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| Book cover retrieved from author’s website at http://www.acevedowrites.com/books |
ISBN: 978-0-06-266280-4
Plot Summary
High school sophomore Xiomara wants to be noticed for who she is, but all anyone ever seems to notice is her body, which has matured despite her best efforts. She is torn between obeying the rules of the church - as well as her strictly religious mother - and obeying her heart, which wants to write. When Xiomara finds herself falling for a dark-haired boy who loves her poetry and wants more than just her body, Xo finds herself caught between doing what her heart tells her and doing what her mother (and the priest) expect of her. In this beautiful coming-of-age novel written in verse, poetry may just be Xiomara’s salvation.
Characters
Acevedo creates in Xiomara a character that will be instantly relatable to teens. She struggles with two versions of herself: the little girl who adores her mother and leads a life of faith, and the young adult who struggles with the flaws and shortcomings of her mother - and perhaps of her religious views. This struggle with identity is a central aspect of growing up and is one most teens can relate to. By creating a Latina character in whom readers can see themselves, Acevedo allows other Latinas to see their lives reflected in literature. Meanwhile, readers from other backgrounds gain valuable perspective about the Latina experience.
Xiomara’s mother is a bit of a complex character. Her character is constantly at odds with Xiomara, trying to get her to go to church, attend confirmation classes, and avoid boys at all costs. She provides a counterpoint to our heroine, as teenagers will immediately side with Xiomara in their disagreements. At times, her actions cross the line from strict parent into abusive parent. When she catches Xiomara kissing a boy on the train, her mother slaps her across the face and calls her the Dominican word for “loose woman,” then drags her to church and pushes her onto her knees, yanking her hair to force her to look at the statue of the Virgin Mary. This portrayal of Xiomara’s mother could be problematic in that it reinforces the stereotype of Latina mothers as religious zealots and overly strict parents - in this case, to the point of causing actual injury. With the scarcity of Latinx literature in this day and age, it is likely that this novel may be the only exposure some young adults have to Latinx culture, and it may perpetuate a harmful stereotype.
Another character deserving of mention is Xiomara’s twin brother, Xavier. As the story progresses, the reader discovers he is gay and is terrified to tell his parents, in large part because of his mother’s religious views. The author’s decision to include a gay character is not done merely to have a “token gay man”; rather, Xavier is a well-rounded, fully developed character who adds depth and dimension to the story. The story is more about him as a human being than it is about his sexual orientation, which helps normalize this marginalized group.
Setting
The author was careful to create a setting that was authentic and avoided many of the stereotypes common in Latinx literature. From the very first page, Xiomara speaks lovingly of all her inhabitants of their barrio in modern day Harlem, from little old church ladies to children playing in the streets to the old men playing chess together. She even acknowledges the drug dealers down at the corner, of whom she seems to feel more annoyance than any actual fear. The author makes it clear that this neighborhood is a community and a place where Xiomara feels safe, which directly opposes the stereotypical view of the barrio as a scary and dangerous place.
Another way Acevedo is authentic to the Latinx experience is in her portrayal of the family’s socioeconomic status. While Xiomara’s family is not wealthy (their mother works as a housekeeper and the two children share a bedroom), they are not in abject poverty, either. The children do not have to worry about food and clothing, they each have a cell phone, and they always get presents for birthdays and holidays. This was a deliberate choice on the author’s part to further reinforce the idea that growing up in the barrio can be a rich experience rather than a place of crime and poverty, and that not all Latinx families are poor.
Theme
The importance of family is a theme that is carried throughout the book. While Xiomara has a tense relationship with her mother that gets pushed past its breaking point, Acevedo uses memories from Xiomara’s childhood to show that their relationship hasn’t always been so contentious and that there is real love between them. There is some resolution at the conclusion of the story, but the author leaves it open-ended enough to show there is still much work to be done in repairing that relationship. Acevedo chooses not to end with a “happily ever after,” which is a reflection of how real families and real relationships operate: it takes patience and hard work to fix what has been broken, but family is worth the time and effort. This emphasis on family is an important cultural value in the Latinx community, and this is reflected in how Xiomara and her mother attempt to work through their differences and past mistakes.
Cultural Markers
Acevedo was particularly skilled in how she intermingled Spanish and English in her text, carefully providing enough context clues for the English language-only reader to figure out most phrases, while generally avoiding directly translating each Spanish phrase. This is considered a best practice in Latinx literature and shows respect for both bilingual readers and those not fluent in Spanish. In the few instances where a translation was necessary, the English version would be on the next page, allowing the reader to easily skip over it if not needed.
Another way Acevedo represents diversity authentically is in how the characters identify themselves. Throughout the story, Xiomara describes herself as Dominican, based on the specific country her family is from, and Aman is described as having immigrated from Trinidad. While the term “Latinx” is technically accurate, it describes a large and diverse group of people; referring to particular individuals by their country of origin is an accurate and respectful way to portray the characters’ heritages.
Also, Acevedo portrays modern Latinx culture in a way that is authentic. As a teenager in modern day New York City, Aman is a perfect example of how modern immigrant children embrace their cultural heritage as well as the culture of the country they are in. Aman enjoys the rap music of Kendrick Lamar with Xiomara, but he also shares with her the Soca music from his island heritage as well as a meal of fried plantains and eggs. Acevedo makes sure he is not a flat, one-dimensional representation of his culture by making Aman’s connection to his Trinidadian heritage just one element of his personality and character. He is so much more than just Trinidadian - he is a human being with a myriad of different tastes, interests, and talents.
Connections/Activities
One wonderful connection activity for students would be to participate in poetry slams, especially if the book is read in conjunction with a teaching unit on poetry. Bringing a poet to present to the class or taking a field trip to a poetry slam nearby would be a great activity. Students can then follow by performing their own poetry slam at a local cafe, or, for those who would rather not perform, creating an online curated collection of their favorite poets performing their work. For inspiration, there are several videos online of Elizabeth Acevedo reading some of her work and talking about the art of poetry. Below is one that I found particularly inspiring:
References:
HarperCollins. [Epic Reads]. (2018, February 13). #Epicreads: The Poet X live performance [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YH4gIM6TZkQ
The Aspen Institute. (2017, March 21). Elizabeth Acevedo at the Summit on Inequality and Opportunity [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Syk1IGdYvs
[Untitled picture of cover of The Poet X]. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.acevedowrites.com/books
Follow the links below for more of my Latinx book reviews:
Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan
Niño Wrestles the World by Yuyi Morales
Funny Bones by Duncan Tonatiuh