Review Detail

Mimi is not going to settle for less than her dreams. Despite the difficulties she faces after moving to a predominantly white town in Vermont, the young Mimi confronts all challenges with her own unique brand of enthusiasm and strength.

FULL CICADA MOON had lovely poetic writing in a style that is very fitting to the protagonist and her worldview. Mimi is a force to be reckoned with, but she has a light touch and knows how to get along well with people. She also learns a lot over the course of the story, and you can feel her changes in the writing style throughout the book. Mimi also makes some fantastic friends, and they have very strong personalities of their own. The depth of the wide variety of characters, classmates, friends, neighbors, antagonists, really lends the same depth to the whole story.

The prejudice that Mimi faces is so important. She is frequently asked "what" she is, because people are confused by her mixed heritage. Not only is she asked by her classmates, but by adults as well. Being able to see how these kinds of questions and interactions affect Mimi on the inside is really amazing. The historical context of the novel is also really interesting. Mimi is living on the cusp of some very important changes in our country, and the author weaves those elements in to the story effortlessly.

The Verdict: A story that would appeal to both middle grade and adult readers, I highly recommend FULL CICADA MOON to those looking for a strong story about change, hope, and personal strength.