Jan 2017: Something in Between

[Reera, Bookmaster]

Happy early New Year! Our pick for January is SOMETHING IN BETWEEN by Melissa de la Cruz. I'm personally very excited to read this book because it's been on my to-read pile since October. With what happened this election, I think it will be an important and educational read for our group, as the story is centered on a Filipino American teen girl and her illegal immigrant family.

We like to collect discussion topics from our readers before every podcast recording, so feel free to send us your thoughts on de la Cruz's novel via Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. :D

[Lauren]

Okay, let me just say right off the back that this was a really easy read. I finished it already and you guys aren't having the meeting for it until next month. Maybe it's because this book was targeted for a younger demographic that I found it easy to get through. YA fiction is not what I would normally read so...

Anyway, I have mixed thoughts about this book. I felt that the shock and fear of discovering that Jasmine's family are in the U.S. illegally and are facing deportation was something that needed to be read and felt, which is why I'm so glad the author chose to tell the story through a first-person perspective. I loved watching Jasmine's determination as she went forward in finding a solution to keep her family from being forced back to her country only her parents have any real memory of.

On the other hand, it's everything in between that I wasn't fond of; in particular, her relationship with Royce. (view spoiler)[For one thing, how they met was incredibly rushed. Like, really? You see a hot guy for two seconds and when he asks for your number, you give it to him? Not to mention that how they wound up together seemed unrealistic. You see the guy for a second time, and all of the sudden you two are kissing on the hotel roof? Plus, when they nearly got married, I mean... Thank God Jasmine spoke up, for what they were embarking on was a recipe for disaster. Their whole relationship was sloppily written. (hide spoiler)]

I otherwise really liked the relationship she has with her family and how that develops overtime, as they fight their way to stay in the country. While they may seem like the usual Filipino American family through quirks such as pushing Jasmine into staying on top in academics and the occasional chatter in Tagalog, I also liked how supportive and trustworthy her parents were. They trusted her with making the right decisions when it came to her relationship with Royce, AND with working to keep her family from being deported.

So basically what I'm getting at is I would have liked this book a lot more if there was a little more presence from the family and from their situation at hand, and a little less Royce.

[Reera, Bookmaster]

Wow, Lauren! I haven't even started reading this month's book yet. Hahaha. I figured it would be a quick read for regular readers, but this is our first book that's over 300 pages. So, I wanted to give people some leeway. ;)

I will be back with my reactions once I finish reading the book!

[Jess]

A few notes on the use of Filipino accents in the audiobook: I read this via audiobook because I wasn't sure if I'd be able to finish the book in time, and I was also really curious about how they would handle the Filipino accents. The voice actor's accent reminds me of the way my 2nd generation Filipino friends would imitate their parents: while definitely exaggerated, it is technically accurate. As a FIlipino-American myself, I really appreciated that they included the accents. I would encourage anyone to listen to the audiobook, especially if you're unfamiliar with the Filipino accent, as I think it helps you immerse yourself in the story more. Personally, hearing Jasmine's parents scold her (or her brothers) brought me back to my childhood and teenage years, and I definitely think hearing it in the Filipino accent had a lot to do with that.

Speaking of, did anyone else see their own parents in Jasmine's? I'm curious if their parenting style and values are just a Filipino thing, or if its more universal to the larger Asian/immigrant community in general. With this being such a family-centric story, I would love to hear how others saw similarities or differences in their own family vs. Jasmine's family.

Edit: If your library has a partnership with HooplaDigital.com, you can listen to the audiobook for free on the Hoopla app!

[Jess]

Thanks for letting me join in on the live discussion via Google hangout! And thank you Reera for bringing up The Sun is Also a Star! If anyone was less than stoked about this month's read, but interested in reading another title that deals with similar issues I would highly recommend The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon. Although it is also YA, I feel like non-YA readers would still enjoy it. I'm glad Melissa de la Cruz tackled this subject matter, especially since she has a huge - and young - following (she's written several popular YA novels/series in the past) that might not otherwise be exposed to a novel centered around people of color dealing with immigration/citizenship struggles. However, overall, I think I enjoyed Nicola Yoon's take much better, and would definitely recommend it to anyone who was excited about the premise of Something in Between, but didn't like the book as a whole.

[Lauren]

It was good chatting with you today Jessica, and thank you Reera and Marvin for having us join in. I've heard of Nicola Yoon's work many times, but have always been hesitant to read, again due to my lack of interest in YA fiction (with a few exceptions). Now, after today's conversation, I'm a little more interested.