Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter

Although 30 isn’t exactly considered YA, Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter (NYPMD), was a YA novel I was excited to read. Growing up a reader and having read the gamut of coming of age stories, and tales of teenage angst, I had my own predispositions on what to expect. Like many, I discovered my affinity for YA novels the first time I picked up Catcher In The Rye, the ultimate tale of teenage angst. What I didn’t expect from NYPMD was how much I realized I could have used a book like this when I was coming of age. For once, I felt like the character was someone I could relate to, someone I could easily know, and that changed the way I consumed this piece of fiction.

This book is an exploration of what it means to come of age in urban Chicago while grappling with the duality of identity. It touches on themes, of mental health, poverty, race, and even death in the most subtle and authentic ways. Although at times Julia, the main character isn’t the most loveable, she’s definitely the most relatable character I have encountered in a coming of age story.

You don’t need to be of Mexican descent to enjoy or follow this book. For those who can’t relate directly, it’s a great insight into how many people grow up battling the duality of their own identities. And for someone like me who grew up in a Mexican-American household, it’s so refreshing to read a novel that reflects and validates so many of my own experiences growing up.

NYPMD is proof that the lit world needs more diversity in its storytelling and storytellers.