Title: Clap When You LandAuthor: Elizabeth Acevedo
Publisher: Quill Tree Books
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Hardcover, 432 Pages
Published May 2020
Hardcover, 432 Pages
Published May 2020
Summary: Camino Rios lives for the summers when her father visits her in the Dominican Republic. But this time, on the day when his plane is supposed to land, Camino arrives at the airport to see crowds of crying people...In New York City, Yahaira Rios is called to the principal's office, where her mother is waiting to tell her that her father, her hero, has died in a plane crash. Separated by distance - and Papi's secrets - the two girls are forced to face a new reality in which their father is dead and their lives are forever altered. And then, when it seems like they've lost everything of their father, they learn of each other. Papi's death uncovers all the painful truths he kept hidden, and the love he divided across an ocean. And now, Camino and Yahaira are both left to grapple with what this new sister means to them, and what it will now take to keep their dreams alive.
I've been a huge fan of Elizabeth Acevedo's work ever since I read THE POET X, and then WITH THE FIRE ON HIGH was also so spectacular, so when I found out about CLAP WHEN YOU LAND, I knew that I definitely needed a copy. So as soon as it was available I purchased one from my local bookstore, and let me tell you...this is easily one of my favorite reads of 2020, if not one of my favorite reads of the last decade. So without further ado, let's get into my review!
As the summary explains, the story follows two girls, one living in NYC and one living in the DR, as they each learn about the horrific plane crash that their father was in. In the wake of the crash, however, they find out more...that Papi had two families, two wives...two daughters. So this book not only explores the many facets of grief and coping with loss, but also what happens when secrets come to light and what gifts can be given to those who are blinded by such a horrible amount of hurt. And told in verse, this book adds up to be such a spectacular, emotional, perfect story.
I don't even have the words to properly explain how much I loved this book. I read over 400 pages in a single day, staying up well into the night to the point that my eyes were burning, because this book was so fantastic that I never wanted to put it down and I always wanted to know what was going to happen next. When I finished it, I sat there for a few seconds just absorbing it all and processing the whole story. It was truly incredible and amazing, and this book has absolutely touched me in a way that I haven't felt from a book in a very, very long time. I've read many things that I've loved, but so few books actually reach down and grab my heart and leave me feeling ALL of the feels long after I'm finished. But it's safe to say that CLAP WHEN YOU LAND is absolutely one of those books for me.
When I first started reading, I was a little bit intimidated about the fact that it was written in verse. I managed to read THE POET X just fine, but it had been a while since I'd read a book in verse, so I wasn't sure how comfortable I was going to feel with it again/if I was going to get tripped up or a little confused. (Reading poetry throughout elementary and high school was never my strong point.) However, that wasn't an issue even in the slightest. I tore through all 400+ pages of this book in a single night because it was just that amazing and spectacular. The story being in verse not only was easy to understand and didn't make things difficult for me, but it also enhanced the story and managed to make the emotions all the more twisting and magnified and even, at times, gut-wrenching. Acevedo is truly an incredible poet and her talent shines through with this book.
I also think that the story being told from the perspective of both of the sisters was a really powerful move. Especially in the beginning, when as a reader you know about the two families but each girl doesn't know about the other, it makes for a really interesting reading experience where I was always hurriedly turning the pages and staying up well into the night because I always wanted to know what was going to happen next. And as much as the girls were different and although they felt like they came from totally separate worlds, as a reader you got to see how so much of their grief was the same, and how they weren't as different and unrecognizable as they each thought they were.
Overall, I absolutely adored CLAP WHEN YOU LAND and I don't think I'll stop singing its praises for a very long time. If you're looking for an incredible read that will grip you from start to finish, fill you with so many emotions, and leave you in awe at the expert storytelling that took place, then this is definitely the one for you.
Hats off to Elizabeth Acevedo -- she's definitely an auto-buy author for me now!
As the summary explains, the story follows two girls, one living in NYC and one living in the DR, as they each learn about the horrific plane crash that their father was in. In the wake of the crash, however, they find out more...that Papi had two families, two wives...two daughters. So this book not only explores the many facets of grief and coping with loss, but also what happens when secrets come to light and what gifts can be given to those who are blinded by such a horrible amount of hurt. And told in verse, this book adds up to be such a spectacular, emotional, perfect story.
I don't even have the words to properly explain how much I loved this book. I read over 400 pages in a single day, staying up well into the night to the point that my eyes were burning, because this book was so fantastic that I never wanted to put it down and I always wanted to know what was going to happen next. When I finished it, I sat there for a few seconds just absorbing it all and processing the whole story. It was truly incredible and amazing, and this book has absolutely touched me in a way that I haven't felt from a book in a very, very long time. I've read many things that I've loved, but so few books actually reach down and grab my heart and leave me feeling ALL of the feels long after I'm finished. But it's safe to say that CLAP WHEN YOU LAND is absolutely one of those books for me.
When I first started reading, I was a little bit intimidated about the fact that it was written in verse. I managed to read THE POET X just fine, but it had been a while since I'd read a book in verse, so I wasn't sure how comfortable I was going to feel with it again/if I was going to get tripped up or a little confused. (Reading poetry throughout elementary and high school was never my strong point.) However, that wasn't an issue even in the slightest. I tore through all 400+ pages of this book in a single night because it was just that amazing and spectacular. The story being in verse not only was easy to understand and didn't make things difficult for me, but it also enhanced the story and managed to make the emotions all the more twisting and magnified and even, at times, gut-wrenching. Acevedo is truly an incredible poet and her talent shines through with this book.
I also think that the story being told from the perspective of both of the sisters was a really powerful move. Especially in the beginning, when as a reader you know about the two families but each girl doesn't know about the other, it makes for a really interesting reading experience where I was always hurriedly turning the pages and staying up well into the night because I always wanted to know what was going to happen next. And as much as the girls were different and although they felt like they came from totally separate worlds, as a reader you got to see how so much of their grief was the same, and how they weren't as different and unrecognizable as they each thought they were.
Overall, I absolutely adored CLAP WHEN YOU LAND and I don't think I'll stop singing its praises for a very long time. If you're looking for an incredible read that will grip you from start to finish, fill you with so many emotions, and leave you in awe at the expert storytelling that took place, then this is definitely the one for you.
Hats off to Elizabeth Acevedo -- she's definitely an auto-buy author for me now!
Definitely an auto buy author for me too, just like Kwame Alexander.Now I need to get up the courage to go to my local bookstore to get a copy.
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