Clap When You Land

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am SO impressed with Acevedo's writing and her narration. There is a such a rhythm and a sense of conscious choice behind her word choice and phrasing as she tells her stories. In another writer's hands or even if I had read the print version, this is probably a four star read, but I was so engaged and entangled in her characters as I listened to her tell a fictional story that is based on a real tragedy that happened years ago. I love Acevedo's ability to give voice to characters we don't have often see in literature. She tells stories of people of color - in this case, Dominican teenage girls whose hopes and dreams are both universal and unique. Acevedo is good at showing flaws, but also creating inherent worth in the men and women who populate her stories. She doesn't write "important issue books", and yet her stories are replete with powerful messages. I love her, and I really appreciated this book.

Happy reading and happy honest living--