anna-marie mclemorearc reviewby silvanadiverse castdiverse readsst martins presswhen the moon was ours
ARC Review: WHEN THE MOON WAS OURS by Anna-Marie McLemore
Title: When The Moon Was Ours
Author: Anna-Marie McLemore
Publisher: Thomas Dunne / St. Martin's Press
Release date: October 4th, 2016
When the Moon Was Ours follows two characters through a story that has multicultural elements and magical realism, but also has central LGBT themes—a transgender boy, the best friend he’s falling in love with, and both of them deciding how they want to define themselves.
To everyone who knows them, best friends Miel and Sam are as strange as they are inseparable. Roses grow out of Miel’s wrist, and rumors say that she spilled out of a water tower when she was five. Sam is known for the moons he paints and hangs in the trees, and for how little anyone knows about his life before he and his mother moved to town.
But as odd as everyone considers Miel and Sam, even they stay away from the Bonner girls, four beautiful sisters rumored to be witches. Now they want the roses that grow from Miel’s skin, convinced that their scent can make anyone fall in love. And they’re willing to use every secret Miel has fought to protect to make sure she gives them up.
When the Moon Was Ours was beautiful and more. It was everything I have wanted in a novel. I don't read a lot of magical realism books, I don't think I have ever read a YA magical realism book before (except the Gabriel García Márquez book!). But this book made me love it and it made me remember my culture and the beautiful way you can see life.
It's so lyrical and mindblowing. It's definitely one of my favorite 2016 books. No doubt. I haven't yet read anything by Anna-Marie before I read this one, and let me tell you that I totally want to read The Weight of Feathers now more than ever!! I'm so happy this book exists and I'm happy I got to read it because it's magical and powerful and so very sweet.
There is so many ways I can tell you why/how much I loved this novel but I'll leave you with some bullet points:
➡ Pakistani trans boy as MC who loves the moon and paints it and hangs it everywhere
➡ Latina MC that came from water and bleeds roses and is afraid of pumpkins
➡ Brujas and La Llorona myth
➡ Family in this book is my fave and it reminds you how important family is!!!!
➡ Best friends falling love [hello? yes, yes yes]
➡ The writing is magical and inspiring and you will love it right away like I literally loved the first chapter so much I cried
➡ You'll cry
➡ You'll be addicted to Anna-Marie McLemore's writing and stories and you would want many books from her [THIS IS ME 1000%]
1 comments
I absolutely need to read this book, and I'm so glad you loved it! I love Anna-Marie on twitter, and I can't wait till I have a chance to read this!
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