The Things We Didn't Know

This book touches on many topics, including racism (various cultures, but mostly Puerto Rican v. Los Morenos - Puerto Rican v. Spanish (blonde hair, etc.), the 60's, drugs, ways of living, the Vietnam war. I really enjoyed the story telling in this book. I also enjoyed Marisa Blank's reading of it (I listened to it). I struggle with the overall conflict though. This is the first book that I think I've looked at critically, in my adult reading, where I've thought... but why? As I stated, I enjoyed the storytelling. But that's kind of what it seems this book comes down to. The storytelling... there isn't some great hurdle that is highlighted or needing to be overcome. There are many immigrant stories that would follow similar paths to this one.

Spoiler Alert
In the end, Pablo and Andrea say, “they made it”. But how is that possible? They didn't deal with their mother. No resolution there. They go back to Warinoko (sp?) and decide that they made it? Did they just mean that they made it out of Warinoko?

I liked this book. It's like a time travel to a life you miss and then skip to what you have now. I love how even after the many voices Andrea hears throughout her childhood, she only listened to what she needed to and decided things on her own. All things in the end would not have been in her way without the people who supported her,... and then there was Pablo.