Written by WB Intern Gimena Perez
Summary:
Sánchez’s award-winning novel, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter follows Julia, a Chicago high school student as she navigates trials and tribulations of following her dreams of becoming a writer, alongside the death of her sister, Olga—who might not have been quite as perfect as she seemed. This novel is the perfect read for Hispanic Heritage Month.
“Everything changes, for better or worse, whether we like it or not. Sometimes it’s beautiful, and sometimes it fills us with terror. Sometimes both.” ― Erika L. Sánchez
The novel, I’m Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez follows Julia as she tries to navigate life after her sister, Olga’s, passing.
Julia and Olga are two Mexican American sisters who live with their undocumented parents. The book begins with Olga’s funeral after she was run over by a semi. Olga was seen as the “Perfect Mexican Daughter.” She was obedient, she studied at the local community college, worked in an office, and ultimately never left home. Her passing affects Julia’s mother and now without her sister, Julia is the center of her mother’s attention.
Julia is the complete opposite of her sister. She is disobedient, wants to be a writer, and is set on attending a university away from home. She refuses to live a mediocre life like her sister. She has hopes and dreams that her parents believe are unattainable, which causes a lot of tension between Julia and her mother.
After the funeral, Julia discovers a few strange things in Olga’s room that makes her question whether her sister truly was the “Perfect Mexican Daughter.” As the story progresses, Julia begins to discover who her sister truly was. However, the secret about her sister did not naturally progress with Julia’s own life. At times, this big secret seemed like an afterthought for the main character. This often felt strange, because Julia was intent on finding out the secret, but it was set aside for other plots. This left the reader questioning what the plot truly was.
The story, however, mostly focuses on Julia. This allows readers to experience first hand what Julia, a Mexican American teen girl has faced within her culture. We get to see how generational trauma has affected her relationship with her mother. We get to see her make mistakes and learn from them. We also see her face mental health struggles, and ultimately, we see how Olga’s death has affected Julia and her parents. This book gives a very realistic look into the life of a modern Mexican American teenager who is caught between the cultural expectations imposed on her by her family and herself.
This book is a perfect representation of Hispanic culture and issues that affect first-generation Mexican American children who struggle with their identities. It features quinceañeras, delicious food, and a protagonist that struggles with cultural pressure and family. While Julia may be a complex character, at the end the reader cannot help but root for her as she embarks on her journey to college.
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About The Author
Gimena Perez is a writer and currently a student at St. Edwards University where she is double majoring in Writing and Rhetoric with a Creative Writing Concentration & English Literature. She is originally from Espanola, New Mexico. Gimena is working towards becoming certified as a High School English teacher. She loves writing fiction and hopes to eventually become a creative writing professor. Aside from writing, she enjoys reading, watching movies and listening to true crime podcasts.