Title: The Girl, The Ring & The Baseball Bat
Author: Camille Gomera-Tavarez
Rating: 3.75/4 Stars
Reviewed by: Shakera
Genre: Magical Realism, YA
Publisher: Levine Querido
Date of Release: February 6, 2024
Pages: 408
Format: Kindle (Hear Our Voices)
Told from multiple perspectives, The Girl, The Ring & The Baseball Bat takes readers on an emotional rollercoaster. Sometimes, it’s a wild ride, and other times, magical realism kicks in. It’s been a while since I read Magical Realism, and I was nervous about jumping back into the genre. There were moments where I felt like I lost the plot (and that’s on me), and then there were moments where I enjoyed the story.
Gomera-Tavarez does a fantastic job of handling how institutions handle people of color. I could feel myself getting angry and would have to tell myself, “It’s just a book.” Although, it’s not really just a book. People of color go through this every day, which is even worse when you’re a child.
The characters of Rosie, Zeke, and Caro were realistic but could have been a little more developed. That being said, I think each of them having a perspective really helped. The book (for me) starts off slow, but it picks up during the second half.
If you are looking for a book with Latino representation, look no further.
The story takes place in Jersey City, New Jersey, and I loved that. However, if you find cursing offensive, this isn’t the book for you. It didn’t bother me, but I could see how someone would find it offputting. However, as someone from Jersey, this was accurate to me.
More Books Please blog 