“Sometimes it’s best to take things down and start all over again. It’s the way of the world.”

Under the Mesquite was my first introduction to McCall’s writing, and I was blown away by her beautiful writing. This book mostly piqued my interest because it’s a poetry book and a domestic fiction. I don’t often read poetry, but reading Under the Mesquite reminded me just how much I love it!

Summary:

This book follows Lupita, a Mexican-American girl who lives, struggles, and learns while migrating from her home to America with her family.

Review:

First of all, the writing in Under the Mesquite is absolutely beautiful! Following the main character, Lupita, and learning not only about her, but her family and their dynamic, made for a great read. Every poem made it harder to put the book down; I found it very interesting, as when Lupita is young, the poems integrate a lot of Spanish; however, the older she gets, there is less Spanish until something negative happens, such as her mother battling cancer. I believe this is a great way of showing how living in America has made Lupita change. I also think it’s a great way to show that when something negative happens, Lupita tends to sink into her comfort zone. This is why the ending of the book was so fulfilling, as we go with Lupita and watch her find her true self after seemingly losing who she was. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone interested in poetry or language! It’s a very quick read, and it gets you feeling for the characters as if you were going through the plot with them.

📚📚📚📚- A beautiful book about finding yourself (4/5)

Happy Reading!

Love,

Cerenitie

GFB Ambassador