Title: We Never Asked For Wings
Author: Vanessa Diffenbaugh
Published: August 18, 2015 by Ballantine
Pages: 320
Source: Publisher at BEA
Rating: 4.5/5
Goodreads
For fourteen years, Letty Espinosa has worked three jobs around San Francisco to make ends meet while her mother raised her children—Alex, now fifteen, and Luna, six—in their tiny apartment on a forgotten spit of wetlands near the bay. But now Letty’s parents are returning to Mexico, and Letty must step up and become a mother for the first time in her life.
Navigating this new terrain is challenging for Letty, especially as Luna desperately misses her grandparents and Alex, who is falling in love with a classmate, is unwilling to give his mother a chance. Letty comes up with a plan to help the family escape the dangerous neighborhood and heartbreaking injustice that have marked their lives, but one wrong move could jeopardize everything she’s worked for and her family’s fragile hopes for the future.
Vanessa Diffenbaugh blends gorgeous prose with compelling themes of motherhood, undocumented immigration, and the American Dream in a powerful and prescient story about family.
My review:
This was one of my most anticipated books at BEA (Book Expo America) last spring. I adored this author's novel The Language of Flowers, and couldn't wait to see if magic could strike twice. It did, and I loved this book almost as much as her first. Starting with the gorgeous cover, then immersing myself into Diffenbaugh's beautiful writing, this story was compelling and wonderful. The characters were well drawn, and you wanted to take them all under your wing and make sure that they would all be ok. The only reason this did not receive a 5 is that it wasn't quite as powerful as The Language of Flowers, but it was close. This novel took three years to write, and I can only hope that we don't have to wait that long for another novel from this author. This is a gem!
If you love stories about family, rooting for the underdog, wonderful characters, and beautiful writing, you must pick this up. But please, do yourself a favor and read The Language of Flowers if you have not read that one yet.
I bought this a couple of days ago although has quite a different cover. Some authors take longer than others to write books and if its quality worth waiting for. Have yet to read The Language of Flowers but may find that through the library.
Both books are excellent in my opinion. You are correct about the quality worth waiting for, but I'm impatient sometimes 🙂
I've been on the fence about picking this one up, having only read one blogger's review about it, but you pushed me over to your side 🙂
I do want to know more about the Mexican-American experience in our country and how the children are affected. My son is in law school in San Diego pretty darn close to the border (and he went to the Tijuana area a couple of weekends with his church group to give assistance) and one of his new classes this semester is assisting in a free immigration clinic. I'm not being political here, just stating facts. I can't stand to see any children suffer, no matter where they live or where they come from.
Thanks for pointing me to this author. I'll also look for The Language of Flowers too.
I think you would like either of these books, although they are not the suspenseful novels you frequently read. Read them when you need a change of pace.
I plan to read this but have to be in the right mood. I feel like it could be upsetting/depressing if I don't come at it properly.
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