposing the high life that she had in Mexico City with the hostile reception she got in the U.S clearly displays the sickening racist attitude against the Mexicans in the U.S which persist till date.
Most people might not find this to be an 'entertaining read' but personally, I always support authors who pick up some of the most pressing world issues as the theme of their novel.
July 20, 2019
2.5⭐️
Meh
This takes some time to get going. Right when I was going to give up on it, it picked up.
And it was fine.
But the personal story was sacrificed for the social impact. While I always appreciate have many layers to a story, the personal growth should always be the center & come first.
Cami (sp? I listened to this, so apologies for mis-spellings) is the daughter of a famous Mexican actress, and lives a very privileged, happy life in Mexico City. There’s just one thing: she never knows who her true friends are. Do people like her? Her money? Her mother? The level of attention that comes with her? She pays a price for this, & it weighs on her.
Then her mother decides to try her luck in Hollywood. So the family moves to LA. It’s a pretty easy move - they even fly in a private jet.
When Cami starts her new school, though, she realizes what it’s like for no one to know anything about her.
Here’s where it departs for me.
Cami allows her new friends to believe she’s the daughter of a maid (just on TV 😉) and a gardener (her dad is a voice actor, & he’s voicing Iron Man for Mexico) to live anonymously. But instead of focusing on Cami’s personal development during this time, the story shifts to the socio-economic issues that arise from this misunderstanding. The author uses this to explore racism & the immigrant experience among teens who are definitely trying to be better. And this is worthy of examination. She just loses the thread of how this taste of freedom could impact Cami on a deep, life-changing level. And it’s too bad.
Meh
This takes some time to get going. Right when I was going to give up on it, it picked up.
And it was fine.
But the personal story was sacrificed for the social impact. While I always appreciate have many layers to a story, the personal growth should always be the center & come first.
Cami (sp? I listened to this, so apologies for mis-spellings) is the daughter of a famous Mexican actress, and lives a very privileged, happy life in Mexico City. There’s just one thing: she never knows who her true friends are. Do people like her? Her money? Her mother? The level of attention that comes with her? She pays a price for this, & it weighs on her.
Then her mother decides to try her luck in Hollywood. So the family moves to LA. It’s a pretty easy move - they even fly in a private jet.
When Cami starts her new school, though, she realizes what it’s like for no one to know anything about her.
Here’s where it departs for me.
Cami allows her new friends to believe she’s the daughter of a maid (just on TV 😉) and a gardener (her dad is a voice actor, & he’s voicing Iron Man for Mexico) to live anonymously. But instead of focusing on Cami’s personal development during this time, the story shifts to the socio-economic issues that arise from this misunderstanding. The author uses this to explore racism & the immigrant experience among teens who are definitely trying to be better. And this is worthy of examination. She just loses the thread of how this taste of freedom could impact Cami on a deep, life-changing level. And it’s too bad.
July 31, 2019
A telling of a life has immigrant from Mexico to the US. Lack of style and a story that even if it touch an interesting and actual subject, was just uninteresting, by the amount of little facts and familly anecdotes. Not really worth it in my opinion!
December 17, 2021
I liked the book. I wouldn't say that it was the best book, it was pretty average. A great quick read.
October 22, 2016
I took this ARC from work when we received it and at first the synopsis really annoyed me when I read the back which appeared to be about spoiled rich kids and their problems. Immediately, my assumptions were like, "Ugh, this isn't something I'm going to relate to!" I'm glad I stuck it out because it's a really sweet story about embracing your cultural heritage and staying true to who you are.
Since the author Veronica Chambers is of Panamanian descent, she brings a bit of that multicultural influence which there are plenty of in this book. The story concerns an affluent Mexican teenager name Cammi whose mother is a famous telenovela star and her father does Spanish voice over work for the movie and television industry within the country. It's easy to be dismissive of the main character especially when she laments how difficult it is to be rich and how her family name is more of a curse than a blessing. However, Chambers keeps her protagonist level headed and down to earth as she wants to be accepted by people for herself rather than her socio-economic background.
It is interesting to note here that the author is writing about the experiences of someone who is from the upper class of the Hispanic culture where most novels concern Latinos who are either within the lower poverty income bracket or working class level. This is a direct contrast to the typical struggles many of them face with topics like immigration, racism, poverty, and stereotyping but again Chambers touches upon these issues in the book which really gives a different perspective in comparing two worlds.
As the story continues, Cammi's mother gets a major role in an American television show as a maid and the whole family moves to L. A. where Cammi reinvents herself as a working class teenager of domestic parents among her group of elitist peers. Like a fly on the wall, she quickly learns that no matter who you are or how much money you have, society is going to make assumptions about you based upon your ethnicity and background.
Now I grew up in a predominantly Hispanic community where the socio-economic background ranged from low income to working class middle level status. It's not uncommon to see my neighbors leaving our area to work in the more high end residential areas as housekeepers, domestics, gardeners, and laborers. Hell, even my parents worked two jobs in factories and maintenance to put food on the table. This is the world I was raised in. Reading this book in some ways related to my experiences of the perceptions the public had of the people that lived in my neighborhood.
Through Cammi, we quickly see that there are still going to be plenty of the same assumptions and stereotypes as demonstrated by her classmates and it does give her the realization that money doesn't always garner acceptance and respect. On a side note, I worked with a friend who also came from an affluent Mexican background and she refused to divulge this information to anyone but her close friends because she wanted to be treated as a regular person on an equal level rather than be treated differently because her family had money. In many ways, she was very much like the Cammi character who preferred to hang out with working class individuals than rich kids who preferred to boast about their wealth. This is what helps ground her and makes her relatable and approachable. A definite plus in building the protagonist's character.
In short, The Go-Between was a fun, quick read. The writing was simple and I breezed through it in a couple of hours. However, there are some basic themes (i.e. socio-economic status, empathy, building self-esteem, pride, cultural, etc.) that are touched upon in the book.
I definitely would give this one a shot!
Since the author Veronica Chambers is of Panamanian descent, she brings a bit of that multicultural influence which there are plenty of in this book. The story concerns an affluent Mexican teenager name Cammi whose mother is a famous telenovela star and her father does Spanish voice over work for the movie and television industry within the country. It's easy to be dismissive of the main character especially when she laments how difficult it is to be rich and how her family name is more of a curse than a blessing. However, Chambers keeps her protagonist level headed and down to earth as she wants to be accepted by people for herself rather than her socio-economic background.
It is interesting to note here that the author is writing about the experiences of someone who is from the upper class of the Hispanic culture where most novels concern Latinos who are either within the lower poverty income bracket or working class level. This is a direct contrast to the typical struggles many of them face with topics like immigration, racism, poverty, and stereotyping but again Chambers touches upon these issues in the book which really gives a different perspective in comparing two worlds.
As the story continues, Cammi's mother gets a major role in an American television show as a maid and the whole family moves to L. A. where Cammi reinvents herself as a working class teenager of domestic parents among her group of elitist peers. Like a fly on the wall, she quickly learns that no matter who you are or how much money you have, society is going to make assumptions about you based upon your ethnicity and background.
Now I grew up in a predominantly Hispanic community where the socio-economic background ranged from low income to working class middle level status. It's not uncommon to see my neighbors leaving our area to work in the more high end residential areas as housekeepers, domestics, gardeners, and laborers. Hell, even my parents worked two jobs in factories and maintenance to put food on the table. This is the world I was raised in. Reading this book in some ways related to my experiences of the perceptions the public had of the people that lived in my neighborhood.
Through Cammi, we quickly see that there are still going to be plenty of the same assumptions and stereotypes as demonstrated by her classmates and it does give her the realization that money doesn't always garner acceptance and respect. On a side note, I worked with a friend who also came from an affluent Mexican background and she refused to divulge this information to anyone but her close friends because she wanted to be treated as a regular person on an equal level rather than be treated differently because her family had money. In many ways, she was very much like the Cammi character who preferred to hang out with working class individuals than rich kids who preferred to boast about their wealth. This is what helps ground her and makes her relatable and approachable. A definite plus in building the protagonist's character.
In short, The Go-Between was a fun, quick read. The writing was simple and I breezed through it in a couple of hours. However, there are some basic themes (i.e. socio-economic status, empathy, building self-esteem, pride, cultural, etc.) that are touched upon in the book.
I definitely would give this one a shot!
July 11, 2017
I am having a bad book streak. I did not read this recently, but I am having a reviewing books streak - it's a bad combo, because it makes me even more mad at the bad books I am forced to revisit. This was promising: the daughter of a Mexican soap opera star moves to the US with her family and tries to adapt to the new world while battling stereotypes. Well, let me tell you who needs a lesson in battling stereotypes: it's this here author person. She seriously needs to reevaluate the way she views human beings.
Let me explain: this girl is very rich, and starts attending a posh private school in the US. She wears designer clothes and has amazing hair. Her classmates make assumptions, in a very unlikely way, that her parents are a maid and a gardener, and the protagonist, instead of putting them in place on their racist assumptions/brushing it off and schooling the ignorance out of them/doing literally anything else, goes with it. She pretends to have hand-offs from her parents' employers and even goes as far as pretending to take the bus (Ubering to the nearest bus stop) so that she can do what, exactly? Prove to them how culturally insensitive they are? They are, of course, but it's so cruel and harmful to go out of your way to feed their ignorance and assume that they are not even trying to become better. I get that it's not the job of minorities to go around educating every single ignorant person, but seriously? What kind of point is this book making, praising this deliberate breeding of ignorance? And it's passed off as some kind of ultimately good thing? As if it strengthened their fake friendship? Fuck you, book.
Not only is this terribly written and underdeveloped, this book is an actively harmful piece of trash that tears down so much work that immigrants and other underrepresented people have done in battling stereotypes and assumptions. It's a lot of work, disabusing people of their ignorance or wrong information, and it's fair if you're tired. It's ok to not want to educate every single person who says something stupid. But it's SO NOT OKAY to go around and laugh at people who don't know better, and to willingly feed them uneducated garbage so you can feel superior.
I have read a lot of imperfect books, but there is almost always a redeeming quality to them. This, however, made me very angry and disgusted. I hope the author learns from other negative reviews that she shouldn't go around stirring the hate pot. Go and shine a light on the ugly crap people go through and do to each other, but don't contribute to it. You better not want to be part of the problem when you write your next one, because you really blew it on this one.
Let me explain: this girl is very rich, and starts attending a posh private school in the US. She wears designer clothes and has amazing hair. Her classmates make assumptions, in a very unlikely way, that her parents are a maid and a gardener, and the protagonist, instead of putting them in place on their racist assumptions/brushing it off and schooling the ignorance out of them/doing literally anything else, goes with it. She pretends to have hand-offs from her parents' employers and even goes as far as pretending to take the bus (Ubering to the nearest bus stop) so that she can do what, exactly? Prove to them how culturally insensitive they are? They are, of course, but it's so cruel and harmful to go out of your way to feed their ignorance and assume that they are not even trying to become better. I get that it's not the job of minorities to go around educating every single ignorant person, but seriously? What kind of point is this book making, praising this deliberate breeding of ignorance? And it's passed off as some kind of ultimately good thing? As if it strengthened their fake friendship? Fuck you, book.
Not only is this terribly written and underdeveloped, this book is an actively harmful piece of trash that tears down so much work that immigrants and other underrepresented people have done in battling stereotypes and assumptions. It's a lot of work, disabusing people of their ignorance or wrong information, and it's fair if you're tired. It's ok to not want to educate every single person who says something stupid. But it's SO NOT OKAY to go around and laugh at people who don't know better, and to willingly feed them uneducated garbage so you can feel superior.
I have read a lot of imperfect books, but there is almost always a redeeming quality to them. This, however, made me very angry and disgusted. I hope the author learns from other negative reviews that she shouldn't go around stirring the hate pot. Go and shine a light on the ugly crap people go through and do to each other, but don't contribute to it. You better not want to be part of the problem when you write your next one, because you really blew it on this one.
January 9, 2018
Sweet, frustrating at times and ultimately with heart, this book seeks to defy everything from stereotypes about Mexican immigrants, defy what it can mean to be racist and defy what it means to be a teen novel. Reading Cami's story is a breath of fresh air for a genre overcrowded with privilege and whiteness,.
June 30, 2017
I think this book is one of those books that actually meant good, to tell the story of the immigrants and how their different their life is and to wake us from stereotyping and everyday racism we encounter/do. But it missed the mark for me and it ended up feeling pretty pointless and racist, the very thing it tried to avoid. While the beginning was funny and really good, the second part was very flawed. It annoyed me to no end and I’m honestly glad it was over. I know this book meant well, trying to tell the stories of the immigrant finding pieces of their life from the “before” and “after” but it just came across as really offensive. This is definitely not like Jane the Virgin at all.
Full rant review (also full of spoilers) can be found on The Literary Huntress
Full rant review (also full of spoilers) can be found on The Literary Huntress
July 24, 2017
Really 4 1/2 stars. Cammi's mother is an actress in a popular Mexican telenova series and her father is a voice-over actor. The family moves to LA for her mother's career and it is the first time Cammi deals with racism. This book examines race and class in America. For example, Cammi's family is rich, but many students at her private school assume that she is on scholarship because she is Mexican. I am a fan of Veroncia Chambers. I am going to read more by her!
January 16, 2018
I loved this book! The character Cammi sounds like she had my life traveling everywhere like Mexico City and L.A. because of her mom's job. She writes about walking in Coyoacan, one of my favorite cities in Mexico.
September 18, 2017
Interesting story, however, the awful spanish grammar took me out of the story one too many times.
Read
November 11, 2017Great! More tk
November 4, 2017
It is SO hard to find books with Hispanic protagonists!! I teach in San Antonio and most of my kids are Hispanic. They are going to love this book!!
May 15, 2020
Rating: 3.5 stars
When the child of a famous Mexican actress moves to the US, she experiences quite a culture shock. In Mexico City, she was one of the #RKOMC - rich kids of Mexico City, in California, she was labeled a scholarship kid and the daughter of a domestic and a gardener. At first, she welcomes the "mistake", because she was so tired of being a celebrity child, but soon her web of lies is out of control.
I know people will be angry with Cammi for perpetuating stereotypes, but she had her reasons, AT FIRST, and then it sort of got away from her. Eventually, Cammi realized the damage she was doing by perpetuating stereotypes about Mexicans. It was difficult for her to see herself through this different lens, because she grew up somewhere where she wasn't considered a person of color. It was quite an experience for Cammi, but she definitely learned a lot from it.
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When the child of a famous Mexican actress moves to the US, she experiences quite a culture shock. In Mexico City, she was one of the #RKOMC - rich kids of Mexico City, in California, she was labeled a scholarship kid and the daughter of a domestic and a gardener. At first, she welcomes the "mistake", because she was so tired of being a celebrity child, but soon her web of lies is out of control.
I know people will be angry with Cammi for perpetuating stereotypes, but she had her reasons, AT FIRST, and then it sort of got away from her. Eventually, Cammi realized the damage she was doing by perpetuating stereotypes about Mexicans. It was difficult for her to see herself through this different lens, because she grew up somewhere where she wasn't considered a person of color. It was quite an experience for Cammi, but she definitely learned a lot from it.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
December 12, 2019
I enjoyed this book in that it was a light read (or listen).
It wasn't too complicated and seemed a bit sitcom-ish (or telenovela-ish?) with the lying. I wanted Camilla to suffer a bit more considering all the lying she did but I guess she suffered enough.
The narrator did a great job with the accents and I enjoyed listening to her.
Overall - good :) I think the author achieved her goal of getting all listeners to really think about the first generation experience and maybe we'll all have a bit more grace with each other.
It wasn't too complicated and seemed a bit sitcom-ish (or telenovela-ish?) with the lying. I wanted Camilla to suffer a bit more considering all the lying she did but I guess she suffered enough.
The narrator did a great job with the accents and I enjoyed listening to her.
Overall - good :) I think the author achieved her goal of getting all listeners to really think about the first generation experience and maybe we'll all have a bit more grace with each other.
May 25, 2025
"The Go-Between" by Veronica Chambers was charming and well told. Audiobook narrator Karla Souza was the exact right choice of performer. I enjoyed it and would recommend it as a good choice for a vacation read.
As a niche category, the dad is a wise and grounding character worthy of the social media tag, #HesAGoodMan.
Ms. Chambers, I would gladly read more from Sergio's viewpoint (Camilla's older brother).
Companion read: "The Truth According to Ember" by Danica Nava.
As a niche category, the dad is a wise and grounding character worthy of the social media tag, #HesAGoodMan.
Ms. Chambers, I would gladly read more from Sergio's viewpoint (Camilla's older brother).
Companion read: "The Truth According to Ember" by Danica Nava.
February 19, 2018
I wanted to love this novel for its over-the-top telenovela-ness, but there are distinct parts in which no matter how much I wanted to go with the "it's all just a TV drama!" flow, I hungered for more. I wanted, for example, for the main character, Cammie, to offer some more reflection and growth as a character, given some of the great moments and meditations on U.S. perceptions of whiteness and of being Mexican. I wanted, also, for her actions to have deeper ramifications and not be so neatly resolved in the book's final pages. Nonetheless, the first 3/4 or so of the book are an enjoyable read. I just wish for a different ending.
March 11, 2020
Yikes.
August 28, 2019
Incredibly wealthy girl only realizes her privilege at the very end of the book and even then, still tries to convince these not great girls to be her friend. No thanks.
June 7, 2017
Thank you so much Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an eARC of this book.
Believe me, I’m also surprised how much I didn’t like this book. I’m not a fan of Jane the Virgin, I haven’t seen it yet, but my friend loves that series so I had hopes for this book. I read the plot of Jane the Virgin and this is nowhere near it! I’m so sorry but I feel robbed because I wasted my time reading this one.
A daughter of a telenovela actress, Cammi, is living the high life in Mexico city although she never felt as glamorous as her mother. When her Mom got an offer on a role, their family flew all the way to Los Angeles. Everything’s still posh and sparkly but in LA nobody knew who Cammi was unlike in Mexico, so when her new friends assumes that she’s on a scholarship, because how can a Mexican girl like her afford going to an expensive private school, she goes with the lie and pretends to be poor and submits to all the stereotypes and downright racists things her friends tell her.
That’s basically the whole plot of the story. I don’t even know where to begin but I was so, so disappointed with this book. It had such a good premise, how often do you come across a story about a daughter of a Telenovela star? Besides the rich culture and diversity that the author brought there’s really nothing else that’s good.
The biggest problem that I had is the writing style. It’s told in Cammi’s point of view but it felt as if she’s just telling the story from a long time ago. It was written in way that will not make you connect with the story and characters, but it’s like someone’s telling you a story and your obliged to listen.
I couldn’t connect with Cammi, maybe because I really didn’t like her. She’s sixteen years old but with her maturity it was like reading from a 12 year old’s point of view. Every time she lied to her friends, I just wanted to scream at her.
I think this book wanted to show how racist can people be but was poorly executed. Her friends just assumed that she’s poor and her mother’s a maid and basically just wanted to be friends with her to add some diversity to their group. I didn’t mind it first, it really felt like a promising plot but the problem is that the whole story goes around that lie. Cammi kept the lie until the end, even when it was starting to go out of hand like when her friend offers to give her expensive stuff that she could secretly afford or when her friends saw her credit card! She could have admitted the lie and then challenged all the racism they thrown at her but no, what I got was a petty resolution of her friend hardly admitting that she was being racist that was so worthy of an eye-roll. I just can’t with this book.
The other characters also felt very off and Cammi’s relationship with them is shallow. Her very famous Mom was the Telenovela star from the start to finish, I didn’t feel any connection between her and her daughter. Even the ending scene where it’s supposed to be a sweet moment for them felt scripted and forced.
Next is, Cammi’s boyfriend whose name is so irrelevant, I can’t remember it. Their love story goes like this, they flirted at a party back at Mexico then Cammi’s friend gets mad at her because she wanted that guy. The next thing is this guy is already Cammi’s boyfriend but she wants to take a break because she’s going to LA and LDR is hard but in the end she calls him. SO MUCH CHEMISTRY. I know the book doesn’t focus on the romance but why introduce a romance if it’ll be poorly written and underdeveloped?
On last thing is at the start Cammi says something about a hashtag that exposes all the not-so good stuff spoiled and rich kids on Mexico do that can be found on Instagram. So it really bothered me how Cammi was able to keep the secret far too long especially when her friends were getting suspicious. If I were one her friends, the first thing I’ll do is make a Google search on the new girl because that’s what teenagers do in real life! Basically, I don’t get all the fuss with this book.
I’m so sorry for the long review, I personally don’t give low ratings and bad reviews often but this book didn’t really work for me. I seriously don’t recommend it, you all just read some other wonderful May release. Don’t waste your time here.
Believe me, I’m also surprised how much I didn’t like this book. I’m not a fan of Jane the Virgin, I haven’t seen it yet, but my friend loves that series so I had hopes for this book. I read the plot of Jane the Virgin and this is nowhere near it! I’m so sorry but I feel robbed because I wasted my time reading this one.
A daughter of a telenovela actress, Cammi, is living the high life in Mexico city although she never felt as glamorous as her mother. When her Mom got an offer on a role, their family flew all the way to Los Angeles. Everything’s still posh and sparkly but in LA nobody knew who Cammi was unlike in Mexico, so when her new friends assumes that she’s on a scholarship, because how can a Mexican girl like her afford going to an expensive private school, she goes with the lie and pretends to be poor and submits to all the stereotypes and downright racists things her friends tell her.
That’s basically the whole plot of the story. I don’t even know where to begin but I was so, so disappointed with this book. It had such a good premise, how often do you come across a story about a daughter of a Telenovela star? Besides the rich culture and diversity that the author brought there’s really nothing else that’s good.
The biggest problem that I had is the writing style. It’s told in Cammi’s point of view but it felt as if she’s just telling the story from a long time ago. It was written in way that will not make you connect with the story and characters, but it’s like someone’s telling you a story and your obliged to listen.
I couldn’t connect with Cammi, maybe because I really didn’t like her. She’s sixteen years old but with her maturity it was like reading from a 12 year old’s point of view. Every time she lied to her friends, I just wanted to scream at her.
I think this book wanted to show how racist can people be but was poorly executed. Her friends just assumed that she’s poor and her mother’s a maid and basically just wanted to be friends with her to add some diversity to their group. I didn’t mind it first, it really felt like a promising plot but the problem is that the whole story goes around that lie. Cammi kept the lie until the end, even when it was starting to go out of hand like when her friend offers to give her expensive stuff that she could secretly afford or when her friends saw her credit card! She could have admitted the lie and then challenged all the racism they thrown at her but no, what I got was a petty resolution of her friend hardly admitting that she was being racist that was so worthy of an eye-roll. I just can’t with this book.
The other characters also felt very off and Cammi’s relationship with them is shallow. Her very famous Mom was the Telenovela star from the start to finish, I didn’t feel any connection between her and her daughter. Even the ending scene where it’s supposed to be a sweet moment for them felt scripted and forced.
Next is, Cammi’s boyfriend whose name is so irrelevant, I can’t remember it. Their love story goes like this, they flirted at a party back at Mexico then Cammi’s friend gets mad at her because she wanted that guy. The next thing is this guy is already Cammi’s boyfriend but she wants to take a break because she’s going to LA and LDR is hard but in the end she calls him. SO MUCH CHEMISTRY. I know the book doesn’t focus on the romance but why introduce a romance if it’ll be poorly written and underdeveloped?
On last thing is at the start Cammi says something about a hashtag that exposes all the not-so good stuff spoiled and rich kids on Mexico do that can be found on Instagram. So it really bothered me how Cammi was able to keep the secret far too long especially when her friends were getting suspicious. If I were one her friends, the first thing I’ll do is make a Google search on the new girl because that’s what teenagers do in real life! Basically, I don’t get all the fuss with this book.
I’m so sorry for the long review, I personally don’t give low ratings and bad reviews often but this book didn’t really work for me. I seriously don’t recommend it, you all just read some other wonderful May release. Don’t waste your time here.
February 12, 2018
*Audiobook* Good quick read.
May 27, 2017
The Go-Between is one of those books you enjoy, on the surface, but you know that if you scratch a bit too hard you’ll come up with a few issues. I was intrigued to read a Mexican girl’s perspective on moving to LA, the struggles she would face, the differences between the two places, however while I enjoyed the book on the surface, once Camilla actually got to LA, I lost a lot of respect for her. I generally love books about kids of celebrities, or kids who are celebrities, because that also offers an insight into a world I know little about and while I initially loved Camilla, boy does she make some poor decisions.
The first half of the book, set in Mexico City, was fascinating. And I’m not sure if it’s a good fascinating or an “OMG, why are these people allowed to be famous” fascinating, because despite the fact that Camilla goes on and on and on about not being part of the Mexico City elite, she proves time and time again that just because she might not be flaunting her parents wealth on Instagram, she also doesn’t do anything when her supposed friend goes behind her back - twice - to land both her, and then her mother, in trouble with the press. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. And Camilla let Patrizia fool her twice, for reasons I still don’t understand because she was just as vapid as all those other so-called friends Camilla had and got rid of.
Then, when we got to LA, Camilla decides that because these two girls assume she’s a poor Mexican girl from East LA and is apparently on scholarship, she rolls with it. As if that’s just what you do. She tries to rationalise it, but you kind of want to tell her to grow up. And she carries it on for so much longer than necessary (in fact, one minute lying to these people she considers friends is too long). Even the fact that Cammi’s friends think those racist things about her - and that then gets put aside “we’ll take racist off the table” LOL WHAT?! NO. If someone assumes that because of your skin colour and accent you are poor/deserving of sympathy/free gifts and you are not, YOU TELL THEM. You put them in their place and don’t even want to be friends with them. You don’t lie and string them along. It was like bad after bad after bad. It was frustrating for Cammi to just accept it, but then on the other hand, it made me cringe that Cammi was so superficial herself. She didn’t want to take the bus so she Uber’ed everywhere as if that’s no big deal? Because “the bus in LA isn’t safe”, are buses regularly hi-jacked in LA and you’re taken somewhere other than where the bus says it goes? Am I missing something? Do what you like with your money, but please don’t act like the bus is beneath you.
If I didn’t have to review this book, I may not have pulled up so many issues. If you don’t think too hard you may enjoy this book, but there is a lot wrong with it. It could have been amazing, if Cammi had stood up to those racist comments (I am also very aware that someone can be racist in a book and as long as they’re called out and change, that’s like a learning experience? But they bring up Willow and Tiggy’s racism then casually brush it away, like maybe it’s not racism??? And Willow can’t possibly be racist because she’s mixed race??? And it’s just like?????? Eh?? It doesn’t work like that? That’s akin to saying only white people can be racist and I’m pretty sure any race can be racist against another race).
This book wasn't for me. It could have been amazing, Veronica's writing style flows so easily, and for the most part I liked Camilla, I really did, but she just needed to get her priorities straight. Fitting in is hard, I know that, I've moved places but starting it off with lies is never the answer.
The first half of the book, set in Mexico City, was fascinating. And I’m not sure if it’s a good fascinating or an “OMG, why are these people allowed to be famous” fascinating, because despite the fact that Camilla goes on and on and on about not being part of the Mexico City elite, she proves time and time again that just because she might not be flaunting her parents wealth on Instagram, she also doesn’t do anything when her supposed friend goes behind her back - twice - to land both her, and then her mother, in trouble with the press. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. And Camilla let Patrizia fool her twice, for reasons I still don’t understand because she was just as vapid as all those other so-called friends Camilla had and got rid of.
Then, when we got to LA, Camilla decides that because these two girls assume she’s a poor Mexican girl from East LA and is apparently on scholarship, she rolls with it. As if that’s just what you do. She tries to rationalise it, but you kind of want to tell her to grow up. And she carries it on for so much longer than necessary (in fact, one minute lying to these people she considers friends is too long). Even the fact that Cammi’s friends think those racist things about her - and that then gets put aside “we’ll take racist off the table” LOL WHAT?! NO. If someone assumes that because of your skin colour and accent you are poor/deserving of sympathy/free gifts and you are not, YOU TELL THEM. You put them in their place and don’t even want to be friends with them. You don’t lie and string them along. It was like bad after bad after bad. It was frustrating for Cammi to just accept it, but then on the other hand, it made me cringe that Cammi was so superficial herself. She didn’t want to take the bus so she Uber’ed everywhere as if that’s no big deal? Because “the bus in LA isn’t safe”, are buses regularly hi-jacked in LA and you’re taken somewhere other than where the bus says it goes? Am I missing something? Do what you like with your money, but please don’t act like the bus is beneath you.
If I didn’t have to review this book, I may not have pulled up so many issues. If you don’t think too hard you may enjoy this book, but there is a lot wrong with it. It could have been amazing, if Cammi had stood up to those racist comments (I am also very aware that someone can be racist in a book and as long as they’re called out and change, that’s like a learning experience? But they bring up Willow and Tiggy’s racism then casually brush it away, like maybe it’s not racism??? And Willow can’t possibly be racist because she’s mixed race??? And it’s just like?????? Eh?? It doesn’t work like that? That’s akin to saying only white people can be racist and I’m pretty sure any race can be racist against another race).
This book wasn't for me. It could have been amazing, Veronica's writing style flows so easily, and for the most part I liked Camilla, I really did, but she just needed to get her priorities straight. Fitting in is hard, I know that, I've moved places but starting it off with lies is never the answer.
February 2, 2018
Daughter of famous actress in Mexico moves to LA and experiences a 360 degree shift in how others see her and the assumptions they make based on her race.
May 12, 2017
I enjoyed this book because of the issues it raises and how it provides a palpable reminder of being wary of the assumptions we make about others as well as our own racism. It's an important reminder as Camilla del Valle, the book's protagonist, finds that some folks assume having brown skin means being poor or working as a maid or even being the valet at a pricey restaurant instead of a patron. It's interesting to me that Cammi herself struggles with who she is and what she wants, especially when her family moves from Mexico City to LA so that her actress mother can pursue a career in television. The fame she had as a star of a telenovela in Mexico doesn't necessarily translate to the United States, which is an interesting phenomenon in and of itself. Her father is a talented voice over artist, but he is almost unknown in the United States as well. Some reviewers have come down harshly on this book because of how the story is told and the protagonist's dishonesty and cluelessness about race issues. And while the way it is organized, shifting from past to present in a way that could be unsettling for some, actually, it is those very assumptions about race, ethnicity, social class, and identity that seem to be the point of the story and the thread that holds everything together. As she tries to navigate this new world in California and get out from under her mother's shadow, Cammi comes dangerously close to losing herself. While Cammi does allow her new classmates to make assumptions about her socioeconomic status, she does so because she doesn't want to be embraced simply because of her mother's fame and fortune. The things that give her a certain type of privilege are the things that insulate her from the real world, to a large extent. Did I like the fact that she was dishonest, lying to Willow and Tiggy? Of course not! And yes, it was appropriate that Milly whose real life mirrors the life Cammi is pretending to have calls her out on her words and deeds. I appreciated the author's willingness to explore issues and questions that are very real and pertinent to the world today in such an honest way. For me, the more jarring aspect of the book concerned her boyfriend, Amadeo, who never really seemed to be much of a factor in her life other than a plot device to cause disharmony between her and her former friend Patrizia who betrayed her in the most unexpected way. While I get that Cammi had grown tired of being used by her former friends and mistrustful of any new ones, I was sad in some respects that she couldn't be herself with her new friends at least for a long time. Still, it is true that most of us hold back parts of ourselves until we know whether we are safe with our would-be friends. Obviously, the book gave me a lot about which to think, and because of that, I am glad I read it.
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