They don't know what you know. Boring. That was the first word that came to mind when I started reading this book. However, I was only 40 pages in. I cleared my mind and came back to reading it, which I am so glad that I did. This book is amazing. The characters are well described from their physical features to their personalities. The author sure does have a way with words. I felt like I was there with Gretchen and Phoenix the whole time. Don't even get me started about the pupusas. I need to try one of those immediately! To see how much Gretchen has evolved and moved forward in her life made me so happy. The readers can definitely see the drastic change in her character. She went from weak, damaged, shy to strong, powerful, and brave in a matter of 290 pages. The relationship between Gretchen and Phoenix made me tear up, it was so beautiful. I agree with the blurb on the back of the book: Ninety seconds can change a life. I normally don't read books that touched on the topics of immigration or gang violence but I was truly blown away by this piece of work. The only thing I did not like about the book was the constant use of Spanish language. I know some Spanish, but only the basics. When Phoenix was saying phrases and words in Spanish, I felt like I was missing a huge chunk of the situation that was occurring at that time. It's like I needed to have the google translate website on standby while I read this. Other than that, it was an overall success. I love the book.
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