I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika Sanchez beautifully depicts the life of a second-generation immigrant endeavoring to find her purpose in life after the death of her sister. This novel’s coming-of-age story illustrates the qualities and middlings of living in a reality compacted with unrealistic expectations. The protagonist of the story, Julia, goes through a rollercoaster of events that help shape the person she becomes by the end of the story. Erika Sanchez does an exceptional job of picturing the emotions of a girl being trampled with difficult times. As a Latino myself, the story of Julia truly connects with me as a person due to the many occurrences we share. Using a first-person point of view also allows the reader to relate to Julia even more. Readers are in the mind of a 15-year-old girl throughout the entirety of the story and throughout it all, we see her progress not only as a person but as a friend and daughter.
The life of Julia has clung to me ever since I read its conclusion. I was left in awe at knowing how her story ended due to the connection I built with her character. At 15 years of age, she has to come to grips with the death of her then 22-year-old sister named Olga. The presence of Olga in this story is shown to be a hindrance for Julia, as she is marked by the supporting characters such as her mother to be the leading factor for her death. As Julia progresses through her final high school years, she has to deal with the familial expectations set by her mother and father. With untold secrets about her sister Olga, Julia finally has an opportunity to get rid of this aggravating comparison. The theme of utopian expectations clings with me as a son of Latino immigrants. Like Julia, we have to carry the dream that our parents had when they came to the U.S. There is a set of expectations set upon us at birth, that we will attempt and prosper in getting a good education, and then getting a good job. When Julia deals with these things in the story, I see myself in her.
Erika Sanchez is not an author with whom I am familiar but her work in this novel cements her as a memorable author due to the creation of this extraordinary character. The supporting characters in this story are also somewhat memorable. My usage of the word “somewhat” is reasoned by the number of supporting characters, many of whom I frankly forgot about. Regardless, the cemented supporting characters that return frequently, such as her friend, mother, and romantic interest, are all whom I have formed my own opinion about. Her mother Ama is a catalyst for Julia’s character arc in the story. Ama and Julia’s troublesome relationship in the story is what causes the numerous tribulations Julia faces. Then there is Julia’s best friend Lorena. She is illustrated to represent the Latino Gen Z with her outgoing and unorthodox sense of doing things, many of whom contradict Ama’s customary way of thinking. Finally, Julia’s love interest Connor is often depicted to be the sanctuary for Julia. His company brings out the most heartfelt of Julia, which is not often seen with the other characters. In short, they’re all unique in their respective depiction, and Sanchez once again does a good job of showing how they impact the life of Julia.
Would you be interested in this book? This question is ambiguous to all but this book is for everyone as a must-read, in order to see the harsh realities of many immigrants trying to make a living here in the United States. The text does not attempt to be a philosophical one, but there are many ideologies present in the story which I noticed throughout my reading. One can make an analysis of Julia due to the incredible depth of her character. The pacing in this story is consistently solid, as I didn’t encounter times where I was bored apart from the very beginning of the story. Once the story gets going, nothing is thwarting you from reading until the end.
Erika Sanchez’s 21st-century depiction of an immigrant daughter trying to find her place in the world after the loss of her sister is accompanied by persistent laughter and some tears. I will never forget the story of Julia Reyes as it had an impact on my life ever since I finished reading it. My recommendation to you is to read this story, regardless of if you aren’t a Latino or come from immigrant parents. It will inevitably reach your heart.
