⭐⭐⭐💫 3.5 stars | Love, in English follows sixteen-year-old Ana's journey as she moves to New Jersey from Argentina for her junior year of high school and as one can imagine, the many struggles that come with it. They range from the language barrier, to her and her mother adjusting to life with her father who went ahead to the US for years, and just being a teenager.
When it came to language, I thought the author used an extremely creative way to express Ana's point-of-view in conversations when she didn't understand much English yet. And once she did, there was this added layer of understanding little phrases we commonly use as Americans that actually do sound quite silly when you break it down. It was funny to hear Ana's perception of them and later satisfying to watch her grasp all her newly learned words to turn them into poetry.
When it came to the culture shock, I found myself connecting to Ana's journey even though it wasn't my personal experience. My uncle came to America first and eventually sent for my aunt and cousins years later. There was an adjustment period of not only being together but of the new culture, new schools, and new language. I found myself thinking about them and having an added appreciation for what that must have been like. I'm first generation so my family all viewed America as this place for better opportunities for us and ultimately, a better life. But for the kids, especially if they're older, it might not seem that way and Ana's inner turmoil made a lot of sense to me.
I enjoyed the book but I did feel as though things happened far too quickly. In only 336 pages, Ana grasps the language, makes friends, and gets mixed up in a love triangle in what seemed like an extremely short time. I would've liked to have spent more time with her in school, at home as they adjusted, more of her friendships, and definitely more time with each guy who were both great in different ways. The emotional impact would've been stronger had there been more development in all those areas because I definitely liked what I was seeing, it just needed more.
Do I recommend? I think this is a good book to borrow from the library if you're interested in the premise.
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I'm glad you ended up enjoying the book overall and finding parts of it relatable, though it did end up still having aspects that weren't your cup of tea!
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