Summary
Mariana Ruiz’s father is running for president. He’s been in the state legislature before, and he’s currently a US Senator for Florida. Mariana knows what politics means for their day-to-day life. But she hasn’t really registered that his run for the Republican nomination means this election is at a whole new level.
Joe, her father’s assistant, is dictating her comments for TV spots and interviews. Her bedroom gets made-over like an elementary school classroom, complete with motivational posters, against her will because reporters are going to be seeing it. The whole family will be interviewed. No matter how many times Mariana asks to be left out of things, no one listens. So she disappears before the interview and goes to a friend’s house. That’s the first time Mariana pushes back. But it won’t be the last.
Review
This was excellent! No only does the book look at big issues like politics and the environment and activism, but it also drills down to interpersonal issues like family unity, teenage autonomy, family obligations, and political identity. For most of Mariana’s life, politics was just what her father did. It was background noise like other parental jobs might be for teens. But her father’s run for president amps up all the pressure over appearances and media scrutiny. Mariana’s discomfort starts there.
Then, a school assignment converges with a friend’s personal issues and raises her awareness about real life factors – things that impact people she loves. Things that used to just be political talking points. Mariana connects with students at her school who are more politically aware and engaged. She sees her father’s voting record, and it doesn’t line up with what he’s always said he believes. The more she learns, the more the idealized picture of her father fractures.
There are no easy answers offered, which I loved. This is Mariana’s coming-of-age story where her assumptions are torn down and what she rebuilds is a new comprehension of not only her family but also the larger world. And she realizes she has a place in it, and she has a unique platform where her voice can be heard. I loved this! (Language, LGBTQ+, TW: gaslighting)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*
*♥♥♥♥½ – I loved it! Would re-read.